logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2022
33m 4s

Can smells fill you up?

Bbc World Service
About this episode

Imagine waking up to the smell of freshly baked bread. Doesn’t it make your mouth water? Now imagine the smell of a fish market on a warm day… still feeling hungry? CrowdScience listener Thanh from Vietnam is intrigued by the effects of smell on our appetite, and wants to know whether certain aromas can make us feel more full than others. Never averse to a food-based challenge, presenter Anand Jagatia takes us on a journey from the nose to the brain, where we find out what exactly happens when we get a whiff of various foods. He discovers how the digestive system prepares for a meal and the extent to which our stomach has a say in whether or not we want to eat, based on how appetizing the smells are around us. Anand also explores our cultural differences. In some parts of the world a stinky Limburger cheese is considered a delicacy, while in other places it could make people lose their lunch. We’ll find out why some of us get triggered in different ways than others.

Up next
Mar 13
Can I really manifest the future?
CrowdScience listener Kassy in India wants to know if there’s any science to support the practice of ‘manifesting’ – the idea that you can make your wishes come true just by writing down your goals and sending your dreams out to the universe. Is it just a wacky belief or can it b ... Show More
26m 28s
Mar 6
What keeps the universe in balance?
CrowdScience listener Ndanusa in Ghana, is gazing up at the stars, and wondering. Big philosophical questions, like… what keeps our universe in balance? From our perspective here on earth, the universe seems like a vast, harmonious system, perpetuating eternally without change. B ... Show More
31m 5s
Feb 27
How can we save the Great Barrier Reef?
Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is one of the richest and most complex natural ecosystems on earth, and it’s home to over 600 species of coral – marine animals that are most closely related to jellyfish. But the coral is under threat, with climate change, ocean acidification and m ... Show More
26m 28s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2022
Icelandic volcano erupts again
We talk to volcano scientist Ed Marshall in Iceland about working at the volcano which has burst into life spectacularly again after a year of quiet. Also in the programme, we'll be following migrating moths across Europe in light aircraft to discover the remarkable secrets of th ... Show More
54m 36s
May 2022
The unexpected link between taste and smell
Sniffing a fragrant flower, inhaling the aroma of a good cup of coffee, breathing in your loved one’s signature scent–these are just a few of the joys you might feel deprived of when you lose your sense of smell. But smell is a surprisingly underrated sense and many of us don’t k ... Show More
34m 19s
Oct 2022
The suspicious smell
Why are some smells so nasty and others so pleasant? Rutherford and Fry inhale the science of scent in this stinker of an episode.Our sleuths kick off with a guided tour of the airborne molecules and chemical receptors that power the sense of smell. Armed with a stack of pungent ... Show More
28m 17s
Sep 2021
Comment notre odorat nous aide à diversifier nos repas ?
Senteur de viande grillée, parfum de pain chaud… En vous promenant dans la rue, une odeur agréable vous a peut-être déjà happé au point de franchir les portes d’un commerce pour en ressortir avec un aliment constituant pour tout ou partie votre prochain repas. En effet, les odeur ... Show More
2m 30s
Jun 2021
How Smell, Taste & Pheromone-Like Chemicals Control You
This episode explains how we sense chemicals through smell, taste, and pheromones. How things smell and taste and chemicals in the tears, breath, and on the skin of others have a profound effect on how we feel, what we do, and our hormones. I explain the 3 types of responses to s ... Show More
1h 55m
Oct 2022
How your sense of smell helps you savor flavor | Body Stuff
Eating pizza with a stuffy nose just isn't as satisfying -- and there's a reason for that. Dr. Jen Gunter explains how our ability to smell and taste work together to give us a full sensory experience. So whether you're sniffing the caramelized aroma of coffee, a whiff of trash o ... Show More
3m 32s
Jan 2024
Which foods change our body odour?
Did you know that each of us has a truly unique body odour, which is influenced by a mix of genetic, hormonal, age-related, environmental, and lifestyle factor? And your diet plays a role in shaping your natural scent. Some foods have their own noticeably strong odours, like garl ... Show More
4m 6s