Ocean
Diane Ackerman brought to light a fascinating observation that I have never encountered before in her Natural History of the Senses. She shared that the ocean is inside of us. This idea really resonated with me. She begins by sharing that "Our sense of smell, like many of our other body functions, is a throwback to that time, early in evolution when we thrived in the oceans"(pg. 20). The blood in our veins, which mirror the tides in their pulsing is mainly salt water. Ackerman explains that "we are small marine environments on the move, with salt in our blood, our urine, our flesh, our tears" (149). To smell , an odor must dissolve into a watery solution before our mucous membranes can absorb it. The smell of the vagina has a history of being reported to smell fishy. Sponges a sea creature have a profound sense of touch that allows them to feel every quiver in the water. Our need for touch is first developed in the moving waters of womb w...
