How do scent and the human olfactory system interact?
Viewed from an evolutionary perspective, smell is the most primitive of the senses. It was the first of our senses to evolve, and is the first to kick in after birth. Perhaps its ancient nature accounts for the emotionally charged, evocative nature of smell. Smell has a more direct route to the brain than any other sense. Our sense of smell is estimated to be 10,000 times more acute than our other senses. Olfactory receptor cells are nerve cells that communicate directly with the brain. The nose contains millions of receptor cells, which mediate the olfactory system’s high sensitivity to an extraordinary range of odors. Although some aromas are so subtle they do not register consciously, the nose and brain can detect 10,000 or more different odors.
