Scoping Out Smell
- Published12 Dec 2016
- Reviewed12 Dec 2016
- Author Michael W. Richardson
- Source BrainFacts/SfN
Image of the Week: Seeing Your Sense of Smell
This visage captures the parts of the nose and brain responsible for interpreting smell.
Image of the Week: Smells Shape the Brain
Sensory information like scents can alter the brain in early development.
Image of the Week: Processing Smell
Odor information travels through the amygdala, where it helps to influence such behaviors as reproduction and defense.
Image of the Week: Pavlov’s Flies
The brain links smells and sensations to create lasting memories.
Image of the Week: Radial Branches
Scientists look to insects for clues about how sensory information is processed in the brain.
Image of the Week: Sense of Smell in a Locust Brain
How does the brain track smells? Scientists use the olfactory system in insects to study how the brain responds to and processes different odors.
Though your sense of smell is much less powerful than your pet dog’s abilities, researchers have shown that the human brain can recognize at least one trillion different smells! That’s thanks to a complex web of nerve cells and brain circuits called the olfactory system. Check out some of our favorite images of the olfactory system in action, and learn more about how the brain processes smells in this roundup.
Browse through the images and their descriptions. Click on the link in each caption to read the full articles.
See more images in our archive:Image of the Week
About the Author
Michael W. Richardson is a writer and editor based in Brooklyn, New York, covering topics ranging from the brain and behavior to the environment.
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