Preserving a Smell
If you can preserve a smell, what specific smell would you choose?
I have been thinking about preserving certain smells. It seems that while we are able to record the visual and auditory aspects of our lives, we are still unable to find a way to preserve smell. I have been thinking about this because there were a few times when certain smells triggered some really intense emotional memories of the past.
There was one time when I visited my dormitory years after I left. The moment I stepped out of the lift and walked into the corridor, I immediately recognized this familiar smell that transported me back to freshman year in university. The smell is not especially pleasant; it smells kind of like a mixture of instant noodles, moist and moldy air, with a hint of flower-scented lotion. This smell made me relive the moments of my time with my first love—the time we first met in the pantry, the times when I would lie in her bed while she was working, and the time we had our first kiss. This intense nostalgic feeling of falling in love was so addicting that even 5 years after that experience, I still think about how that smell can be manufactured. I am convinced that smell is a lot more powerful in triggering emotional memories than photos and sounds, and there are scientific reasons behind this.
Scientific research has shed light on the profound connection between smell, memory, and emotions. The olfactory system, responsible for our sense of smell, is intricately linked to the brain's limbic system, which governs emotions and memories. Unlike other sensory inputs that pass through different processing centers before reaching the limbic system, smells have a direct and immediate pathway, allowing them to bypass conscious thought and trigger powerful emotional responses. This direct pathway, known as the olfactory route, explains why certain scents can evoke vivid and intense emotional memories. The brain's ability to associate smells with specific events or experiences is rooted in the amygdala, a key structure within the limbic system that plays a crucial role in emotional processing and memory formation. This convergence of smell, memory, and emotions provides a scientific basis for the remarkable ability of scent to transport us back in time, evoking vivid recollections and eliciting profound emotional states.
Recently, I came across a YouTube video that talks about an artist trying to preserve smells. This artist, Ani Liu, actually preserved intimate smells such as the scents after having sex with her partner or the scents after her partner worked out. The way she does it is by taking the clothes of her partner after a certain activity and extracting the liquid essence into bottles. It sounds a bit disgusting, I know, but I believe it certainly has its value. Loved ones who are apart from each other might want to have each other's scent preserved. That's why many people keep their significant others' clothes when they are in a long-distance relationship. Mothers might also want to preserve their babies' scent to relive the bonding moments with their child.
Thinking about it from a commercial perspective, I think there is definitely a demand for such technology that can preserve the scent of a specific moment in time. Such innovations would allow us to immerse ourselves in the emotional richness of our past, deepening our connection to cherished moments and the people who have shaped our lives. Additionally, the ability to recreate certain smells could benefit the recent popularization of 'scented marketing,' where brands employ specific scents as part of their brand identity, harnessing people's memories to influence customer behaviors. Researching these technologies would not only benefit commercial endeavors but also enhance our understanding of the potential of scent in shaping human experiences.
Apart from the business aspect, with advancements in technology and a deeper appreciation for the power of scent, we may find new ways to preserve and relive these aromatic memories, allowing us to bask in their emotional richness whenever we desire. I would love to investigate how we can achieve such technologies. By embracing the power of scent and nurturing a deeper appreciation for its impact on our lives, we might unlock new dimensions of human experience, enriching our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
