Why does rain smell?

Chemistry For Your Life

Apr 14 2022 • 35 mins

#029 Rebroadcast

What's that smell? This week, Melissa and Jam explore the chemistry of smell. Now a lot of smell science has to do with our physiology and neurology. We'll talk some about that, but the chemistry has to do with the actual smells in the air. What are they? How do they get into the air? How can we detect them with our noses and brains? Why does rain have a smell, and why does it smell good? Let's find out.


References from this episode

  1. Aerosol generation by raindrop impact on soil - Young Soo Joung & Cullen R. Buie, Nature Communications
  2. 2 Americans Win Nobel for Demystifying Sense of Smell - Lawrence K. Altman, The New York Times
  3. The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2004 Press Release - Richard Axel & Linda B. Buck, The Nobel Prize
  4. A Novel Multigene Family May Encode Odorant Receptors: A Molecular Basis for Odor Recognition - Buck and Axel
  5. Chemists and bad smells (and sulfur): A productive pairing - Ashutosh Jogalekar, Scientific American
  6. https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/pressroom/reactions/videos/2017/the-smell-of-durian-explained.html
  7. https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/pressroom/reactions/videos/2018/whats-that-after-rain-smell-made-of.html


Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @ChemForYourLife.
Email us at chemforyourlife@gmail.com
And check out our chill, simple little website at https://chemforyourlife.transistor.fm/

Thanks to our monthly supporters
  • Ciara Linville
  • J0HNTR0Y
  • Jeannette Napoleon
  • Cullyn R
  • Erica Bee
  • Elizabeth P
  • Sarah Moar
  • Rachel Reina
  • Letila
  • Katrina Barnum-Huckins
  • Suzanne Phillips
  • Nelly Silva
  • Venus Rebholz
  • Lyn Stubblefield
  • Jacob Taber
  • Brian Kimball
  • shadow
  • Emerson Woodhall
  • Kristina Gotfredsen
  • Timothy Parker
  • Steven Boyles
  • Chris Skupien
  • Chelsea B
  • Bri McAllister
  • Avishai Barnoy
  • Hunter Reardon
★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

You Might Like

Hidden Brain
Hidden Brain
Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam
Radiolab
Radiolab
WNYC Studios
Science Friday
Science Friday
Science Friday and WNYC Studios
StarTalk Radio
StarTalk Radio
Neil deGrasse Tyson
Sasquatch Chronicles
Sasquatch Chronicles
Sasquatch Chronicles - Bigfoot Encounters
Something You Should Know
Something You Should Know
Mike Carruthers | OmniCast Media | Cumulus Podcast Network
This Podcast Will Kill You
This Podcast Will Kill You
Exactly Right Media – the original true crime comedy network
Paranormal Mysteries Podcast
Paranormal Mysteries Podcast
Paranormal Mysteries | Unexplained Supernatural Stories
Science Vs
Science Vs
Spotify Studios
Tooth & Claw: True Stories of Animal Attacks
Tooth & Claw: True Stories of Animal Attacks
Wes Larson, Jeff Larson, Mike Smith | QCODE
Blurry Creatures
Blurry Creatures
Blurry Creatures
The Confessionals
The Confessionals
Merkel Media
Real Ghost Stories Online
Real Ghost Stories Online
Real Ghost Stories Online | Paranormal, Supernatural & Horror Radio