Episode description
(Encore episode.) Scientists have known for decades that one of the main causes of the smell of fresh rain is geosmin: a chemical compound produced by soil-dwelling bacteria. But why do the bacteria make it in the first place? Reporter Emily Vaughn answers this mystery.Read the paper on which this episode was based.
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Other scent mysteries driving your nose wild? Email the show at shortwave@npr.org and we might track down the answer.