Chaichi's ChaikhanaMar 9, 2023
Corey S Powell
When you smell rain, you are smelling this molecule: geosmin. It also contributes to the distinctive aromas of fish, beans, and beets...and it turns out to be useful for drawing mosquitoes into traps. https://www.acs.org/molecule-of-the-week/archive/g/geosmin.html #rain #chemistry
Geosmin - American Chemical Society

American Chemical Society: Chemistry for Life.

American Chemical Society
Mar 9, 2023 at 2:39pmMoa
Show threadCorey S PowellMar 9, 2023
The ultimate source of the smell of rain is a population of soil bacteria known as actinobacteria. When the air becomes humid just as rainfall begins, those microbes get busy & produce aromatic geosmin as a byproduct.
https://theconversation.com/why-you-can-smell-rain-101507 #smell #senses
Why you can smell rain

A weather expert explains where petrichor – that pleasant, earthy scent that accompanies a storm’s first raindrops – comes from.

The Conversation
Show threadFrancisHaydenMar 9, 2023
@coreyspowell Petrichor. A vivid childhood memory
Show threadLaseroneMar 9, 2023
@coreyspowell How fascinating. I never knew that.
Show threadGiftspatzMar 9, 2023
@coreyspowell i love that smell in the air when it just beginns to rain.
Show threadTamamiMar 9, 2023
@coreyspowell Whaaat. That's crazy. And not romantic at all.
Show threadJKrotkovMar 9, 2023
@coreyspowell
Thank you! I'm thrilled by this.
Show threadSensible CroneMar 9, 2023
@coreyspowell Science!!!
Show threadPermanently whelmedMar 11, 2023
@coreyspowell That’ll be @sinabhfuil 😊
Show threaddryadMar 13, 2023

@coreyspowell Petrichor is one of my FAVE smells :)

Also! Actinomycetes produce antibiotics, and are also HEAPS of fun to grow on Petri dishes :)

Show threadBuster McNuttMar 23, 2023

@aimee @coreyspowell

Heaps of fun you say?

Show threaddryadMar 23, 2023
@marq @coreyspowell Yep :) I grew a bunch from soil samples and it was like watching the rise and fall of competing civilisations. Plus the fluffy black colonies which sat at the edge avoiding everyone else was SO on brand goth :P
Show threadBuster McNuttMar 23, 2023

@coreyspowell

And here I thought it was wormb farts.

Show threadJeremy GibsonMar 24, 2023
@coreyspowell
Show threadTransitBikerMar 9, 2023
@coreyspowell why do we smell it when it rains?
Show threadRoy #BLM Pardee 🇺🇸Mar 9, 2023
@coreyspowell I dub thee--petrochorium
Show threadJKrotkovMar 9, 2023
@coreyspowell
useful for drawing me outside.
Show thread🎓 Doc Freemo  🇳🇱Mar 10, 2023

@coreyspowell@mastodon.

Strictly speaking that smell comes from the soil, not rain. Particularly wet soil.

Also not to be confused with the smell of ozone which accompanies thunderstorms.

Show threadSystem IV, Building KMar 23, 2023
@coreyspowell Amazing, thank you. For all this time I thought it was strictly some electrostatic thing.
Show threadzekizMay 23, 2023
@coreyspowell Chemiolis synthesized it a few months ago. Really interesting video: https://youtu.be/bl7K3lRPLYo
Making the Smell of Rain

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