• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Scientists say some people have the ability to smell when rain is coming

Home> News> World News> Weather

Published 14:14 22 Jul 2023 GMT+1

Scientists say some people have the ability to smell when rain is coming

While many described it as a myth, scientists have said people have the ability to smell when rain is coming

Callum Jones

Callum Jones

Despite the fact we are supposed to be in the height of summer, many Brits will be all too familiar with rain in recent days.

While many of our European friends bake in 40+ degree heat, temperatures back at home are struggling to reach 20 degrees.

Obviously, the weather forecast can sometimes be unreliable, so what if there was another way you could predict rain on the horizon?

Advert

Well, people will be all too familiar with that wonderful fresh smell that hangs in the air after rain.

We are all too familiar with the smell after rainfall.
Getty

Typically, it only comes out really strongly when it rains after a prolonged period of sunshine - something that has been few and far between this year.

But it appears some people have claimed to be able to detect bad weather before it even arrives, which has led to many debates on social media.

The fact that some people can apparently smell rain before it comes has divided opinion, with some adamant they can smell it.

Advert

But those who have no such power have often labelled the smelling of rain before it arrives as a myth - so surely only science can prove or disprove this one.

Science does back up the claims.
Getty

Well, believe it or not, there is some evidence to prove some people have the ability to smell rain before it arrives, a lot of which has to do with 'petrichor'.

The name petrichor comes from Greek - petros meaning stone (as in petrify), and ichor, which was the substance that flowed through the veins of the Greek gods.

The smell is produced by a soil bacteria, which releases a chemical called 'geosmin'.

Advert

Our ability to smell geosmin is rather impressive, even outdoing the ability of sharks to be able to detect blood.

This particular smell becomes most prevalent after a spell of rain, as when the raindrops hit the ground and flatten out, they can trap pockets of air in there.

These then bubble up like tiny aerosols, taking whatever chemicals and microorganisms happen to be there into the air with them.

But that isn't all, as the chemical 'ozone' is another source of smell.

Advert

Ozone has a distinct smell, which is sweeter than that of petrichor. The scent of ozone can sometimes indicate that a storm is on the way.

This is because pockets of ozone gas are pushed down to ground level by winds in the approaching storm.

Essentially, this means that they will be at the level where our nostrils are most likely to be able to pick them up.

You learn something new every day.

Featured Image Credit: Getty Images

Topics: Science, News, Weather

Callum Jones
Callum Jones

Advert

Advert

Advert

  • Chilling warning issued by scientists as they reveal Hawaii is sinking
  • Doctor warns of 'winter penis' condition set to hit hard in the coming weeks
  • There is one specific smell people give off that suggest they are close to death
  • Mounjaro users say the smell of alcohol 'makes them sick' as major side effect explained

Choose your content:

26 mins ago
an hour ago
2 hours ago
  • 26 mins ago

    Fuming shoppers vow to boycott Tesco over meal deal price rise

    Tesco has increased the price of its lunchtime meal deals for the second time in three years after keeping the price the same for a decade

    News
  • an hour ago

    Serial paedophile agrees to undergo surgical castration after attempted rape of seven-year-old girl

    The US man will undergo surgical and chemical castration

    News
  • 2 hours ago

    Scientists discover protein that could reverse ageing in the brain

    Researchers from the University of California managed to reverse brain ageing in older mice

    News
  • 2 hours ago

    Terrifying update issued about world’s biggest iceberg that could have ‘catastrophic consequences’

    It could devastate local wildlife and seriously harm humanity

    News