A person can recognize more than 10,000 different odors thanks to 12 million olfactory receptor cells in the nose. And this is still a little compared with the 100-300 million receptor cells that dogs have, which gives them the ability to distinguish between more than 40,000 different smells.
The disgusting smell is not the experience we are pleased with. But the fact remains: many things in the world do not smell very nice, and sometimes they stink openly. And if you do not want to run into one of them, then you should know in advance which objects are considered the most foul smelling on Earth and even in space. Their list was prepared by the scientific publication ScienceAlert. Gas mask when reading is optional.
6. Uranus - the smell of rotten eggs
Space explorers exploring Uranus will have a hard time. Recently, a group of astronomers found that hydrogen sulfide is present in the atmosphere of one of the largest planets in the solar system. It gives Uranus the smell of rotten eggs, which causes nausea in many people.
5. Durian - the smell of feces, socks and onions
In fifth place in the list of the most smelly objects in the world is the durian fruit. It is very common in Southeast Asia, but is a native of Malaysia. Although a large number of people living in Southeast Asia love this fruit, many find its smell just awful. Some foreigners describe it as a mixture of amber from feces, old socks, rotting onions and turpentine.
Due to its aroma, this fruit is banned in some places, such as Singapore. Oddly enough, durian is very useful for those who live in Southeast Asia. There it is used to give a special taste to traditional dishes, as well as a medicine against fever.
4. Rafflesia arnoldii - cadaveric smell
When you see a flower, instinct says that it will smell good. But this is not true in the case of Rafflesia Arnold - one of the largest flowers on Earth. When this huge blooms, it fills the air with the smell of rotting flesh. Because of this, the plant received the nickname "cadaveric flower."
This smell attracts special pollinators to Rafflesia, such as flies, dung beetles and some species of carnivorous insects. However, flowering lasts only a few days, and the bud ripens for several months. So theoretically you can plant Rafflesia in your garden and, smelling a nasty smell, just leave home for a few days.
3. Vieux Boulogne - the aromas of decay
Do you like the smell of cheese? If so, sniff Vieux Boulogne and agree that you can eat this cheese only by holding your nose tight.
In November 2004, scientists at Crenfield University took on the task of determining which cheese is the most smelly in the world. And the French soft cheese Vieux Boulogne won in this anti-rating. It smells something close to mushrooms, moist soil and rotten leaves. This stink is even worse than cheese called Burgundy Epuas, which is banned in some public places in France.
The terrible stench emanating from this cheese is the result of the work of beer bacteria acting on enzymes in the cheese.
2. Ancient excrement
The second place in the selection of the most fetid things went to human waste. They smell very bad and over the years this “aroma” does not improve. Stench can persist for 700 years. This was convinced by archaeologists conducting excavations in the Danish city of Odense. One of their finds was a latrine of the 14th century, in the form of barrels. They continued to stink.
However, even coprolites are useful for scientists, they can talk about what people ate in the past, their health and even sex. For this, from the feces, previously softened with a special solution, DNA samples are released that “tell” the whole truth about their owner.
1. Four-fingered anteater - the smell of a skunk
Small, furry animals are always so cute, despite the fact that many of them are very dangerous. Nevertheless, the four-fingered anteater, a Mexican tamandua, is a creature whom it is better not to meet in a dark alley. Tamandua smells five to seven times stronger than a skunk, which helps him scare off enemies. In this, he is similar to another cute little animal - zorilla (African ferret), which secrets a sharp-smelling secret from the anal glands. Both of these representatives of the fauna deserve the title of "king of stinkers."
