In a recent experiment, researchers tested hundreds of receptor gene types found in human and mouse noses.
By inundating the receptors with odors, researchers were able to figure out which receptors respond to which odor molecules and translate the smells into brain signals.
Unlocking this interface would show how the brain recognizes and reacts to different smells.
— Read more at Scent Secrets Unlocked, Artificial Noses Ahead? at the National Geographic.
From the article: “Gilbert added: “Since the Renaissance, commercial perfumery has always been an empirical game. You try a formula and put it on the shelf to see if anybody buys it, but you never know. With this you could do a quick genetic test and predict which kinds of perfumes or wine or foods people will or will not like. That's a ways off, but that's where this path leads.”
Gosh, that would take the fun out of things, hm?
Yes! Efficient but dull.
Avery Gilbert is an ass.
There's such a strong psychological component to people's reactions to scents that hopefully science won't ever be able to predict every scent a person would or wouldn't like.
This is only tangentially related, but it's a great story. There's a group using giant African rats to sniff out bombs and tuberculosis: http://www.herorat.org/
Wow, I had no idea they were using rats to find land mines. Cool.
The idea of taking a genetic test to tell if you'll like M7 over Joop. Laughable. Absolutely laughable.
Just because you know how a person's receptor works does not mean that you know what subjective impact that person is going to have.
Just because we know how sight works- can we tell if we'll like H.R. Geiger over Monet based on a genetic test? Can we tell if someone will like Slayer or Yo-Yo Ma just cause we understand how the inner ear works? No.
The guy's just trying to maintain funding for his lab by making claims about an artistic expression that he obviously knows very little about.
Smellavision though?
Well, note that the scientist in question did not make any such claim…that was just added commentary by Avery Gilbert.