Odorants, mostly organic molecules that are released into the womb or in our atmospheric environment after birth, are detected by specialized olfactory receptor cells in the nasal cavity.

Hanns Hatt of Ruhr University Bochum in Germany and colleagues examined the response of epidermal cells known as keratinocytes, which express an olfactory receptor called OR2AT4, along with at least ...

However, predators like sea stars and snails have evolved olfactory receptors specifically tuned to detect these compounds, turning the barnacles’ defensive mechanism into a homing beacon.

Dogs Have Up to 300 Million Olfactory Receptors One of the most astonishing ... This directional smelling helps them determine the exact location of a scent, making them excellent trackers.