Petrichor is the smell of rain. The word comes from the Greek words 'petra', meaning stone, and 'ichor', which in Greek mythology refers to the golden fluid that flows in the veins of the immortals.
Petrichor is the term given to that unique scent following a rain shower – when the world seems to sigh with pleasure, and we, unconsciously perhaps, breathe in a little more deeply, savouring the smells in return.
The human nose is sensitive to geosmin and is able to detect it at concentrations as low as 0.4 parts per billion. Some scientists believe that humans appreciate the rain scent because ancestors may have relied on rainy weather for survival.
That smell—known as petrichor—stems from microscopic streptomycete bacteria in the soil that produce a compound called geosmin, The Times reports.
noun. pe·tri·chor ˈpe-trə-ˌkȯr. : a distinctive, earthy, usually pleasant odor that is associated with rainfall especially when following a warm, dry period and that arises from a combination of volatile plant oils and geosmin released from the soil into the air and by ozone carried by downdrafts.
Some people are more sensitive than others with this phenomena known as petrichor. Petrichor is the earthy scent produced when rain water interacts with soil; it's constructed from the Greek “petra” meaning “stone” and “ichor”, the fluid that flows in the veins of the gods in Greek mythology.
Petrichor: It's a great word and an even better smell—the one that hangs in the air after a rain storm.
noun. a person who enjoys rain and rainy days, and who is fascinated by the sights, sounds, etc., of rain: A favorite rush is to watch the ever-changing effects of raindrops on the creek—if you were a pluviophile, you'd understand!
Demeter's Rain is the cleanest and most delicate of all our fragrances. Step outside after the first storm after a dry spell and it invariably hits you. The sweet, fresh, powerfully evocative smell of fresh rain.
"They are in our bloodstream within two minutes after inhaling these fragrances." Researchers found that the substances that are released into the air during rainfall can help you sleep better, lower your blood pressure and decrease anxiety attacks.
It turns out it's not just gratitude that makes rain smell so appealing after a long period of dry weather. There's actually some chemistry involved too. Bacteria, plants and even lightning can all play a role in the pleasant smell we experience after a thunderstorm; that of clean air and wet earth.
If the rainfall is heavy enough, the petrichor scent can travel rapidly downwind and alert people that rain is soon on the way. The scent eventually goes away after the storm has passed and the ground begins to dry. This leaves the actinobacteria lying in wait – ready to help us know when it might rain again.
Petrichor, the distinct way that dry earth smells after it rains, comes in part from bacteria in the soil that release a chemical odorant called geosmin. The human nose is quite sensitive to the odor, as is that of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster.
Some common synonyms of scent are fragrance, perfume, and redolence. While all these words mean "a sweet or pleasant odor," scent is very close to perfume but of wider application because more neutral in connotation.
Petrichor, the smell of parched earth after rain, is immersive, roomy enough to move around in. Its bright mineral tang is edged with vegetal green. There's a hint of sourness, haloed by fresh water droplets. Petrichor lifts the ground, with all its smells, closer to the nose.
: a lover of words.
Synonym of selenophile is moon lover.
a lover of rain;someone who finds joy and peace of mind during rainy days.
Petrichor is the name given to the scent of the Earth after precipitation or - as we often refer to it - the smell of rain. The word originates from the Greek "petra," meaning "stone," and "ichor," a reference to the golden fluid or blood that flows in the veins of the Gods and immortals in Greek mythology.
Water is odorless. This chemical element is a total nonnegotiable requirement for almost every organism on Earth, but it's just a couple of hydrogen atoms stuck with covalent bonds onto an oxygen atom. There's nothing smelly going on there.
Science says yes! There are a few reasons why you might be able to smell incoming rain. One of those reasons is that soil-dwelling bacteria secrete geosmin when producing spores. Geosmin has a distinctive earthy or musty odor.
They can even smell the rain in the air before it actually starts pouring! Interestingly, wet weather is considered one of the best conditions for hunting dogs to track game. This is not only because of their increased sense of smell, but because the moisture in the air carries the scent of nearby animals.
Scents that humans are particularly attuned to include chemical components in bananas, flowers, blood and sometimes pee. In 2013, Laska and colleagues tested the abilities of humans, mice and spider monkeys to detect urine odors found in common mouse predators.
To explore why this is, Ragusea consulted with perfumer Harrison Sherwood who described the flavor of rain as comprised of beetroot and cod. This unusual pairing is due to the chemical compounds of Geosimine, a natural bicyclic terpene released by bacteria that is mainly associated with the distinctive smell of rain.