The Wonderous Sense of Smell

The Smell of Snow?

Tiny white crystals float to the freezing ground. Snowflakes. Individually each has its own pattern, shape and beauty. Together, however, it creates its own picture of perfection. Together the flakes blanket the earth, the trees and the buildings. It refracts light and shows a cheerful illumination. Its coat gives a sense of fresh beginnings, cleanliness, a new slate. It smells of . . . Well, what does snow smell like?

Every season has its smell. The potent yet sweet fragrance of roses, tulips, lilies and cherry blossoms permeate through Spring. You notice the unique fresh smell of rain. Summer has not only these smells but those of cut grass and barbeque on the grill. Meanwhile, Autumn seems to hold wealth of all the smells. Not only is there the cut grass, flowers and cookouts in early September but the crinkling of leaves, the aroma of hot cider, burning branches of a bonfire. Yet what does Winter have?

Some may say that there is the fresh smell of pine, the aroma of cookies and candies, the odd wintry candle smells. Still most of these smells are connected with a holiday, not directly to Winter. So what smell is only associated with winter? For me when I think of winter, I envision snow. But what does snow smell like?

I was thinking about that yesterday as I idiotically walked from the Fitness Center to my apartment in shorts. Large snowflakes were falling onto the sidewalk. The first thing that passed through my mind was wow, this is cold. But I also was stopped by the thought that the snow smelled so fresh. Still I could not think of how to describe snow in any other way.

Chemically it is very similar to the make-up of water, except for its different noncovalent bonds. Yet the fresh smell of rain is different than the freshness of snow. Another adjective is cold. It smells cold. Yet what does that mean? Does it mean that our neurons in our nose becomes too numb and cold to be able to distinguish a scent of snow? So our brain reads, "It is cold. Snow smells cold."

I guess the only conclusive description of its smell is that it is cold and fresh. At least, I can determine that snow has a smell. At least maybe?