Exquisite sense. (cover story)

The article discusses research on smell, examining why humans are frequently unaware of scent as well as studies on the effect of smells on mood, choices, and behaviour. Research by scientists including Charles Gree, Hendrick Schifferstein, and William Overman on the number of neural regions which are linked to scent receptors in humans, the connection of olfactory centers and the limbic system, and the ability of humans to distinguish small amounts of chemicals are discussed. Other topics include the reasons smell evokes memories, the ability of humans to smell fear, and training people's sense of smell. INSETS: BLAST FROM THE PAST;LOST AND FOUND.