Chuck McGinley, a chemical engineer, stepped out of his car, eyed the smokestack of an animal processing plant rising above the treetops, and inhaled deeply. At first he smelled nothing except the faint, sweet fragrance of the nearby trees. Suddenly, the wind picked up. “We have...
It was October 2020. The days were getting shorter; the news was getting worse. I was looking for a small distraction, something to look forward to in the coming pandemic winter. After a brief consideration of the limited available options, I decided to get into...
After being sick with COVID, these people are reporting an unusual new symptom. And it stinks...
Just over five years ago, while listening to some friends gripe about the overwhelming aroma of a nearby lemon candle, it struck me that not only could I not smell that scent, I couldn’t recall the last time I’d smelled any citrus. In fact, I...
The nerves in our nasal cavity send signals to our brain to alert us to what we’re smelling. As we age, our sight, hearing and sense of smell diminishes. When we lose our ability to distinguish one odor from another, say vanilla versus cinnamon, it...
The reports from covid-19 patients are disconcerting. Only a few hours before, they were enjoying a cup of pungent coffee or the fragrance of flowers in a garden. Then, as if a switch had been flipped, those smells disappeared. Young and old alike are affected —...
Ten months ago, 20-year-old Natalia Cano tested positive for COVID-19. Now she reports having a completely warped sense of taste and smell. "I was working at my local grocery store in January, and unfortunately, that's where I got COVID," Natalia told BuzzFeed. "I felt really sick,...
If you’re trying to cut back on sodium, you’ve probably gotten the advice to cook with plenty of herbs and spices. Their flavor punches up dishes, so you can lay off the saltshaker. But it can sometimes still feel like something’s missing. That’s because the taste...
Pumpkin spice latte, roasting turkey, butter-drenched stuffing! Holiday smells conjure memories. But for people experiencing side effects of Covid-19, a sense of smell can suddenly be non-existent, or even repulsive. Dr. Danielle Reed of the Monell Chemical Senses Center describes how smell works, why it affects...
There’s something about the scent of fall that people clearly want to capture and remember. Witness Bonfire perfume, pumpkin spice laundry soap, and autumn leaves soaps, candles, and sachets galore. But it’s the remembering part of that equation that explains the appeal, researchers say. That brisk,...