Olfactory receptors are integral to sensory perception, forming a sophisticated system that enables organisms to detect and differentiate an immense variety of volatile chemical compounds. As members ...

For the first time, researchers have determined how a human olfactory receptor captures an airborne scent molecule, the pivotal chemical event that triggers our sense of smell. Whether it evokes roses ...

The human olfactory system discriminates between thousands of odours by interacting specifically with olfactory receptors on sensory neurons. Each receptor can detect several odorants at different ...

Humans have about 400 odorant receptors (ORs), but scientists have had trouble finding ligands that match up with most of these ORs in lab settings—leaving them with a murky understanding of how ...

Our noses can effortlessly distinguish the aroma of coffee from the tang of gasoline, yet how they do it has long been a mystery. In a study that appears Oct. 30 in Nature, scientists at Duke ...

A team of chemical and biological engineers at Seoul National University in the Republic of Korea has developed a proof-of-concept device that could one day lead to the creation of an artificial nose.

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Márquez is a marine scientist and science communicator Understanding the intricate mechanisms of shark olfaction not only deepens ...