Why Strange Smells Seem Attractive to Us

Interest in unusual smells such as gasoline, wet soil, and old books has long ceased to surprise researchers. Neuropsychologists emphasize that humans have no innate scent preferences, and that the sense of smell is shaped by cultural norms and personal emotional experience. As a result, aromas that seem neutral or even unpleasant can become attractive if they are associated with comfort, childhood memories, or a sense of safety.

For many people, the smell of gasoline is linked not so much to its chemical composition as to the feeling of the road and inner freedom. Although hydrocarbons can briefly cause mild euphoria, doctors note that a persistent attraction to the smell of gasoline can sometimes indicate anemia. Perfumers have long relied on the cultural appeal of this scent and create so called anti aromas. One example is Nostalgia by Santa Maria Novella, where automotive aesthetics combine a gasoline note with leather and citrus freshness.

The smell of wet earth has a biological basis. It is created by geosmin, a substance produced by microorganisms. Humans are evolutionarily sensitive to it, as geosmin signals moist and fertile soil. This is why the air after rain evokes such a strong emotional response. This effect is actively used in perfumery. In the fragrance Woods in Fog by Voronoi, damp wood and earthy notes convey the atmosphere of a misty forest.

Interest in the scent of old books is no less persistent. It is a soft mixture of vanilla, dust, and dried paper. People enjoy this smell not because of the chemistry of cellulose, but because of the memories associated with it, memories of childhood, school, and first discoveries. Modern perfumery readily uses this image. The fragrance Paperback by Demeter is almost entirely built around a gentle book accord.

All these examples share one thing. The attractiveness of smells is born not from their chemical nature, but from human memory. The sense of smell connects aroma with experience, and even gasoline or a dusty library can acquire aesthetic value if they once became part of someone’s personal story.