Smell is not hugely regarded, or developed, in many people in Western cultures. But research with hunter-gatherer groups, such as the Jahai, who live in the tropical rainforest in Malaysia, shows that we have the biological capacity to smell extraordinarily well. Asifa Majid, now at the University of York, and colleagues, found, for example, that the Jahai took on average only two seconds to precisely describe an odour, while Dutch-speakers took an average of 13 seconds to arrive at a much poorer description.

To develop your sense of smell, Majid and others advocate consciously smelling different things, often. Professional perfumer Nadjib Achaibou, who is based in London, tells us that his sensitive nose is absolutely trained, not born. The best way to enhance your sense of smell is to use it, and explore it, he argues: “You might say, ‘Oh, I like pepper.’ Why? Why do I like it? What is it adding to your dish? That’s the first step to enhance your sense of smell. If you see a rose, stop and smell it. If you have a friend wearing perfume, smell the perfume and describe it. When you buy a shower gel, a toilet detergent or a perfume, ask questions. Read the marketing materials, but also trust yourself”.

Put in the effort to enhance your sense of smell, and you should enjoy all kinds of other benefits. Research shows that a fishy smell improves our critical thinking, for example, while a 2018 study in Germany found that people who are more sensitive to smells enjoyed sex more.