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2006-12-06 Science & Technology

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Posted by .com 2006-12-06 00:00|| || Front Page|| [1 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 First off, this test should be used to qualify all aspiring chefs.

Their research also revealed that the sense of smell is worse in those with more severe illnesses, giving important clues into the patient's long-term prospects.

Which goes a long way in explaining the rather odiferous properties of many Islamic terrorists.

Posted by Zenster">Zenster 2006-12-06 00:53|| 2006-12-06 00:53|| Front Page Top

#2 Due to scar tissue from 3 sinus operations for all practical purposes I don't have a sense of smell. The same would go for others who have it damaged. This is a BS theory.

Posted by 3dc 2006-12-06 01:57|| 2006-12-06 01:57|| Front Page Top

#3 This is a BS theory

Whatever you say, 3dc. :-)

Posted by gorb 2006-12-06 02:18|| 2006-12-06 02:18|| Front Page Top

#4 So people who can't recognize BS by its odor have a thinking deficit. I knew it all along.

Posted by Anguper Hupomosing9418 2006-12-06 06:17|| 2006-12-06 06:17|| Front Page Top

#5 Physical damage to the smelling apparatus would of course render the test moot in specific cases, but that doesn't make it invalid for the generality of undamaged subjects. I very much hope this test proves statistically valid -- there are many who would be aided by knowing the cause of their difficulties who can't afford MRIs and CAT scans and such. Especially adolescents, who often suffer for years with undiagnosed anxiety disorders or depression, f'r instance, due to simple brain chemical imbalances.

Posted by trailing wife 2006-12-06 07:18|| 2006-12-06 07:18|| Front Page Top

#6 Just before the onset of a seizure, some people experience olfactory hallucinations. My dad always knew it was coming when he smelled oranges. Exploring this connection could be really interesting.

Posted by exJAG 2006-12-06 07:49|| 2006-12-06 07:49|| Front Page Top

#7 Another factor has to do with smells and memory. For whatever reason, people have an extraordinary memory when it comes to smells, easily recognizing smells not smelled since early childhood, many years later.

Smelling also has its problems. Chief among these is "sinus fatigue", in which a strong smell masks a weak smell until the receptors can recover. For example, if you smell oil of wintergreen, it will mask the smell of a rose for several minutes.

A serious deficiency of zinc in the sinuses sometimes results in "garbage nose", in which everything smells horrible. But a mild case would just make some things smell worse.

Some people also have genetic sensitivity to certain tastes which would influence their sense of smell. For some, this means that broccoli and brussels sprouts taste horribly bitter. They will undoubtedly think that they therefore smell bad.

Other factors that will influence this test would include smell memory associations. For example, when someone smells oranges and it makes them think of their favorite butcher knife, it might be a cause for concern.

Another one is synesthesia, or overlapping senses, such as people who "see" music as color or people who "hear" smells.

Yep, there is a lot of study to do here.

Posted by Anonymoose 2006-12-06 11:06|| 2006-12-06 11:06|| Front Page Top

#8 Yadda, yadda, yadda, all the science and stuff. Mewonders how in the world to get next to the "patient" in .com's pic, lol!

Posted by BA 2006-12-06 11:22|| 2006-12-06 11:22|| Front Page Top

#9 Mewonders how in the world to get next to the "patient" in .com's pic

Well, BA, first go down and get diagnosed. Then they'll put you together as roommates. :-)

Posted by gorb 2006-12-06 12:30|| 2006-12-06 12:30|| Front Page Top

#10 Try not to get placed in a strightjacket... it would definately limit your -er- interaction....

Posted by CrazyFool 2006-12-06 13:07|| 2006-12-06 13:07|| Front Page Top

#11 Somehow, I'd bet I get room-mated with a guy that looks like Samuel L. Jackson in that Pulp Fiction blogad below, lol!

Posted by BA 2006-12-06 13:20|| 2006-12-06 13:20|| Front Page Top

#12 For whatever reason, people have an extraordinary memory when it comes to smells, easily recognizing smells not smelled since early childhood, many years later.

Part of this is because the human nose can detect more different odors than the eye can sense shades of color. Aromas represent some of the most complex and delicate chemical compounds on the entire planet. As an example, while wine has several hundred flavor and odor components, coffee has several thousand.

Some people also have genetic sensitivity to certain tastes which would influence their sense of smell.

This predisposition is being investigated as a possible candidate for why some people become such excellent chefs.

Posted by Zenster">Zenster 2006-12-06 16:41|| 2006-12-06 16:41|| Front Page Top

#13 Another one is synesthesia, or overlapping senses, such as people who "see" music as color

Anonymoose, that brings back memories of parties many moons ago, when some some heavy sh*t was being smoked.
It was pretty weird.

Posted by tipper 2006-12-06 18:09|| 2006-12-06 18:09|| Front Page Top

#14 synesthesia is trendy in neurological circles right now, because they figured out not only that it is indicative of all sorts of interesting brain cross-wiring; but also because synesthesiacs have such an unusual viewpoint of the world.

For instance, one of the more common versions is people who see music as color. Their enjoyment of music compared to other people is the difference between watching a movie and listening to it on the radio. And a synesthesiac who writes music will write as much for the "appearance" of music as for the sound--maybe more.

I also heard of an autistic child who saw time as a physical quantity. A day would look to him like an elephant, and as the day passed, the elephant would get smaller and smaller. A one-minute elephant would be tiny and then just disappear. But having such a strong mental image of an abstract made time a very understandable thing to him.

Posted by Anonymoose 2006-12-06 21:12|| 2006-12-06 21:12|| Front Page Top

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