The vivid world of odours

The olfactory system is important for our quality of life. A unique odour can trigger distinct memories from our childhood or from emotional moments – positive or negative – later in life. When something tastes good it is mainly due to activation of the olfactory system.

To lose the sense of smell is a significant handicap; we no longer perceive the different qualities of food and we cannot detect warning signals, for example smoke from a fire.