Close your eyes for a moment and imagine the smell of rain after a dry spell. Can you smell it? For many people, that earthy, warm scent brings on feelings of calm and comfort – and there’s a fascinating reason why.
Officially known as petrichor, the smell of rain is a result of a few factors including the oils that are released from plants as the water hits them, ozone, and the activation of a molecule from a particular kind of bacteria called geosmin.
Human beings are extremely sensitive to geosmin and can even smell it at concentration levels of 5 parts per trillion.
And the sense of calm? Scientists theorize that it comes from a hardwired biological signal from our ancestors who would have associated it with renewed water resources, and new life and growth.
Some Good News: Say goodbye to EV range anxiety