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It turned out to be the most popular fragrance in the world
Recent research has shown that whatever scents we feel are pleasant, regardless of culture.
Led by a neurologist at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, a study was recently carried out comparing the fragrance experiences of people around the world. Although our senses are the same, our feelings for each stimulus are different, meaning that two people may judge the same thing differently. The researchers looked at scents, which can be linked to a single molecule — not a mixture of molecules — with the help of 225 people from many cultures around the world, National Geographic reports.
They were most curious as to whether the scents we felt pleasant depended on the culture, or whether it was a common human trait. “Our study has shown that our culture has little to do with it,” said Dr. Artin Arshamian, head of research published in the journal Current Biology.
As described, subjects had to classify a particular scent one by one according to how pleasant or uncomfortable they felt. The survey showed that the molecular structure of the fragrance and personal preference were decisive in whether or not the subjects found the sample pleasant. An interesting result is that everyone described some scents as equally pleasant. Researchers were able to link only 6 percent of the fragrance experience to the subjects ’cultural affiliation.
For the most part, the professionals involved in the research were those who work with a variety of indigenous groups around the world. Nine of these groups have now been selected, most of whose members belong to either hunter-gatherer or fishing, agricultural groups, and most of them are not closely related to Western food and household goods.
“Because these groups live in fragrant environments such as the rainforest, the beach, the mountains, or even the city, they also have a variety of smell experiences,” Dr. Arshamian explained.
The most popular scent was vanilla, followed by the characteristic peach scent of ethyl butyrate. Isovaleric acid has been found to be the least pleasant, although this molecule is present in many of our foods, but can also be found in the smell of sweaty feet, for example.
Researchers will also want to find out in the future what happens in the brain when one encounters these scents.
(Source: marmalade.co.uk; hirado.com | Image: pixabay.com)
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