10/03/2014

A Whiff of What’s to Come: What Sense of Smell Says About Health

7:00 minutes

Researchers from the University of Chicago asked 3,005 adults between the ages of 57-85 to suss out the citrusy scent of orange and the earthiness of leather, among other odors. Participants who did poorly on this smelling test were at a significantly higher risk of dying within five years than their counterparts with a normal sense of smell. Lead author Jayant Pinto discusses the findings, published this week in PLOS ONE, and explains what our sense of smell might say about the state of our overall health.

Segment Guests

Jayant Pinto

Jayant Pinto is an ear, nose, and throat surgeon, and associate professor of surgery at the University of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois.

Meet the Producer

About Becky Fogel

Becky Fogel is a newscast host and producer at Texas Standard, a daily news show broadcast by KUT in Austin, Texas. She was formerly Science Friday’s production assistant.