Even though medicine has come a long way, the human body still has secrets to hide. New study shows that people can unconsciously feel when they are dying because of a certain smell.
Putrescine, a poisonous smell that comes from decomposing bodies, is released when someone dies. Scientists Arnaud Wisman and Ilan Shira found that people can recognise this smell, which makes them act right away.
People, like animals, use smells to stay alive. When exposed to putrescine, both aware and unconscious responses happen, such as avoiding it. Experiments by researchers showed that this is a natural reaction.
Smell has a strong effect, as shown by sex hormones, which cause behaviour changes that are appropriate for breeding. “Putrescine signals a different message, prompting avoidance and hostility, opposite responses to many sexual pheromones.”
People don’t knowingly connect putrescine with death or fear, but the way they respond to it shows that they do. This groundbreaking study throws new light on the role of smell in feeling and survival, showing how amazing it is that the body can sense the end of a life.
More research could help us learn more about this complicated process and gain a better understanding of our instincts and mental reactions.
