smell

Smell, or olfaction, is the sensory perception of airborne particles called odor molecules. When these molecules enter the nose, they bind to specialized receptors on sensory nerve cells in the olfactory epithelium. This triggers electrical signals that are sent to the brain's olfactory bulb, where they are processed and interpreted as distinct smells. Smell helps us detect food, hazards, and fragrances, playing a crucial role in perception and memory. It is a complex system that combines chemistry, biology, and neural processing to create the rich experience of odors.