Why Does Rain Smell So Good? - video Dailymotion

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10/6/2024

Do you love the good smell of rain? If so, you're not alone.

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00:00Why does rain smell so good?

00:03Do you love the smell of rain?

00:06If so, you're not alone.

00:08In fact, some scientists actually think that people inherited their affection for the scent

00:12of rain from our ancestors, who relied on rainy weather for survival.

00:16But what makes rain smell so nice?

00:19The answer lies in several scents that permeate the air after a rainfall.

00:24One of these pleasing scents is called petrichor.

00:27This earthy scent is produced when rain falls on dry soil, and it's actually a combination

00:32of two different smells.

00:34The first comes from plants.

00:36Certain plants secrete oils during dry spells, and when it rains, these oils are released

00:41into the air.

00:42And the second odor sprouts from the soil.

00:45It comes from chemicals from soil-dwelling bacteria, and it's also released when rain

00:49hits the ground.

00:51But this petrichor scent isn't the only reason that the smell of rain is pleasing.

00:56There's also the scent of ozone.

00:58That's right, ozone.

01:00It's formed during thunderstorms, when lightning causes chemical reactions to take place in

01:05the atmosphere.

01:06The sharp smell of ozone is somewhat similar to chlorine.

01:10And if you're one of those people who can smell rain coming, ozone is why.

01:15Wind can carry the molecules from an approaching storm straight into your nostrils.

01:20The scent of rain.

01:21Just another one of life's little mysteries.

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