ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Olfactic communication

Olfactic communication is when we use our ability to smell to communicate with each other. This means that we use our nose to pick up different smells and chemicals in the air to send messages to other people or animals. Just like how we use our voices to talk, animals use smells to communicate with each other too.

Have you ever smelled something and immediately knew what it was? That's because our brain can recognize different smells and link them to different things. For example, if you smell something sweet, you might think of candy or fruit.

Some animals, like dogs, have a really strong sense of smell, so they use it to communicate with their humans. A dog might smell something and then bark to let their owner know if there's danger or if they're hungry.

People also use smells to communicate with each other. For example, we might wear a nice smelling perfume or cologne to attract other people or to make ourselves feel good. We might also use certain smells, like baking cookies or brewing coffee, to make our homes feel cozy and inviting.

In some cultures, like in some parts of Asia, people even use different smells to express different emotions, like happiness or sadness. So, olfactic communication is a way of using smells to talk to each other and convey messages.