How sensitive is the sense of smell?
The sense of smell has been documented to be over 10,000 times more sensitive than any of our other senses. Just one whiff of a familiar smell can bring back memories of childhood, home and family. This happens in a fraction of one second because scent travels directly to the pleasure centers of the brain. Smell impulses travel faster than signals from sight or sound to the brain because the olfactory system is the only part of the brain that is exposed to the air directly. This is very important in an emergency such as a fire. You will smell the smoke long before you hear the fire. Smell has the longest recall period of any of the senses. An average adult is able to process approximately 10,000 different smells in an area of the brain which is only the size of a postage stamp.
