Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Smell is one of the five senses we use to experience the world. It allows humans and other animals to find their food, avoid danger, and even recognize family members. Animals detect smells with olfactory receptors, special proteins that sit on the surface of the nose cells. These interact with odor molecules (small particles that have a smell) and send signals to the brain so the animal can perceive the smell. We know mammals have hundreds of olfactory receptors and can detect tens of thousands of smells, but what about birds? For decades, many people thought that birds did not use smell in their daily lives, but recent studies have shown that birds respond to smell. We show that many birds have a large number of olfactory receptors similar to mammals, strengthening the case for smell playing an important role in the life of birds.
Source: Frontiers for Young Minds
Institutions: Smith College, Duke University
Language: English
Subfield: Sensory Systems
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
Funder: National Science Foundation
OpenAlex ID: W4402944190