Traditionally, philosophers have overlooked the sense of smell, dismissing it as too coarse for members of a civilized society to discuss and as vastly inferior to sight and hearing. But in the past two decades scientists have begun to realize how powerful our noses really are. How do we perceive smells? What messages do they contain? How does our sense of smell influence our brain and behavior?

Traditionally, philosophers have overlooked the sense of smell, dismissing it as too coarse for members of a civilized society to discuss and as vastly inferior to sight and hearing. But in the past two decades scientists have begun to realize how powerful our noses really are. How do we perceive smells? What messages do they contain? How does our sense of smell influence our brain and behavior?