How to master your sense of smell - Alexandra Horowitz

譯者: LaiNi Chu 審譯者: Winston Szeto

Perfumers can learn to distinguish individual odors

調香師可以從一個 有過百個氣味組成的香味中

in a fragrance made of hundreds of scents.

學懂分辨各個氣味

Tea experts have been known to sniff out

茶道高手不只可以嗅出

not just the location where a tea was from,

茶葉的產地

but the season of harvest and whether it was planted by a plum tree.

還可嗅出收穫的季節 是否曾種在李樹旁

And the New York City Transit Authority

紐約市運輸局曾聘請了一名員工

once had an employee responsible only for sniffing out gas leaks

他專門負責在地鐵站工作

in the subway system.

聞出有否氣體洩漏

Can just anyone learn to smell with the sensitivity of those experts?

是否任何人都能像 這些達人一樣嗅覺靈敏

For most of us, what we smell is largely involuntary,

大多數人都是被動地嗅東西

whether it's garbage behind a restaurant,

無論是丟在餐廳後的垃圾

the shampoo of the woman leaving an elevator as you enter,

電梯中站在身旁 散發洗髮水香的女士

or a bakery's fresh-made bread.

烘培店新鮮出爐的麵包

With a few million olfactory receptors in our noses,

我們的鼻子裏有數百萬個嗅覺受器

we clearly don't lack the ability to smell well.

我們顯然並不缺乏嗅覺靈敏的能力

We just might not always pay close enough attention.

只是很少細心留意種種氣味罷了

That's a shame because we may be missing opportunities

這有點可惜，因為我們可能錯失機會

to make strong emotional connections.

把氣味和情感緊密聯繫起來

Smells are powerfully linked to emotions

氣味與情感的關係密不可分

and can awaken memories of places we've long ago left

它喚起了我們對以往熟悉的地方

and people we've loved.

和心愛的人的回憶

But fortunately, it is possible to train our brains to smell better.

幸好我們可以訓練腦袋更好識別氣味

For example, Helen Keller was able to recognize a person's work,

例如海倫凱勒可分辨出一個人的工作

and in her words,

用她的話來說

distinguish the carpenter from the iron worker,

把木匠和鋼鐵工人分辨開來

the artist from the mason or the chemist,

把藝術家、石匠、藥劑師分辨開來

by a simple inhale.

吸一口氣就可以做到

Follow these steps and you too can change the way the world smells to you.

跟著以下的步驟 你也可以改變自己的嗅力

First, stick your nose in it.

第一步：把鼻子靠近物件

Some animals that are known to be great smellers,

眾所周知具有靈敏嗅覺的動物

like dogs who can sniff out explosives

比如可聞出爆炸品的狗隻

and pigs who can find truffles underground,

可以找出地下松露的豬隻

put their noses right at the place they want to smell.

都把鼻子貼近牠們想聞的地方

Human noses, meanwhile, are casting around in the middle of the air,

由於人類直立，鼻子懸在半空

giving us an anatomical disadvantage.

身體結構已給人類嗅覺造成劣勢

So bring your nose close to the world around you.

所以盡量把鼻子湊近身邊的東西

The ground,

包括地面

surfaces,

物件表面

objects,

物件本身

the food in your hand.

和手上的食物

Get close to your dog,

靠近愛犬

your partner,

親密伴侶

the book you're reading.

以及正在看的書籍

Not only will your nose be closer to the odor source,

這樣做不僅使鼻子更接近氣味來源

but the warmth of your breath will make odors easier to smell.

呼吸的微溫也令東西的氣味更易嗅出

Second, sniff like you mean it.

第二步：認真地嗅

Smelling actually happens way up near the bridge of our noses

鼻樑才是真正產生嗅覺的位置

in a postage stamp-sized square of tissue called the olfactory epithelium.

那裡有個郵票大小的 方形組織「嗅上皮」

When we sniff, odor molecules are sucked up into our nostrils

被吸進的氣味分子會透過鼻孔

until they hit this tissue

直達這個組織

where they combine to our olfactory, or scent, receptors.

跟組織內的嗅覺受器接合

When we inhale normally, only a little air makes it there.

一般吸氣的時候 只有很少分子直達組織

But one or two solid sharp sniffs

但是深而短促地吸氣一兩次

will ensure that more air gets to your smell receptors.

肯定有更多氣味分子接觸嗅覺受器

After just a few more sniffs,

再多吸幾次

the receptors, which are best at noticing new smells,

擅於辨別陌生氣味的嗅覺受器

turn off temporarily.

就會暫時停止運作

So you can give your nose a rest and sniff again later.

那時可讓鼻子休息一下，稍後再嗅

Finally, dwell on the smell.

最後一步：日日講氣味

Most smells pass by us with little attention,

我們很少注意身邊的氣味

but simply noticing what you're smelling

但你只需留意一下自己聞什麼

and by trying to describe it, name it, and locate its source,

嘗試描述一下氣味，找出氣味來源

you can expand your vocabulary of smells.

都可以擴闊用以辨別氣味的詞彙

When an odor molecule binds to a scent receptor,

氣味分子與嗅覺受器接合時

it sends an electrical signal from the sensory neurons

嗅覺神經元就會傳送電流

to our brain's olfactory bulbs.

到達位於前腦的嗅球

The signal then continues to other areas of the brain,

電流傳送到腦部其他區域

where it's integrated with taste,

電流訊息跟味覺

memory,

記憶

or emotional information

或情感訊息結合起來

before registering to us as a smell.

這時候嗅覺就出現了

FMRI research shows that the extra time spent focusing on scent

功能性磁振造影研究顯示 長時間專注於嗅東西

changes the brain of experienced smellers.

會改變氣味達人的腦部運作

For them, perceiving and imagining odors becomes more automatic

達人腦部接收 和處理氣味比一般人腦部

than for non-experts.

來得更像反射反應

To get started yourself, take ingredients from your kitchen:

要成為達人，從廚房調味料

spices,

香料

vanilla,

or fruit,

香草

或者水果開始

but never anything toxic.

毒藥就千萬不要嗅

Close your eyes and have someone bring them under your nose.

叫人在你閉眼時把東西給你嗅

Sniff and try to name the source.

嘗試說出氣味來源

Over time, you'll begin to appreciate nuances in familiar odors

假以時日就可找出氣味間細微分別

and recognize characteristics of new and unusual smells.

並能識別陌生和異常的氣味特徵

The perfumer has practiced these steps enough to become an artist of odor,

調香師反覆練習這些步驟才成達人

but even if you never pursue smelling to that degree,

但即使你從未追求自己嗅覺到達這境界

the spectacular result of an unspectacular action

小小習慣、大大成果

will change how you sense and experience your days.