fantastic

Miami, Florida: Day 2

Posted on by elemonated

We hit Miami Beach yesterday, which was gloriously comfortable and warm, and seriously full of gorgeous people. I honestly haven’t seen this many beautiful people in one place at a time. The beaches in Miami are wholly different from the Jersey Shores I’m used to; the sand for one is much softer, and there doesn’t tend to be seaweed at your feet. And the water is somehow saltier, which is kind of gross when you’re surprised by a wave and you get a mouthful, but it was lovely nonetheless.

There were also tons of really expensive cars and lots of dogs. I have yet to see a Mercedes G Wagon (my favorite), and there were no big dogs in sight. I just want to see a rottweiler, damn it. I love those.

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Smell Turns Up in Unexpected Places

Posted on by elemonated

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/14/science/smell-turns-up-in-unexpected-places.html?_r=1

I’m obviously kind of a beginner scent geek and I feel like I learn new exciting things everyday, but I had no idea scientists were doing research on olfactory capabilities in other parts of the body, let alone studying healing effects.

“More than 15 of the olfactory receptors that exist in the nose are also found in human skin cells,” said the lead researcher Dr. Hanns Hatt….exposing one of these receptors (colorfully named OR2AT4) to a synthetic sandalwood odor known as Sandalore sets off a cascade of molecular signals that appear to induce healing in infused tissue…skin abrasions healed 30 percent faster in the presence of Sandalore.”

And Lyral, a lily of the valley synthetic, promoted the regeneration of muscle tissue.

That in itself is insane. But perhaps, as Jennifer Pluznick suggests, I simply need to rework my image of olfactory receptors, as smell is just a processing of chemicals.

The mystery of scent unfolds!