You had a completely functioning olfactory system when you were just 12 weeks in utero. Crazy, right? And things get better from there--until they start to go downhill way too soon. Follow your nose and come with us as we chart the development and denouement of our most mysterious sense.
Our ability to smell tends to fade as we get older, usually starting around age 30. But we shouldn’t resign ourselves to such lackluster, odorless fates. Here are eight solid tips to take charge of your nose's destiny.
Each of our senses takes its own path up to the brain. But every so often, the paths criss-cross and blur—and that’s when we wind up with an individual who can hear a taste or see a smell. Check out these cool ways in which synesthesia can manifest, including when it comes to perfume. 
For those who study the brain, our sense of smell has always been a bit of a wild child. While other senses are rule-abiding and organized, smell’s mysterious route through the brain has resisted full scientific comprehension. Here's some of what we know about the magical way a smell makes its way to your brain and the delightful ruckus it stirs up along the way.