Flavor chemists have found that cilantro aroma is created by a half-dozen or so substances, and most of these are modified fragments of fat molecules called aldehydes. The same or similar aldehydes are also found in soaps and lotions and the bug family of insects.

— From The Curious Cook: Cilantro Haters, It’s Not Your Fault at the New York Times. Many thanks to Fleur for the link!

In a five-year study aimed at creating a "smell demography" of New York City, [Leslie Vosshall] said they subjected hundreds of volunteers found through Craigslist to intensive smell testing and found that the most pleasant scent, across groups, is vanilla.

The worst: Isovaleric acid, most commonly associated with eau de sweaty sock.

— From Volunteers Amble Through Olfactory Jungle Of NYC at CBS News.

Smell and taste are known to converge to produce the best and worst of culinary experiences, but new research suggests that information received through the nose can also be altered by noise. If confirmed, this newfound union could have potent olfactory and gustatory implications.

— From Making Scents of Sounds: Noises May Alter How We Perceive Odors at Scientific American. (found via Ben Young at Twitter)

In fact, there's increasing excitement in the scientific community about the power of our sense of smell, and what consequences this may have for psychological and physiological health. Though much of the research is in its infancy, various studies have shown that scents like peppermint, vanilla and coffee may have therapeutic effects.

— From Smell yourself well at The Independent, with many thanks to Bela for the link!

Science on human olfaction, he says, has traditionally taken a very “bottom-up” view of smell: A scent activates a particular olfactory receptor, which is registered in the brain. Now, scientists are increasingly aware that not only can smell affect our thoughts, but thoughts can affect what we smell. “Learning, experience, present context, past associations - all of these things can influence how you perceive a smell at any given time,” he says.

— Cognitive neuroscientist Jay Gottfried, quoted in The sweet smell of morality: how scent can shape our thinking at Boston.com