Sticky Smells (Dr. Rachel Herz Lecture)

By Anonymous -
Dr. Rachel Herz' lecture today was very, very interesting and made me understand in a relatable way the cognitive components of smell. Some of the key components I found interesting were:

  • The idea that "smells stick to things" - that makes so much sense! I had never realized that the smell molecules do actually stick to physical objects. We can't really say the same thing about the other senses which is really what makes smell so unique.
  • -The "tip of the nose" phenomena, which I didn't know was a thing that existed beyond my own mind. I always get so frustrated when I smell something and can't put my finger on what it reminds me of, or what the scent is. 
  • I never really thought about, either, the fact that wean't smell oxygen, helium, methane or anything that makes up the air we breathe. Rather, according to Dr. Herz, we can smell things that are carried in the air we breathe.
  • I am also interested in the relationship between olfaction and emotion, and how certain smells trigger memories. I remember smelling a specific kind of perfume and associating it with my grandmother, or cigar smoke which reminds me of my grandfather. Must reminds me of libraries and basements. 

Lastly, I also really liked the discussion about taste versus flavor. I had no idea about the reasoning behind the relationship between smell and taste, and how important smell is to taste. So tasting chocolate isn't a taste, but an experience which combines smell and flavor.



I can't imagine being without a sense of smell. When I lose it briefly when I have a cold, it's bad enough when I can't taste the chicken soup my mother makes me. Not having it at all would really be a struggle mentally, socially, and emotionally as Dr. Herz pointed out in the final section of her lecture.

So smells are, indeed, "sticky," in that they not only stick to physical things but also to how we define ourselves and the world around us. They really do affect is in more ways than I even thought possible, which is why I found the lecture so enriching.

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