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Field: Scent and Perception
Overview
We examine the molecules of scent and the mechanisms of olfaction from a scientific perspective, and explore how people perceive scent.
Research Perspectives
From the Research Notes
“The ‘scent’ we perceive is not something fixed inside the plant.”
— From the research note “How Plant Scents Reflect Their Environment”
“Rather than receiving scent only as information, one imagines from it the seasons, scenes, memories, and stories.”
— From the research note “Thinking About Scent and Japanese Culture”
The scents released by plants are not merely pleasant smells. The production and release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) involve not only the plant's own state, but also temperature, light, and the surrounding environment. …
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How has scent been treated and felt within Japanese culture? Taking fragrant wood, incense, literature, religion, and everyday life as our clues, we consider the relationship between the people of Japan and scent. …
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