
Left-handed women’s quirk over sense of smell
Scientists say they have discovered a biological anomaly that could change how we understand our sense of smell. The study in the journal Neuron shows some people can smell normally, despite missing the part of the brain that is considered to be crucial for smell - the olfactory bulbs. Lacking bulbs should cause anosmia (being unable to smell). Curiously, the phenomenon mostly affects left-handed women, and has never been detected in men. How does smell work?So how do we smell a fresh mug of coffee, a garden flower or even a newborn's soiled nappy? Current science says odours enter the nose where they excite nerve endings. This creates an electrical signal that travels up to a specialised part of the brain called the olfactory bulbs. They process the sign...