In two separate experiments, researchers were able to influence participants' behavior by exposing them to "cleanliness" in the form of a common cleaning agent's odor — in this case, citrus-scented Windex. It turned out that people who sat in a room spritzed with Windex were more likely to act fairly and charitably than those sniffing unscented air.

— From Do 'Clean' Smells Encourage Clean Behavior? at Time, where you'll also find a series of short articles about fragrance, The World of Smell.

Sofia’s world is largely a dark and silent one. As a blind and deaf child of 9, her sense of smell is one of the few means by which she can interpret the landscape. And what she is smelling today, on a small, laminated square, is the seaside. The ozonic scent of salty air, wet sand, seaweed and ocean spray has been replicated and impregnated on to a scrap of paper.

— From Communicating with children using smells at the UK Times Online.

People with sharper senses of smell really have a nose for relating to others' emotions, new research suggests.

— Read all about it at Better Smellers are More Sympathetic, Study Says at National Geographic. Many thanks to Sarah for the link!

They showed that the bubbles carry aromas up to the surface and leave them hovering above the sparkling liquid in a fine mist.

As a result, when you lower your head to take a sip, your nose is met by a bouquet of buttery and fruity fragrances that defines the drink.

— From French scientists explain how champagne bubbles improve the flavour at the UK Times Online.