Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
odour
Table of Contents
Introduction References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics
Images & Videos
Olfaction (sense of smell) Human detection of flavor
Investigating dogs' remarkable sense of smell
Why does bacon smell so delicious?
Read Next
pulmonary veins and arteries, circulation, cardiovascular system, human anatomy, (Netter replacement project - SSC)
13 Questions About How the Human Body Works Answered
Slowworm. Anguis fragilis. Blindworm. Lizard. Anguidae. Close-up of a slowworm's head.
7 Questions About Lizards, Snakes, and Other Reptiles Answered
Mother tickling her daughter, sitting in a garden
Why Can’t You Tickle Yourself?
Puppy dog having a bath looking into the camera. Wet dog, canines
Why Do Wet Dogs Have A Wet Dog Smell?
Studio portrait of young Black woman with arms folded
Why Do Our Noses Have Two Nostrils?
Discover
Battle of the Alamo from "Texas: An Epitome of Texas History from the Filibustering and Revolutionary Eras to the Independence of the Republic, 1897. Texas Revolution, Texas revolt, Texas independence, Texas history.
6 Wars of Independence
Easter Procession of Maria Santisima del Sacromonte in Granada, Spain. This statue is known as Virgen de los Gitanos or The Virgin of the Gypsies.
What is Holy Week?
Titanic infographic. The 30th anniversary of its discovery is September 1, 2015. SPOTLIGHT VERSION.
Timeline of the Titanic’s Final Hours
Hemp (Cannabis sativa).
9 Mind-Altering Plants
African Americans demonstrating for voting rights in front of the White House as police and others watch, March 12, 1965. One sign reads, "We demand the right to vote everywhere." Voting Rights Act, civil rights.
Timeline of the American Civil Rights Movement
King Cobra snake in Malaysia. (reptile)
9 of the World’s Deadliest Snakes
Close up of books. Stack of books, pile of books, literature, reading. Homepage 2010, arts and entertainment, history and society
12 Novels Considered the “Greatest Book Ever Written”

odour: Facts & Related Content

verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Share
Share to social media
URL
https://www.britannica.com/facts/odor
Written and fact-checked by
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of  Encyclopædia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them.
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Facts

Also Known As scent • aroma • odour

Photos and Videos

Olfaction (sense of smell)
Human detection of flavor
Investigating dogs' remarkable sense of smell
Why does bacon smell so delicious?
See All Videos and Images →

Related Topics and References

Topics
Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic