Well, this past week I was looking down into the holler toward Webb’s Creek wondering why some people’s feet smell really really bad. In the interest of good taste I’ll spare you the gory details that prompted my extreme curiosity because I’m guessing that you, too, may have personally stumbled across the life changing aroma.
The journey for the answer to our question begins at one of the most amazing protrusions on our bodies; the incredible nose. If you could put on tiny hiking boots and carry a tiny flashlight you could hike all the way up your friend’s nose and discover that the trail actually leads directly into his/her brain. In fact, some scientists describe the nose as an extension of the brain! Your nose is multi-talented and performs many tricks, but its ability to smell stinking feet is nothing short of a miracle. Dick Axel and Linda Buck shared the Nobel Prize in 1984 when they figured out how we smell stuff.
In order to smell anything the object must release tiny invisible molecules into the air. A molecule (French word for “really tiny particle”) is made up of a combination of atoms. For example, a cinnamon molecule is a unique combination of only four different atoms bound together in a special way. When you smell cinnamon or smell anything it is because some of its invisible molecules floated up your nose. You can’t smell metal or a diamond because they aren’t evaporating or releasing any molecules into the air. Technically speaking, you can’t smell Jack-squat without some floating molecules. Flowers, wine, ramps, cinnamon…and even smelly feet release molecules.
It is your nose’s job to tell your brain the difference between a bouquet of fresh-cut flowers and your friend’s smelly feet. Here’s how. Up the trail a ways inside your nose is an area about the size of a postage stamp that is filled with microscopic “molecule” catchers. There are enough of those molecule catchers to separate about 10,000 different smells! Each molecule catcher in your nose was designed so that a unique shaped molecule like one from cinnamon or from a rose gets trapped by that special shaped molecule catcher. It is almost like the cinnamon molecule is a key that floats into a special cinnamon keyhole. Once that cinnamon molecule is locked into that special keyhole a message is immediately sent to the brain. “Hey, I smell cinnamon!”
Since your nose is a direct link to the brain the messages sent on up the trail via your nose also stop by various brain departments like emotion and even the memory section. Have you ever smelled a molecule and said, “That reminds me of my grandfather’s attic that I visited 10 years ago” or…“That smells like Aunt Lucinda’s closet”? Other smells may travel to the high “alert” brain department…smells of burning electrical wiring or smoke. It is a proven fact that aromas affect our physical and mental state. Pure fragrances called essence of oils are even used for physical and mental therapy…called aromatherapy. Essence of Lavender is a suggested stress reliever.
The taste buds in your mouth are pretty dumb compared to your brainiac nose. Taste buds can only figure out things like “sweet”, “sour”, “salty” and “bitter.” When you chew food it releases molecules that tell your brain “Hey, there’s a medium rare ribeye in the house.” If you eat out with a head cold you might as well order a slice of cardboard because your taste buds are useless without a fully functioning nose.
Scientists have learned how to create molecules that “look” like a butter or cinnamon molecule and they are called artificial flavors and aromas. Test-tube molecules can fool your smell catchers (I can’t believe it’s not butter) but my barberette says it is always better to smell the real thing.
By the way…there is no such thing as smelly feet. Bacteria breed inside the moist darkness of hot shoes and socks and the bacteria feeding frenzy releases an awful smelling residue. “Sweetie Pie, those bacteria breeding on your feet are releasing some nasty molecules.” We all need to stick our noses up and spend more quality time sniffing things…a nose is a terrible thing to waste. That is just how it looks from my log cabin.
John LaFevre is a local speaker and co-author of the interactive national park hiking book series, Scavenger Hike Adventures, Falcon Guides, Globe Pequot Press. Contact John at scavengerhike@aol.com. Artist G. Webb lives in Pittman Center, Tennessee. Gwebbgallery.com.
