Remembrance of Smells Past

Ian Peacock discovers why certain smells can transport us back to our childhood. Our olfactory perceptions are increasingly being recognised by scientists as the foundation for many of our decisions and actions, from consumer loyalty to weight loss and age perception.

With a growing realisation that a sense of smell has this special ability to arouse particular feelings, researchers are being drawn to explore the connections between smell, memory and emotion. Ian asks if smells could be bypassing the conscious mind and accessing memories on a deeper, more mysterious level.