Sense Of Smell

Brad Heffner, James Boehnlein, Kyle Schelesky, Shawn Yatooma, Taylour

Eisinger, and Miles Morgan

The Olfaction

The sense of smell is referred to as the “Olfaction”.

Our Olfaction depends on the ability of us to detect chemicals.

Our sense of smell is not as adept as the sense of smell of a deer or other animals.› For example a deer has approximately 297

million olfactory receptors compared to a human’s 5 million receptors.

How does our sense of smell work?

The sense of smell depends on us being able to detect chemicals.

Embedded in a layer of mucus, are microscopic hairs, called “cilia” that collect molecules of odors.

When these odors attach themselves to the hairs, and electrical signal is sent to the “Olfactory Bulbs” which generate a code that is sent to the brain to be interpreted.

Communication through the Sense of Smell.

One of the most important functions of our sense of smell is to give information about food heading towards the mouth.

Sense of smell is actually a bigger factor into our eating than the taste is.

Another function that the sense of smell serves is to communicate sexual interest. › (This is more evident in animals than humans)› “Pheromones” are odor chemicals that

communicate a message.

Research Questions

Q-Why do certain smells instantly evoke specific memories or feelings?› Smells are sometimes associated with an

emotional event, we never forget it. Q-How are the sense of smell and

sense of taste related?› Most of what we taste is actually being

sensed by our olfactory system through what we smell.

Interesting facts about our sense of smell

Our sense of smell is the most sensitive of all the senses

Our sense of smell is at our peak when we are in our late teens and then it makes a gradual decline from then on.