A research team led by scientists at Columbia’s Zuckerman Institute used techniques including single cell genomics, to describe a previously undetected RNA-mediated mechanism in mice that could ...

Olfactory receptors are integral to sensory perception, forming a sophisticated system that enables organisms to detect and differentiate an immense variety of volatile chemical compounds. As members ...

Humans have about 400 odorant receptors (ORs), but scientists have had trouble finding ligands that match up with most of these ORs in lab settings—leaving them with a murky understanding of how ...

Our noses can effortlessly distinguish the aroma of coffee from the tang of gasoline, yet how they do it has long been a mystery. In a study that appears Oct. 30 in Nature, scientists at Duke ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Márquez is a marine scientist and science communicator Understanding the intricate mechanisms of shark olfaction not only deepens ...

Duke lab built Neanderthal, Denisovan smell receptors, tested them in a dish DURHAM, N.C. – If you had the grooming habits of a Neanderthal, perhaps it’s a good thing your nose wasn’t as sensitive to ...

Discover why dogs sniff everything with their incredible sense of smell. Learn how their olfactory abilities shape their ...

Recent studies found that some members of the olfactory receptor (OR) family can be activated by peptides and hormone proteins to mediate specific physiological processes, in addition to their roles ...

Also known as CN1, the olfactory nerve is the first of 12 cranial nerves located within the head. It relays sensory data to the brain, and it is responsible for the sense of smell. The nerve’s ...

It’s been over 2 years since the pandemic began, and COVID-19 still dominates small talk. Sharing personal experiences with the disease was also how the conversation started when Christine Kelly, who ...