Christina Kim

She ran experiment after experiment using rats, an animal whose sense of smell works similarly to humans. She studied their genetic code relentlessly. This went on for years. And then, one day.

She ran experiment after experiment using rats, an animal whose sense of smell works similarly to humans. She studied their genetic code relentlessly. This went on for years. And then, one day.

She ran experiment after experiment using rats, an animal whose sense of smell works similarly to humans. She studied their genetic code relentlessly. This went on for years. And then, one day.

Linda and Richard Axel solved the puzzle. They'd found 1,000 smell receptors. It was just absolutely thrilling. Over the next decade, Linda Buck, Richard Axel, and their collaborators continued to build out how our brains perceive smell. Which then led to them winning the Nobel Prize in 2004. Rachel Herz says the Nobel Prize made Linda Buck into a rock star in the science world.

Linda and Richard Axel solved the puzzle. They'd found 1,000 smell receptors. It was just absolutely thrilling. Over the next decade, Linda Buck, Richard Axel, and their collaborators continued to build out how our brains perceive smell. Which then led to them winning the Nobel Prize in 2004. Rachel Herz says the Nobel Prize made Linda Buck into a rock star in the science world.

Linda and Richard Axel solved the puzzle. They'd found 1,000 smell receptors. It was just absolutely thrilling. Over the next decade, Linda Buck, Richard Axel, and their collaborators continued to build out how our brains perceive smell. Which then led to them winning the Nobel Prize in 2004. Rachel Herz says the Nobel Prize made Linda Buck into a rock star in the science world.

Suddenly, everyone was paying attention.

Suddenly, everyone was paying attention.

Suddenly, everyone was paying attention.

The thing that surprised me the most about all of this was we, as in humanity, knew very little about this sense that I was now learning to live without. Like the smell of onions sizzling, rain on warm concrete, or my yaya's perfume. How does that go from out there in the world, into my nose, up into my brain, and become a fundamental part of my memories, emotions, my story?

The thing that surprised me the most about all of this was we, as in humanity, knew very little about this sense that I was now learning to live without. Like the smell of onions sizzling, rain on warm concrete, or my yaya's perfume. How does that go from out there in the world, into my nose, up into my brain, and become a fundamental part of my memories, emotions, my story?

The thing that surprised me the most about all of this was we, as in humanity, knew very little about this sense that I was now learning to live without. Like the smell of onions sizzling, rain on warm concrete, or my yaya's perfume. How does that go from out there in the world, into my nose, up into my brain, and become a fundamental part of my memories, emotions, my story?

Well, after Linda Buck's discovery, we have a better understanding of how we smell, what we smell.

Well, after Linda Buck's discovery, we have a better understanding of how we smell, what we smell.

Well, after Linda Buck's discovery, we have a better understanding of how we smell, what we smell.

Air, what we breathe in every moment, is made of chemicals like nitrogen, oxygen, helium, that we can't actually smell, so...

Air, what we breathe in every moment, is made of chemicals like nitrogen, oxygen, helium, that we can't actually smell, so...

Air, what we breathe in every moment, is made of chemicals like nitrogen, oxygen, helium, that we can't actually smell, so...

Today, we know that humans can detect around a trillion scents. This number dwarfs the amount of tones we can hear, about 340,000. Or shades of color we can see, around 1 million.

Today, we know that humans can detect around a trillion scents. This number dwarfs the amount of tones we can hear, about 340,000. Or shades of color we can see, around 1 million.