How Scientists Are Reviving Lost Smells

Part-Time Genius

iHeartPodcasts and Kaleidoscope

Society & Culture

4.5 • 2K Ratings

🗓️ 21 November 2025

⏱️ 33 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Want to know what the Chanel No. 5 of Ancient Egypt smelled like? Or how the interior of Queen Elizabeth's royal car smelled? Or maybe you'd like to experience the fragrance of extinct Hawaiian flowers? In this episode, Will and Mango get nosy about how scientists have been working hard to build a scent library of disappearing smells.

This episode originally aired on July 11, 2024.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	This is an I-Heart podcast.
0:02.5	Guaranteed Human.
0:07.2	You're listening to Part-Time Genius,
0:09.5	a production of kaleidoscope and I-heart radio.
0:15.6	Guess what, Will?
0:16.9	What's that, Mango?
0:18.1	Mug.
0:18.8	You smell that mug?
0:20.6	Mug?
0:21.2	Like a mug of coffee or hot chocolate or something like that?
0:24.3	No, just like pure mug.
0:27.1	Can't you smell that?
0:27.8	It's like such a strong mug.
0:30.0	I'm not sure what's happening here.
0:31.3	I can't smell just an empty ceramic mug.
0:34.1	Can you?
0:34.9	Of course.
0:35.8	This place is fragrant with mug right now.
0:39.8	I don't know that I've ever smelled mug.
0:42.2	What's wrong with me?
0:43.5	So nothing.
0:44.8	Everyone smells different stuff.
	...

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