3 ms·

Who can't remember the smell of more than a few dozen objects?

kevinmchugh 3y ago
Yeah, and humans can identify different hops or chocolate or coffee beans by smell. We can't track very well but still have pretty sophisticated noses
sandworm101 3y ago
We remember scents. We remember how chocolate smells. We do not smell well enough to associate smell with a particular object. Then, in turn, our brains are not hardwired to associate specific smells to specific objects. Look at our memory for faces. It isn't all about eyesight. Our brains have specific circuitry for faces. Dogs have the same for smell. Sensitivity is one thing, how the brain is wired is another.
- robocat 3y ago
  > Then, in turn, our brains are not hardwired to associate specific smells to specific objects. I think you are speculating cause. Culturally we tend not to communicate much about smells - it could just as easily be that most of us have the ability but it is never trained because it isn't much use to us. Anecdotally I know people with a wide range of different olfactory abilities. It is interesting to try and think of how we could test for the ability. Perhaps not testing for my pencil, but something else - a child - a dog - shoes - urine.
- PaulDavisThe1st 3y ago
  > We remember how chocolate smells. I rememeber: * how English Cadbury's smells * how El Rey Cordoba milk chocolate (from Venezuela) smells * how Hershey's smells * how hot chocolate made with Swiss Miss mix smells * how Toblerone smells I could go on.
  - newman8r 3y ago
    Although in a blind smell test, I wonder how well would you do? I've seen people fail hard at identifying what food their eating when blindfolded, and they have the additional power of taste rather than just smell. We're wired to be able to pull up those memories and imagine a smell, but not to be able to identify what we're smelling when it's right in front of us.
    - pazimzadeh 3y ago
      I would do really well. Especially for Hershey's which I can detect from across the room thanks to that distinctive baby vomit smell from butyric acid they use as a preservative.
- pazimzadeh 3y ago
  No offense but by 'we' I think you mean you

Yeah, and humans can identify different hops or chocolate or coffee beans by smell. We can't track very well but still have pretty sophisticated noses

sandworm101 3y ago

We remember scents. We remember how chocolate smells. We do not smell well enough to associate smell with a particular object. Then, in turn, our brains are not hardwired to associate specific smells to specific objects. Look at our memory for faces. It isn't all about eyesight. Our brains have specific circuitry for faces. Dogs have the same for smell. Sensitivity is one thing, how the brain is wired is another.

robocat 3y ago
> Then, in turn, our brains are not hardwired to associate specific smells to specific objects. I think you are speculating cause. Culturally we tend not to communicate much about smells - it could just as easily be that most of us have the ability but it is never trained because it isn't much use to us. Anecdotally I know people with a wide range of different olfactory abilities. It is interesting to try and think of how we could test for the ability. Perhaps not testing for my pencil, but something else - a child - a dog - shoes - urine.
PaulDavisThe1st 3y ago
> We remember how chocolate smells. I rememeber: * how English Cadbury's smells * how El Rey Cordoba milk chocolate (from Venezuela) smells * how Hershey's smells * how hot chocolate made with Swiss Miss mix smells * how Toblerone smells I could go on.
- newman8r 3y ago
  Although in a blind smell test, I wonder how well would you do? I've seen people fail hard at identifying what food their eating when blindfolded, and they have the additional power of taste rather than just smell. We're wired to be able to pull up those memories and imagine a smell, but not to be able to identify what we're smelling when it's right in front of us.
  - pazimzadeh 3y ago
    I would do really well. Especially for Hershey's which I can detect from across the room thanks to that distinctive baby vomit smell from butyric acid they use as a preservative.
pazimzadeh 3y ago
No offense but by 'we' I think you mean you