We have always been told that water is not only inspired and colorless, but also odorless. However, we have all experienced it: when the rain falls on a dry and warm ground, the surrounding air immediately changes completely. This phenomenon is called petrichor. How come, how do you explain it and, above all, why is it so appreciated? Answers.
The word petrichor, specifies The world, was founded in 1964. Literally meaning “blood of stones”, it refers to the smell caused by the rain that follows dry and warm weather. How does this smell arise? On July 27, 2022, GEO devoted an article to petrichor. Extract :
“First of all, petrichor denotes an oily liquid secreted by plants, caused by the thermal shock of contact of the droplets with the dry soil. Then this material combines with a volatile molecule secreted by bacteria present in the soil called geosmin. Finally, these two substances mix with another compound: ozone. This mixture of molecules then produces a strong odor, which is diffused into the room by air bubbles, which quickly form and disperse.
In other words, you didn’t dream: the rain can have a smell. It remains to be seen why for many of us it is synonymous with well-being and joy. The explanation most often cited is psychological, even anthropological. So the site tameteo.comTo explain :
“According to some scientists, our taste for the smell of wet earth or petrichor is a legacy of our ancestors, because for them rain has always been synonymous with life or survival. Anthropologists believe that our ancestors made a strong connection or positive connection with this aroma, signaling the end of the dangerous drought and the arrival of the long-awaited rain.”
The petrichor? Another good reason to love the rain.