Hacker News Reader

I was hoping to read an article on how smells guide our bio-chemistry, but it’s more a historical piece.

Sense of smell strikes me as the sense with the greatest discrepency between individuals. Some are incredibly attuned, others are completely oblivious to it.

Clearly the piece is written by somebody very passionate about their own sense of smell.

View on HN

I began smelling (ha!) much more acutely after living for a few years with some country bumpkins in Seattle. We would take walks together and they could smell mushrooms, flowers, animals, and other things on the wind that I was not privy too.

I think in cities we just aren’t taught to use our noses so that muscle doesn’t get exercised.

> I think in cities we just aren’t taught to use our noses so that muscle doesn’t get exercised.

We are taught to use our noses for different things. Smell of piss, feces, gas, garbage, etc.

Don't forget vomit. For me, it's the worst smell by far in certain population dense areas. I will go to great lengths to avoid it.

I actually grew up in the province and later moved to a city. Can't say it had a noticeable affect on me shrug.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com