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Odour
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Olfaction (sense of smell) Diagram showing how humans detect flavor through chemoreception, with labeled sections illustrating odor detection in the nasal cavity, taste detection on the tongue, and how both signals are integrated in the brain.
Investigating dogs' remarkable sense of smell
The contribution of the Maillard reaction to the smell of bacon
Quick Facts
Also spelled:
Odor
Related Topics:
smell
deodorization
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Odour

physiology
Also known as: aroma, odour, scent
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Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
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•History

Odour, the property of certain substances, in very small concentrations, to stimulate chemical sense receptors that sample the air or water surrounding an animal. In insects and other invertebrates and in aquatic animals, the perception of small chemical concentrations often merges with perception via contact of heavy concentrations (taste), and with other chemoreceptive specializations. See also smell.