Geosmin (/ dʒ i ˈ ɒ z m ɪ n / jee-OZ-min) is an irregular sesquiterpenoid with a distinct earthy or musty odor, which most people can easily smell. The geosmin odor detection threshold in humans is very low, ranging from 0.006 to 0.01 micrograms per liter in water. [1]

Apr 17, 2020 · Scientists have known about the chemical compound behind the evocative scent of newly moistened soil, called geosmin, since the 1960s, but only now have researchers arrived at what may be an...

Jun 7, 2023 · Geosmin is the primary compound responsible for the smell of rain. The word stems from the Greek words geo (earth) and osme (smell). Geosmin is a bicyclic alcohol produced by certain blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) and bacteria (mainly Actinomyces, such as Streptomyces ).

Oct 19, 2021 · What is geosmin? Geosmin is the pleasant smell of soil and dirt — that earthy scent you notice after rain. It is one of the chemicals that makes the smell of petrichor. Out of the petrichor chemicals, I choose to highlight geosmin, though, because microbes produce it.

Jul 28, 2018 · Though our noses get dismissed as amateurs compared to some animals, there is one compound where we do really well; we can smell geosmin, a chemical (C 12 H 22 O) released by dead microbes (commonly Streptomyces bacteria) and which causes that earthy smell, at a level of 5 parts per trillion.

6 days ago · Camels use their sense of smell to locate water sources over long distances. Certain insects, such as fruit flies (Drosophila), avoid geosmin, likely as a defense against mold-contaminated food. Conversely, some aquatic organisms, including catfish and carp, appear attracted to geosmin, which may guide them toward microbial-rich sediments.

Jan 18, 2025 · Geosmin is a terpene produced by bacteria (mainly Streptomyces) and fungi found in soils and bodies of fresh water. Geosmin and other terpenes, such as 2-methyl-isoborneol (2-MIB), are soluble and volatile odorants that contribute to petrichor, the smell of rain.

Apr 7, 2020 · New research from an international team of scientists is suggesting that instantly recognizable earthy smell after rain is released by bacteria trying to attract a particular arthropod as a way...

Apr 8, 2020 · Geosmin and the related earthy odorant 2-methylisoborneol were sensed by the antennae, which is essentially the creature’s nose. By studying springtails walking in Y-shaped glass tubes, we saw...

Jan 19, 2024 · Earthy in scent, geosmin is a naturally occurring bicyclic terpene. It is the “primary volatile component of beet essence, also… the strong earthy odor contaminant of fish, beans, [and] water,” according to The Merck Index.