Take a walk outside and smell the… petrichor?!
Have you ever experienced the fresh, earthy smell of the outdoors after it rains? There’s a word for that: petrichor!
This aroma is created when rainfall lands on and disturbs dry soil, releasing organic chemicals, like geosmin, into the air. The human nose is exceptionally attuned to extremely small concentrations of geosmin, as low as 400 parts per trillion! Scientists aren’t completely sure why this is, but this ability is thought to have played a role in the survival of early humans by bringing them closer to areas with fresh rain water. #NationalTakeAWalkInAParkDay
