30-Second Science: Using Scents to Restore Old Books, Fight Infestation, and Improve Behavior
Sniffing Between the Lines iStock; Paula Bronstein/Getty ImagesThree ways that scientists are using the fifth sense Sniffing Between the Lines To the novice nose, all old books have a similar musty scent. But scientists are peeling apart that odor's subtler characteristics to help preserve historical documents. They use standard chemical tests to detect 15 organic compounds emitted by paper that can signal that the book is decaying. The researchers, led by Matija Strlic of University College London, say that by analyzing the compounds, they can determine the paper's exact composition and condition and then prescribe the best way to preserve the book. Bee Sommeliers After funding for a bomb-sniffing-bee project dried up in 2007, researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory found a new use for bees they had taught to stick out their tongues after smelling explosives: protecting vineyards. Chemist Robert Wingo retrained them to spot a white mildew that's threatening...