Mid Brain reports:
Here’s an interesting olfactory tidbit: When you smell two fragrances at the same time your brain alternates between using your left nostril and right nostril. This surprising scent story comes to us from the September 2009 issue of the journal Current Biology, courtesy of Science Centric.
Hostile Nostils?
According to researchers at Rice University in Houston, the study is the first demonstration of nasal rivalry and could contribute to a much broader understanding of how our olfactory system works. In their study researchers used two chemicals: phenyl ethyl alcohol, which smells like a rose, and n-butanol, which smells like a magic marker pen. (If I was running the study I would have used something a little more appealing like Acqua di Gio and Hugo Boss.)
Double duty
Denise Chen, assistant professor of psychology, who coauthored the research paper said this work shows that competition between nostrils is similar to the way other pairs of sensory organs work. For example when your eyes view two different images at the same time the brain perceives them alternately, one at a time Same thing with your ears- when similar alternating tones are played out of phase most people hear a single tone that goes from one ear to the other. In the case of your nose you experience an olfactory illusion: instead of smelling a constant mix of two scents your brain makes you think you smell one scent first then the other.
The Beauty Brains bottom line
So why would anyone care about a study like this? Because understanding the neuroscience behind scent can help us diagnose certain medical conditions. Plus, it’s just freakin’ cool.
What do you think? Do you have any favorite scents that you wish your brain would combine? Chocolate and peanut butter perhaps? Leave a comment and share your olfactory favorites with the rest of the Beauty Brains community.
P.S. Hopefully this picture of Jennifer Aniston generates less controversy than the one I used in my post about Caudalie!
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{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Men like women with modesty, couldn’t she at least put a burqa or niqab over her terribly offensive and NSFW face?
That’s an interesting study though. The science behind the sense of smell is my favorite though, so I’m a little biased.