Children could benefit from a better education in sniffing aromas, according to Dr Will Tullett, a historian of smells from the University of York. He suggests that this could improve their wellbeing and help them understand the world around them.
Dr Tullett notes that pollution has been found to impair people's olfactory abilities. He also highlights that many modern objects and substances, such as margarines and car interiors, are stripped of their original smells and reodourised with synthetic scents, raising questions about their impact on our ability to discriminate between different smells.
He advocates for olfactory education, ideally in primary and secondary schools, but also at home. One suggested approach is to encourage people to smell more items, which could expand their 'vocabulary' for describing different aromas, similar to how sommeliers train.
Understanding smells can also provide useful information, such as assessing food freshness, and is linked to wellbeing. Dr Tullett states that studies have shown a connection between the ability to enjoy smells and a sense of wellbeing, with smell loss often leading to depression and anxiety.
His book, 'Sniff: A History of Smells', is scheduled for publication on 8 September. Dr Tullett also addresses the misconception that the past was smellier, stating it simply smelled different. He adds that smells are still used to discriminate, citing examples from housing to proposed legislation.