TED-ED: How do we smell? - Rose Eveleth

The video explores the sense of smell, highlighting its importance and complexity. It explains how smell works through the olfactory epithelium and receptor neurons, and how the brain processes these signals. The video also discusses variations in smell perception among individuals, including conditions like anosmia, and how smell is closely linked to taste. It concludes by emphasizing the unique and powerful nature of our olfactory system.

What is the primary function of the olfactory epithelium in the nose?

• To filter air before it reaches the lungs

• To detect and process different smells

• To produce mucus

• To enhance the sense of taste

How does the brain differentiate between various smells?

• By the intensity of the smell

• By triggering different combinations of olfactory receptor neurons

• By the number of times a smell is detected

• By using different parts of the brain for each smell

What is unique about the way smell is processed in the brain compared to sight and sound?

• Smell takes a direct route to various brain regions

• Smell signals are slower to reach the brain

• Smell is processed in the spinal cord

• Smell signals go through a relay center first

What is anosmia?

• A condition where smells are perceived as sounds

• The inability to smell a specific scent or any scent at all

• The inability to detect certain tastes

• A heightened sense of smell

How does the loss of smell affect taste perception?

• It makes all foods taste bitter

• It has no effect on taste perception

• It limits taste to only the basic five tastes

• It enhances the ability to taste sweet flavors