12 of 30 results for "sense of smell"
Video
Smell Receptors, the Hidden Defenders of Your Body

In Smell Receptors, the Hidden Defenders of Your Body, host Harith Iskander explains how our bodies have smell receptors not just in the nose but in surprising places like the kidneys and airways. These receptors help defend us against harmful substances and even assist with healing, especially in the lungs. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Got Science?, a science magazine series that explores and explains science in everyday life.

Video
Some People's Sense of Smell Can Detect Disease

In Some People's Sense of Smell Can Detect Disease, learn how Joy, a woman with a unique sense of smell, is helping doctors understand the early detection of disease. By detecting a specific smell that is associated with Parkinson’s, Joy is contributing to groundbreaking research that could help improve diagnosis and treatment. Learn how the sense of smell can play a crucial role in detecting diseases before other symptoms appear. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The World’s Most Extraordinary People, a documentary series revealing how rare medical conditions inspire groundbreaking scientific discoveries.

Student Article
What Do Mountain Rescue Search Dogs Actually Smell?
The article "What Do Mountain Rescue Search Dogs Actually Smell?" from BBC Science Focus explains how tracking dogs use their powerful sense of smell to locate individuals. With millions of olfactory receptors, these dogs can detect skin cells, sweat, body odor, and other particles, helping them find people even in large areas.
Student Article
The Science of Smell: How Our Nose Understands Odors
The article "The Science of Smell: How Our Nose Understands Odors" from BBC Science Focus is all about the fascinating world of smell. It explains how odor molecules trigger signals in our brain, why certain scents appeal to us or disgust us, and how losing our sense of smell can affect our daily lives.
Video
The Science Behind Durian Fruit

In The Science Behind Durian Fruit, host Harith Iskander celebrates a most unusual food. Known across South East Asia as the “king of fruits,” the durian is celebrated for its unique taste and nutritional benefits — though it’s also famous for its powerful smell! This video is excerpted from BBC’s Got Science?, a science magazine series that explores and explains science in everyday life.

Video
The Very Hungry Sun Bear

In The Very Hungry Sun Bear, naturalist Steve Backshall visits a conservation center in Borneo where sun bears are given a home as their habitat disappears due to deforestation. This video is excerpted from BBC's Deadly 60, an award-winning nature and adventure show for kids in which narrator Steve Backshall has one mission: to travel the globe in search of 60 of the world's deadliest animals.

Video
The Super Smell of Daspletosaurus

In The Super Smell of Daspletosaurus, naturalist Steve Backshall demonstrates just how powerful this dino’s sense of smell was. Through a demonstration, see how an animal can quickly track something down the way Daspletosaurus did using its sense of smell. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Deadly Dinosaurs, a documentary series in which host Steve Backshall is on the hunt for the deadliest animals to have walked the Earth — dinosaurs — exploring features of several species and putting their abilities to the test to reveal the raw power of these creatures.

Video
The Survival Strategies of Bedbugs

In The Survival Strategies of Bedbugs, host Harith Iskander dives into the fascinating survival strategies of Cimex Lectularius, commonly known as bedbugs. These tiny insects, about the size of an apple seed, rely on human blood to reproduce and are highly attuned to their environment. With an excellent sense of smell, bedbugs can detect over 100 compounds found in human skin and are drawn to carbon dioxide and even dirty laundry. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Got Science? a science magazine series that explores and explains science in everyday life.

Video
Treating Parosmia With Smell Training Techniques

In Treating Parosmia With Smell Training Techniques, learn how smell training can help someone who has lost their sense of smell. Follow Cris Kelly, a person who has experienced a disrupted sense of smell due to parosmia and is using a form of therapy to retrain her olfactory system. The process involves smelling strong scents like lemon, rose, clove, and eucalyptus in a structured way to help the brain reorganize its connections and restore smell. This training shows how neuroplasticity can help retrain the brain after sensory loss. This video is excerpted from BBC’s The World’s Most Extraordinary People, a documentary series revealing how rare medical conditions inspire groundbreaking scientific discoveries.

Video
Desert Pangolins' Quest for Food

In Desert Pangolins' Quest for Food, narrator Sir David Attenborough reveals how pangolins find nutritious food in the harsh, dry environment of the desert. They use their keen sense of smell to locate termite nests. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Seven Worlds, One Planet, a series featuring remarkable animal behavior from all seven continents.

Video
Scooby the Police Dog Solves Mysteries One Sniff at a Time!

In Scooby the Police Dog Solves Mysteries One Sniff at a Time!, Rory Crawford meets Scooby, the super sniffer springer spaniel! With his boundless energy and amazing sense of smell, Scooby is always on the lookout for clues that humans can't sniff out. In this exciting video, discover how to care for this active pup, including feeding him twice a day, giving him fresh water, and making sure he gets lots of exercise and playtime. This video is excerpted from BBC’s My Pet and Me, a children’s show that introduces kids to the rewards and responsibilities involved when having a pet.

Video
Exploring the Science of Airline Food

In Exploring the Science of Airline Food, host Harith Iskander shares why airline food tastes different from the meals we enjoy on the ground, explaining how the pressurized atmosphere inside a plane affects our senses of taste and smell, making food seem bland. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Got Science?, a science magazine series that explores and explains science in everyday life.