The Forgotten Sense: The New Science of Smell-and the Extraordinary Power of the Nose

by Jonas Olofsson

Overview

“The Forgotten Sense leaves us with the hope of new discoveries and new recoveries—so that we may once again revel in the glorious, fragrant world around us.”—Wall Street Journal

By one of the world’s leading researchers into the science of smell, a fascinating exploration of our most essential yet least understood sense—enabling us to appreciate food and drink, warning us of dangers, and even influencing who we fall in love with

Our sense of smell guides our lives far more than our screen-heavy, sight-privileged era would suggest. It animates our experience of food and drink, helps us access memories, and strengthens our intimacy with each other. But, long considered our most “beastly” sense, the inner workings of smell have stumped scientists for centuries.

Now, cognitive scientist and leading smell researcher Jonas Olofsson uncovers the sophisticated processes that drive our olfactory system, with profound implications for how we perceive the world around us. Drawing from cutting-edge original research, Olofsson shows that not only is our sense of smell extraordinarily sensitive, its process of chemical exchange shaped human evolution on its most fundamental level.

From the pheromones, environmental signals, and emotions we process with each breath, olfaction makes us the individuals we are. Moreover, smelling is an intellectual exercise, Olofsson argues, one that we have the remarkable capacity to strengthen and, with some effort, even regain after illness.

With infectious curiosity and a host of applications—from emotional health and gastronomy to literature and even politics—The Forgotten Sense is a wide-ranging and entertaining look at this most understudied function of human life. 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063394704
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	01/07/2025
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
File size:	774 KB

About the Author

Jonas Olofsson is a professor of psychology at Stockholm University, where he directs the Sensory Cognitive Interaction Lab. He has conducted research at the New York University School of Medicine, Northwestern University, the Scripps Research Institute, and the Karolinska Institute. He lives in Stockholm.

Editorial Reviews

The Forgotten Sense leaves us with the hope of new discoveries and new recoveries—so that we may once again revel in the glorious, fragrant world around us.”
— Wall Street Journal

"[Olofsson's] works reveals how this ancient and unassuming ability holds profound untapped potential to enrich our lives." — Scientific American

“Humans are highly visual, suggesting that, compared to other mammals, our olfactory system has atrophied. Instead, what has atrophied is our appreciation of and knowledge about olfaction. Highly readable and scientifically impeccable, The Forgotten Sense takes on topics ranging from whether human pheromones exist to links between olfactory disgust and political views to what is revealed about someone’s health by both how good they smell and how well they smell. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.” — Robert M. Sapolsky, New York Times bestselling author of Determined

“I love this book. It reawakened my sense of smell more than any zesty body wash or freshly brewed cup of coffee. The Forgotten Sense brilliantly explores the science that underpins our sense of smell.” — Mark Miodownik, New York Times bestselling author of Stuff Matters 

“With intelligence and wit, a researcher raises our sensitivity to smell.” — Kirkus Reviews

“[An] entrancing debut. . . . As enlightening as it is surprising, this stimulates." — Publishers Weekly

"Fascinating. . . The Forgotten Sense is an excellent, enthusiastic guide through 'the little-known depths of scent and how it shapes us.'" — BookPage

From the Publisher

Jonas Oloffson's exploration of the sense of smell starts with herring: Narrator Adam Verner's light tone suggests Oloffson's awareness that his love of the fish dish is not widely shared. As a smell researcher, Oloffson undertakes such activities as smelling lampposts to understand what dogs smell and trying pungent durian ice cream in Singapore. Verner captures the author's humor and occasional touches of weariness. When Oloffson's research tackles more serious issues such as the loss of smell associated with Covid, Berner's voice takes on a grave tone. As Oloffson observes how scents enhance our lives, listeners will be fascinated by such topics as smell-based brain training and the way scents are used in marketing Cinnabon products. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine

FEBRUARY 2025 - AudioFile

2024-10-11
Opening our eyes to our noses.

Yes, the nose knows. In fact, it knows much more than we often give it credit for, and Olofsson aims to address the shortcoming. As a professor of psychology at Stockholm University, where he directs the Sensory Cognitive Interaction Lab, he has been studying our sense of smell for 20 years, and here he brings together a persuasive body of research, both his own and that of others. He notes that humans top many animals (but not dogs) in olfactory sensitivity and that scents have a direct connection to the brain, evoking complex memories and emotional responses. He examines how different cultures find certain aromas pleasing or disgusting, which gives him the chance to insert some wry humor, especially about the fermented herrings for which his country is famous (or infamous). He looks at why Covid-19 temporarily robbed certain people of their sense of smell, and in some cases changed it. A loss of a sense of smell may be a warning signal of illnesses such as Alzheimer’s, although more research is needed in this area. Smelling skills can be heightened through training and experience, and Olofsson speaks to several chefs and winemakers whose noses are a professional asset. After reading the book, one might well become more aware of the scents around them, whether usual or remarkable. Olofsson writes, “One aim of this book has been to make the readernosewise: to realize that the sense of smell, often unnoticed, influences so many of the most important parts of our lives. Most of us have a world of smells to discover.”

With intelligence and wit, a researcher raises our sensitivity to smell.

Kirkus Reviews