{"id":100596,"date":"2024-10-31T16:50:00","date_gmt":"2024-10-31T13:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/aleksawn.bget.ru\/nauka-obyasnyaet-pochemu-nekotorye-lyudi-lyubyat-nepriyatnye-zapahi\/"},"modified":"2026-10-23T11:17:42","modified_gmt":"2026-10-23T08:17:42","slug":"science-explains-why-some-people-love-unpleasant-smells","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bukvaved.top\/en\/nauka-obyasnyaet-pochemu-nekotorye-lyudi-lyubyat-nepriyatnye-zapahi\/","title":{"rendered":"Interesting facts about the corpse flower: why people are attracted to its unpleasant smell"},"content":{"rendered":"

Why do people want to smell a flower that smells like a corpse?<\/h2>\n

Olfaction is one of our most powerful senses, directly linking memory to deep emotions and recollections. We are instinctively drawn to pleasant aromas: flowers, freshly baked goods, a sea breeze. But, surprisingly, even repulsive odors can arouse curiosity\u2014and sometimes genuine attraction. It is this contradiction that explains the enduring fascination with one of the most unusual plants on the planet\u2014the corpse flower.<\/p>\n

Rare and capricious, it attracts tourists and enthusiasts from all over the world not with the beauty of its petals, but with its powerful, putrid aroma, reminiscent of decay. And, contrary to logic, thousands of people flock to botanical gardens every year to inhale this "fragrant nightmare" for themselves. Why?<\/p>\n

\"Why<\/figure>\n

\u00ab"It smells like a dump" - and it's attractive<\/h2>\n

The corpse flower (Amorphophallus titanum) lives up to its macabre name. When blooming, it emits an aroma reminiscent of rotten fish, sewage, and decaying meat. This scent is an evolutionary trap: it mimics a corpse to attract flies and carrion beetles that would normally pollinate plants blooming near decay.<\/p>\n

Ironically, however, it is precisely this "aroma of decay" that sparks widespread public interest. Botanical gardens compete for the right to cultivate the corpse flower, as its bloom is rare and short-lived. Up to 10 years can pass between blooms, and the peak of the fragrance lasts only about 36 hours. Those who are even a day late risk being left without the "experience"\u2014and without a crowd of delighted (and disgusted) spectators.<\/p>\n

Record-Blooming: When Three Gardens Bloomed Simultaneously<\/h2>\n

In June 2024, a rare phenomenon occurred: corpse flowers bloomed almost simultaneously in three major botanical gardens\u2014Chicago, London, and Boston. Such a coincidence is extremely rare, as flowering depends on the accumulation of energy in the underground tuber, rather than on seasonal cycles, as with most plants.<\/p>\n

\"Why<\/figure>\n

Visitors arrive with anticipation and cameras in hand, approach the plant, inhale deeply, and immediately retreat with a look of horror on their faces. But almost immediately afterwards, a satisfied smile appears on their faces. They've received what they came for: a unique, almost primal sensory experience.<\/p>\n

Benign Masochism: Why We Like What Repulses Us<\/h2>\n

Psychologists have long studied this paradoxical phenomenon. In 2013, American researcher Paul Rozin coined the term \u00abbenign masochism\u00bb<\/strong> to describe situations in which a person enjoys negative sensations - provided that they are safe.<\/p>\n

These "safe threats" include:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • fear when watching horror movies;<\/li>\n
  • burning pain from hot pepper;<\/li>\n
  • a sharp cold when diving into icy water;<\/li>\n
  • and, of course, inhaling the scent of the corpse flower.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    The brain understands, "This is disgusting, but nothing bad will happen to me." It's this realization that turns disgust into pleasure. We get an adrenaline rush without risking our lives\u2014and we remember the moment as something exceptional.<\/p>\n

    \"Why<\/figure>\n

    Smell is the key to memory<\/h2>\n

    But it's not just adrenaline. Our sense of smell is directly connected to the hippocampus (the memory center) and the amygdala (the emotional center). That's why smells evoke far more vivid and detailed memories than images or sounds.<\/p>\n

    Research from Utrecht University has shown that even unpleasant aromas create particularly lasting memory traces. Perhaps this is why a visit to a corpse flower is so memorable\u2014as something strange, repulsive, yet incredibly alive and real.<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/figure>\n

    An unpleasant smell is like a special memory<\/h2>\n

    When inhaling the scent of a corpse flower, a person doesn't simply "smell rot"\u2014they experience a rare event that combines science, emotion, and an almost ritualistic experience. Such a moment becomes a story one wants to tell friends. And with each telling, the memory strengthens, acquiring an almost mythical status.<\/p>\n

    As the saying goes: \u00abOne look may be worth a thousand words, but one scent can create memories that last a lifetime.\u00bb.<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/figure>\n

    Not Just a Corpse Flower: The World of "Disgusting Charm"\u00ab<\/h2>\n

    The corpse flower isn't the only example of disgust turning into delight. The world boasts many "unpleasant" delicacies and phenomena prized precisely for their provocativeness:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • Cheeses with noble mold or with the participation of mites (like Limburger), emitting a sharp ammonia smell;<\/li>\n
    • Fermented fish (surstr\u00f6mming from Sweden or hakarl from Iceland), which many people find unbearable;<\/li>\n
    • Durian is a fruit that is banned from public transport in many countries due to its sewer-like smell.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      All of this highlights an important fact: the perception of smells is not universal. It depends on culture, experience, and context. What is a disgusting stench for one person may be a symbol of sophistication or nostalgia for another.<\/p>\n

      Conclusion: Nature doesn't have to be pleasant<\/h2>\n

      The corpse flower reminds us of a simple truth: nature does not exist for human comfort. Its scent is not for us, but for flies. Its beauty lies not in aesthetics, but in survival. And yet, it is precisely this "otherness" that evokes awe in us.<\/p>\n

      We admire what we don't understand. We seek out what pushes us out of our comfort zone. And in this combination of disgust, curiosity, and respect for the power of nature lies the true magic of the corpse flower.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Why do people want to smell a flower that smells like a corpse? Olfaction is one of our most powerful senses, directly linking memory to deep<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":100597,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-100596","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fakty"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bukvaved.top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100596","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bukvaved.top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bukvaved.top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bukvaved.top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bukvaved.top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=100596"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/bukvaved.top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100596\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":171530,"href":"https:\/\/bukvaved.top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100596\/revisions\/171530"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bukvaved.top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/100597"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bukvaved.top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=100596"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bukvaved.top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=100596"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bukvaved.top\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=100596"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}