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Smells

17 Oct 2025

A lot, in fact. Whether it is cheese, wine, truffles, or durian, smells define them all. When we lose our sense of smell (olfaction), we could be in trouble. The COVID-19 pandemic brought the...

The Male Musk Deer Owes Gratitude to Chemistry

29 Jan 2025

Arab perfumers in the sixth century were the first to discover that diluting the obnoxious smelling dried contents of the little pod found near the anus of the male Asian musk deer not only...

Another TikTok Trend Not Based on Science: Vabbing

10 May 2023

Vabbing, as the name perhaps suggests, involves the dabbing of vaginal secretions onto so-called pulse points of the body—wrists, neck, inside the elbows—just as you would a fragrance.

Valentine’s Day! Time to Smell the Roses!

8 Feb 2023

There are more red roses sold on Valentine’s Day than on any other day of the year. They hold a special place among flowers, particularly because of their associations with romance. In Greek...

Do some perfumes actually contain whale excrement?

6 Apr 2022

Sperm whales subsist on a diet of squid, octopus and cuttle fish, all of which have small hard beaks. The beaks are commonly regurgitated but sometimes may work their way into the lining of the...

Scents and Sensibilities

7 Aug 2020

It is quite amazing how very small changes in an odourant’s chemical structure can radically change our perception of its scent. For example, octanol, a synthetic compound used in perfumes and...

There is a connection between TNT, the male musk deer, and your perfume

26 Feb 2020

Arab perfumers in the sixth century were the first to discover that diluting the obnoxious smelling dried contents of the little pod found near the anus of the male Asian musk deer not only...

2019 Year in Review

31 Dec 2019

Scroll to the bottom for links to the articles.

Is It True That Perfumes Contain Aborted Fetal Tissue?

22 Mar 2019

This is not to say that fetal material, specifically fetal cells, do not play a role in the manufacturing of some products. They often do. But it’s not as simple as vaccines containing crushed-up...

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