Chapter Three - On Olfaction

I found the whole path throbbing with the fragrance of hawthorn-blossom.

-Marcel Proust, Swann’s Way

In the chapter olfaction, you can learn how evolution has determined the neuroanatomy of our sense of smell. Smell is our oldest sense; perhaps our most refined sense, but in many ways a capacity that has changed very little over time. Even one-celled creatures are able to detect chemical gradients in ways similar to how our noses pass as odor molecules. Most importantly, the smell pathways are intimately connected with the emotion processing centers of the brain. Labeling an aroma or odor with emotion is part of what creates stable and strong memories of smell.