The evolutionary purpose of smell and how it impacts us today

As an aircare provider, we are very interested in the sense of smell and why it is so important in our daily lives. We know that venues can greatly enhance their environments with a pleasant scent. Considering scent in business interiors is a big business. Whether it’s inside a spa, retail store or hotel lobby, scents (both pleasing and unpleasant) can make all the difference to a customer’s overall experience. It is definitely not something that should be underestimated or undervalued.

Smell was historically important for sniffing out danger and is closely linked to our taste for food. As a smell floats through the air, it travels into our nose and then our olfactory (smell) receptors “lock in” the scent. There are several hundreds of olfactory receptors, each a different type, allowing them to grab tightly onto some scents, loosely onto others, and some not at all.

The receptors come alive sending signals to our brain which perceives the smell we have been exposed to. Looking back at the history and science of scent, scientists have studied the noses of our close relatives, such as chimpanzees. They have also studied human ancestors who existed millions of years ago. Scientists found that the olfactory bulbs that relate to sense of smell were around 12% larger in modern humans than in those of the Neanderthals, giving us a greater evolutionary advantage.* In fact, olfaction is among the oldest sense in vertebrates, “the only one that establishes a direct connection between the brain and its environment,” says Bastir.

Smell is essential for surviving, playing a key role in basic processes like feeding and avoiding threats. We’ve evolved to interpret smells that indicate poison (foul-smelling bacteria that causes food poisoning, for example) and danger (smoke that indicates fire). A person that has lost their ability to smell will need assistance in detecting risks or hazards.

Our sense of smell declines as we get older, which explains why some elderly people have a reduced appetite. It’s just not that appealing anymore! It is widely believed that our sense of smell is now much greater than in the past, mainly due to the exposure of so many different scents and environments today. The consumer product industry (perfumes, food and beverage, and pesticides) devotes billions of dollars each year supporting olfactory research in an effort to enhance product design and marketing.

So, what does smell affect, and why should we take notice?

Memory – Our ancestors would have figured out that a particular type of food is bad and shouldn’t be eaten, and this would have been banked in their memory. Our minds work in exactly the same way today.
Emotion – Remember the wonderful smell of Granny’s cooking? Just one thought back to it and we’re smiling!
Time – Studies have shown that we want to linger longer in an area that smells nice, which is good news for retail stores.
Productivity – Concentration levels can be increased by certain smells, meaning scents in offices are a good thing.

*according to a scientist’s report in the journal Nature Communications. The research team was led by Markus Bastir and Antonio Rosas of the Spanish Natural Science Museum (CSIC) and included Chris Stringer and Robert Kruszynski at the Natural History Museum.