{"schemaVersion":"1.0","generatedAt":"2026-09-22","data":{"courses":[{"key":"introduction","title":"Introduction to Smell","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/introduction","description":"A free SmellBook Learn course on noticing, describing and understanding smell, with examples from the Atlas.","boundary":"Introduction to Smell is free, like all of SmellBook Learn. It describes perception and cultural association, quotes scientific findings only from VERIFIED claims with their scope, and is not medical advice. Lessons on the biology of smell will be added when registered sources support them.","itemLabel":"lesson","items":[{"key":"noticing-smell","title":"Noticing smell","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/introduction/noticing-smell","question":"What does it mean to pay attention to a smell?","text":"What does it mean to pay attention to a smell? Most smells pass without being named. Attentive smelling starts by noticing that a smell is there, then asking where it comes from and what it is like. SmellBook records smells as identities people recognise: sources such as coffee, states such as wet stone, places such as a library, and moments such as rain. Choose something safe and familiar, such as a coffee bean, an orange peel or a book. Smell it gently: bring it towards you or waft the air, rather than inhaling hard. Say one word for what you notice, then compare it with the Atlas entry.","examples":[{"urn":"smellbook:smell:coffee","label":"Coffee"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:orange-peel","label":"Orange Peel"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:old-book","label":"Old Book"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:rain","label":"Rain"}],"descriptors":[],"claims":[]},{"key":"words-for-smell","title":"Words for smell","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/introduction/words-for-smell","question":"How do people describe smells they cannot point to?","text":"How do people describe smells they cannot point to? Smell has few words of its own, so people borrow them: from sources (lemony, woody), from other senses (warm, bright, soft) and from feelings. SmellBook uses 37 shared descriptors. They describe perception, not measurements, and two people can apply the same word differently. Pick one Atlas entry and write three words for it before reading its descriptors. Compare your words with SmellBook's, then try the Smell Vocabulary course for words that are easy to confuse.","examples":[{"urn":"smellbook:smell:cedar","label":"Cedar"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:lavender","label":"Lavender"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:sea-air","label":"Sea Air"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:fresh-bread","label":"Fresh Bread"}],"descriptors":[],"claims":[]},{"key":"where-smells-come-from","title":"Where smells come from","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/introduction/where-smells-come-from","question":"What gives a smell its character?","text":"What gives a smell its character? Many familiar smells come from materials and processes. Researchers study them by measuring the volatile compounds involved; SmellBook quotes that work only through VERIFIED claims. In the Atlas, 4 materials give rise to more than one entry, for example metal, wood, cardboard. Open a material page and read the entries it produces. What do they share, and what differs?","examples":[{"urn":"smellbook:smell:old-book","label":"Old Book"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:petrichor","label":"Petrichor"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:leather","label":"Leather"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:fresh-wood","label":"Fresh Wood"}],"descriptors":[],"claims":["smellbook:claim:old-book-paper-degradation-volatiles","smellbook:claim:petrichor-rain-on-dry-ground"]},{"key":"smell-and-place","title":"Smell and place","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/introduction/smell-and-place","question":"Why do places have smells of their own?","text":"Why do places have smells of their own? A place mixes many sources at once: materials, food, people, weather and cleaning. SmellBook describes the overall result as the smellscape of a place. Some places have several Atlas entries, such as kitchen, garden, market, because the same kind of place smells different by room, time or activity. Next time you enter a shop, station or kitchen, pause and name the first two smells you notice. Compare them with the place's entries in the Atlas.","examples":[{"urn":"smellbook:smell:library","label":"Library"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:bakery","label":"Bakery"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:subway-metro","label":"Subway / Metro"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:hotel-lobby","label":"Hotel Lobby"}],"descriptors":[],"claims":[]},{"key":"smell-feeling-and-culture","title":"Smell, feeling and culture","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/introduction/smell-feeling-and-culture","question":"Why does the same smell feel different to different people?","text":"Why does the same smell feel different to different people? SmellBook records feelings and contexts people commonly associate with smells, such as calm for rain or comfort for fresh bread. These are cultural associations, not measurements, and not everyone shares them. Whether a smell is pleasant, neutral or unwelcome depends on the person, the setting and experience. SmellBook's evidence labels keep cultural description separate from scientific findings. Pick a smell you like and one you dislike. Write down where you first remember them. Compare with the feelings recorded in the Atlas entry: are yours the same?","examples":[{"urn":"smellbook:smell:rain","label":"Rain"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:fresh-bread","label":"Fresh Bread"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:church-incense","label":"Church Incense"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:wood-smoke","label":"Wood Smoke"}],"descriptors":[],"claims":[]}]},{"key":"culture","title":"Smell and Culture","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/culture","description":"A free SmellBook Learn course on places, time and cultural associations of smell, with examples from the Atlas.","boundary":"Smell and Culture is free, like all of SmellBook Learn. It describes how SmellBook records places, times and cultural associations. It does not describe what any culture, religion or group believes, and associations are not shared by everyone.","itemLabel":"lesson","items":[{"key":"places-and-smellscapes","title":"Places and smellscapes","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/culture/places-and-smellscapes","question":"Why does each kind of place have a smell people recognise?","text":"Why does each kind of place have a smell people recognise? Shops, stations, kitchens and libraries each combine materials, activity and cleaning routines into a recognisable smellscape. In the Atlas, 35 kinds of place have more than one entry, such as seaside, pine forest, bakery: the same kind of place smells different by room, time and use. Choose a place you visit every week. Note the first smell you notice on arrival and the last one when you leave.","examples":[{"urn":"smellbook:smell:library","label":"Library"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:bakery","label":"Bakery"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:subway-metro","label":"Subway / Metro"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:coffee-shop","label":"Coffee Shop"}],"descriptors":[],"claims":[]},{"key":"smell-through-the-year","title":"Smell through the day and year","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/culture/smell-through-the-year","question":"How do smells mark time?","text":"How do smells mark time? SmellBook groups entries by 4 seasons and 4 times of day. These groupings describe common associations in everyday life; they vary with climate, place and routine. For example, spring is described as \"wet soil, green growth, flowers and recently opened outdoor air\", and morning as \"clean routines, breakfast and the first movement of the day\". For one week, write down one smell each morning and one each evening. Compare them with the Atlas groupings.","examples":[{"urn":"smellbook:smell:garden-after-rain","label":"Garden After Rain"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:lilac","label":"Lilac"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:toothpaste","label":"Toothpaste"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:shampoo","label":"Shampoo"}],"descriptors":[],"claims":[]},{"key":"shared-smells-different-meanings","title":"Shared smells, different meanings","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/culture/shared-smells-different-meanings","question":"Why can the same smell mean different things to different people?","text":"Why can the same smell mean different things to different people? Many smells are tied to routines and rituals: washing, cleaning, worship, celebration. What they mean depends on where and how a person encountered them. SmellBook labels 17 entries as cultural in their type, and records the feelings and contexts commonly associated with every entry. These are associations, not measurements, and SmellBook does not claim that any group shares them. Pick one entry labelled cultural. Ask two people what it reminds them of and compare their answers.","examples":[{"urn":"smellbook:smell:clean-linen","label":"Clean Linen"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:leather","label":"Leather"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:chlorine-pool","label":"Chlorine / Pool"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:eucalyptus","label":"Eucalyptus"}],"descriptors":[],"claims":[]},{"key":"smells-of-work-and-craft","title":"Smells of work and craft","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/culture/smells-of-work-and-craft","question":"What do workplaces smell of, and why?","text":"What do workplaces smell of, and why? Work leaves smells: flour and heat in a bakery, sawdust in a woodshop, products in a hair salon. They come from the materials and processes of the work itself. Linking a workplace smellscape to the materials behind it is part of how SmellBook connects places and materials in its knowledge graph. Think of a job you know well. List the materials it uses and the smells you would expect there.","examples":[{"urn":"smellbook:smell:bakery","label":"Bakery"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:woodshop","label":"Woodshop"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:hair-salon","label":"Hair Salon"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:pharmacy","label":"Pharmacy"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:florist-shop","label":"Florist Shop"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:restaurant-kitchen","label":"Restaurant Kitchen"}],"descriptors":[],"claims":[]},{"key":"recording-smell-heritage","title":"Recording smell heritage","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/culture/recording-smell-heritage","question":"How can smells be recorded so they are not lost?","text":"How can smells be recorded so they are not lost? Smells disappear when the places, materials and practices behind them change. Recording them means writing down what the smell is like, where and when it occurs, and on what evidence the description rests. SmellBook keeps 6 evidence classes apart, so a historical record, a cultural description and an editorial note are never presented as the same kind of knowledge. A draft record format for museums and archives is published for discussion. Describe a smell from your own childhood in one sentence: what it was like, where it was, and when.","examples":[{"urn":"smellbook:smell:old-book","label":"Old Book"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:old-church","label":"Old Church"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:old-attic","label":"Old Attic"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:wood-smoke","label":"Wood Smoke"}],"descriptors":[],"claims":[]}]},{"key":"science","title":"Smell and Science","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/science","description":"A free SmellBook Learn course on where smells come from: the volatile compounds behind them and how researchers find the ones that matter.","boundary":"Smell and Science is free, like all of SmellBook Learn. It covers where smells come from: the volatile compounds behind them and how researchers find the ones that matter. Every finding is a VERIFIED claim shown with its scope. It is not medical or safety advice. Lessons on smell receptors, perception and adaptation will be added when registered sources support them.","itemLabel":"lesson","items":[{"key":"smells-are-mixtures","title":"Smells are mixtures","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/science/smells-are-mixtures","question":"Is a smell one molecule or many?","text":"Is a smell one molecule or many? Most familiar smells are made of many volatile compounds, molecules light enough to travel through the air to the nose. A review of strawberry aroma counts more than 360 of them in the fresh fruit. Yet only some of those compounds shape the smell people recognise. Much of the research below asks which ones matter, and a single molecule rarely tells the whole story. Smell a strawberry or a slice of bread slowly. Try to name two separate notes in it, such as sweet and green, or toasted and buttery.","examples":[{"urn":"smellbook:smell:strawberry","label":"Strawberry"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:butter","label":"Butter"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:coffee","label":"Coffee"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:fresh-bread","label":"Fresh Bread"}],"descriptors":[],"claims":["smellbook:claim:volatile-classes-behind-strawberry-aroma","smellbook:claim:key-odorants-of-butter","smellbook:claim:coffee-aroma-volatile-complexity"]},{"key":"finding-the-molecules-that-matter","title":"Finding the molecules that matter","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/science/finding-the-molecules-that-matter","question":"How do researchers find which compounds create a smell?","text":"How do researchers find which compounds create a smell? In gas chromatography–olfactometry, the compounds of a sample are separated one by one and trained people smell each as it leaves the instrument, noting what they smell and how strongly. Aroma extract dilution analysis repeats this on ever more diluted samples: compounds still smelled at high dilution are the most potent. To confirm the result, researchers can rebuild the smell from pure compounds, a recombination, and then leave one out at a time, an omission test. If the smell changes when a compound is missing, that compound matters. Read the claims below and find the method each study used. Which ones rebuilt the smell, and which only measured it?","examples":[{"urn":"smellbook:smell:cheese","label":"Cheese"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:black-tea","label":"Black Tea"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:vinegar","label":"Vinegar"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:mushroom","label":"Mushroom"}],"descriptors":[],"claims":["smellbook:claim:potent-odorants-of-cheddar-cheese","smellbook:claim:key-odorants-of-sun-dried-black-tea","smellbook:claim:key-aroma-compounds-of-an-aged-vinegar","smellbook:claim:main-aroma-component-of-cooked-button-mushroom"]},{"key":"heat-time-and-making","title":"Heat, time and making","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/science/heat-time-and-making","question":"How does cooking or processing create smell?","text":"How does cooking or processing create smell? Many smells do not exist until something is made. Heating, curing and fermenting create new volatile compounds or free ones that were stored. The odorants of bread form mainly as it bakes, and caramel forms its smell as sugar is heated; toasted oak has an aroma of its own; vanilla develops its smell while the beans are cured; and garlic's reactive sulfur substances turn into volatile compounds when it is processed. Smell bread before and after toasting it. Describe what changed in one sentence.","examples":[{"urn":"smellbook:smell:fresh-bread","label":"Fresh Bread"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:caramel","label":"Caramel"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:vanilla-bean","label":"Vanilla Bean"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:oak-wood","label":"Oak Wood"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:garlic","label":"Garlic"}],"descriptors":[],"claims":["smellbook:claim:key-odorants-of-wheat-bread-crust-and-crumb","smellbook:claim:caramelisation-forms-aroma-volatiles","smellbook:claim:how-curing-forms-vanilla-aroma","smellbook:claim:aroma-of-toasted-oak-wood","smellbook:claim:thiosulfinates-in-the-smell-of-fresh-garlic"]},{"key":"plants-and-their-oils","title":"Plants and their oils","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/science/plants-and-their-oils","question":"Where does the smell of a herb or flower come from?","text":"Where does the smell of a herb or flower come from? Herbs, spices and flowers store or release volatile compounds, often studied as essential oils. Lavender, rosemary and clove each have a few dominant compounds. The amount of a compound is not the same as its effect on the smell, and the same plant can differ by variety, place and harvest. Studies of composition are a starting point, not the whole answer. Crush a leaf of a herb such as mint or rosemary between your fingers. Notice how the smell grows once the leaf is broken.","examples":[{"urn":"smellbook:smell:lavender","label":"Lavender"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:rosemary","label":"Rosemary"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:clove","label":"Clove"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:cut-grass","label":"Cut Grass"}],"descriptors":[],"claims":["smellbook:claim:linalool-and-linalyl-acetate-in-lavender-oil","smellbook:claim:rosemary-oil-composition-and-chemotypes","smellbook:claim:eugenol-in-clove-essential-oil","smellbook:claim:green-leaf-volatiles-after-plant-damage"]},{"key":"materials-and-the-world-around-us","title":"Materials and the world around us","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/science/materials-and-the-world-around-us","question":"Why do materials, weather and places have smells?","text":"Why do materials, weather and places have smells? Materials release compounds too: a new car's interior when it warms in the sun, paper as it slowly breaks down, and laundry drying in sunlight. Outdoors, rain on dry ground and burning wood produce familiar smells too. Studying them connects smell with chemistry, materials and the atmosphere. Next time it rains after a dry spell, step outside and describe the smell before and after the first minutes of rain.","examples":[{"urn":"smellbook:smell:new-car","label":"New Car"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:old-book","label":"Old Book"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:fresh-laundry","label":"Fresh Laundry"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:petrichor","label":"Petrichor"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:wood-smoke","label":"Wood Smoke"}],"descriptors":[],"claims":["smellbook:claim:volatile-emissions-inside-new-vehicles","smellbook:claim:old-book-paper-degradation-volatiles","smellbook:claim:volatiles-from-line-dried-laundry","smellbook:claim:petrichor-rain-on-dry-ground","smellbook:claim:hardwood-smoke-phenolic-odorants"]},{"key":"one-molecule-many-smells","title":"One molecule, many smells","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/science/one-molecule-many-smells","question":"Can the same molecule turn up in very different smells?","text":"Can the same molecule turn up in very different smells? Yes. Linalool is named in SmellBook's evidence for 15 entries. The studies behind black tea, church incense, rosemary and ginger name it as a key odorant; those behind jasmine, lavender, lilac and gardenia name it among the major compounds they measured; and the studies behind orange peel, lavender and cinnamon name it as one aroma-active compound among several. The sources behind sunscreen, soap, shampoo, freshly cleaned room and dish soap simply list it among the compounds they report, without giving it a role in the smell. 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline links fresh bread, peanut butter, cooked rice, popcorn and toasted almonds: the studies name it as a contributor to aromatic rice and as a primary odorant of bread crust. Sharing a molecule does not make two smells alike. Each smell is a mixture, and the same compound can matter a great deal in one and be a minor part of another. That is why SmellBook always says what role a claim gives a molecule. Smell lavender and then black tea, if you have them. Can you find anything in common? Then read the claims below to see what the studies say.","examples":[{"urn":"smellbook:smell:black-tea","label":"Black Tea"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:lavender","label":"Lavender"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:church-incense","label":"Church Incense"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:cooked-rice","label":"Cooked Rice"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:fresh-bread","label":"Fresh Bread"}],"descriptors":[],"claims":["smellbook:claim:key-odorants-of-sun-dried-black-tea","smellbook:claim:linalool-and-linalyl-acetate-in-lavender-oil","smellbook:claim:key-odorants-of-frankincense-resin","smellbook:claim:cooked-rice-aroma-and-2ap","smellbook:claim:key-odorants-of-wheat-bread-crust-and-crumb"]},{"key":"reading-the-limits-of-a-finding","title":"Reading the limits of a finding","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/science/reading-the-limits-of-a-finding","question":"How far does one study's finding reach?","text":"How far does one study's finding reach? Every SmellBook claim comes with a scope: the samples, varieties and methods the study covered. A finding about one cultivar, one cheese or one sample does not describe every version of that smell. Some studies show which compounds are present; others show which ones people can smell; some link compounds to smells only by correlation. SmellBook keeps these apart, and never presents a predicted relation as a verified one. Choose any claim on SmellBook and read its scope. Write one example of something the claim does not tell you.","examples":[{"urn":"smellbook:smell:basil","label":"Basil"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:popcorn","label":"Popcorn"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:banana","label":"Banana"}],"descriptors":[],"claims":["smellbook:claim:volatiles-linked-to-basils-clove-like-and-piquant-smell","smellbook:claim:volatiles-linked-to-popcorn-aroma","smellbook:claim:predominant-banana-volatiles-during-ripening"]}]},{"key":"vocabulary","title":"Smell Vocabulary","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/vocabulary","description":"A free SmellBook Learn course on the words people use for smell, with examples from the Atlas.","boundary":"SmellBook Learn is free. Examples come from SmellBook's descriptor pages, which combine each profile's own descriptors with curated lists. Descriptors describe how smells are commonly perceived; they are not objective measurements, and people can reasonably disagree.","itemLabel":"word pair","items":[{"key":"earthy-vs-mineral","title":"Earthy and Mineral","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/vocabulary/earthy-vs-mineral","question":"What is the difference between earthy and mineral?","text":"What is the difference between earthy and mineral? Soil, forest-floor, root and damp-ground character. Stone, damp surface and cool non-sweet impressions.","examples":[{"urn":"smellbook:smell:rain","label":"Rain"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:soil","label":"Soil"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:petrichor","label":"Petrichor"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:clay","label":"Clay"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:pine-forest","label":"Pine Forest"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:garden-after-rain","label":"Garden After Rain"}],"descriptors":["smellbook:descriptor:earthy","smellbook:descriptor:mineral"],"claims":[]},{"key":"fresh-vs-clean","title":"Fresh and Clean","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/vocabulary/fresh-vs-clean","question":"Is fresh the same as clean?","text":"Is fresh the same as clean? A bright, newly aired or recently changed sensory impression. A cultural and sensory idea of freshness, order and washed materials.","examples":[{"urn":"smellbook:smell:clean-linen","label":"Clean Linen"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:fresh-laundry","label":"Fresh Laundry"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:soap","label":"Soap"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:toothpaste","label":"Toothpaste"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:snow-cold-air","label":"Snow / Cold Air"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:fresh-towels","label":"Fresh Towels"}],"descriptors":["smellbook:descriptor:fresh","smellbook:descriptor:clean"],"claims":[]},{"key":"woody-vs-smoky","title":"Woody and Smoky","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/vocabulary/woody-vs-smoky","question":"When does woody become smoky?","text":"When does woody become smoky? Dry grain, timber, pencil-shaving or forest-like character. Smoke, ash, charred or resin-burning smell directions.","examples":[{"urn":"smellbook:smell:wood-smoke","label":"Wood Smoke"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:campfire","label":"Campfire"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:church-incense","label":"Church Incense"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:fireplace","label":"Fireplace"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:old-church","label":"Old Church"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:cedar","label":"Cedar"}],"descriptors":["smellbook:descriptor:woody","smellbook:descriptor:smoky"],"claims":[]},{"key":"green-vs-herbal","title":"Green and Herbal","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/vocabulary/green-vs-herbal","question":"How do green and herbal differ?","text":"How do green and herbal differ? Leafy, stemmy, botanical or plant-like freshness. Leafy aromatic herb and dried-plant directions.","examples":[{"urn":"smellbook:smell:mint","label":"Mint"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:basil","label":"Basil"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:eucalyptus","label":"Eucalyptus"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:rosemary","label":"Rosemary"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:sage","label":"Sage"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:thyme","label":"Thyme"}],"descriptors":["smellbook:descriptor:green","smellbook:descriptor:herbal"],"claims":[]},{"key":"sweet-vs-creamy","title":"Sweet and Creamy","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/vocabulary/sweet-vs-creamy","question":"Why is creamy not just sweet?","text":"Why is creamy not just sweet? Sugary, honeyed, creamy or dessert-associated aromatic character. Soft, rounded dairy, cosmetic or rich texture-like smell language.","examples":[{"urn":"smellbook:smell:vanilla-bean","label":"Vanilla Bean"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:banana","label":"Banana"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:coconut","label":"Coconut"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:gardenia","label":"Gardenia"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:vanilla-ice-cream","label":"Vanilla Ice Cream"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:sunscreen","label":"Sunscreen"}],"descriptors":["smellbook:descriptor:sweet","smellbook:descriptor:creamy"],"claims":[]},{"key":"warm-vs-spicy","title":"Warm and Spicy","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/vocabulary/warm-vs-spicy","question":"Is every warm smell spicy?","text":"Is every warm smell spicy? A heat-associated, comforting or softly enveloping smell direction. Warm, pungent or aromatic spice character.","examples":[{"urn":"smellbook:smell:cinnamon","label":"Cinnamon"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:cinnamon-roll","label":"Cinnamon Roll"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:ginger","label":"Ginger"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:clove","label":"Clove"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:nutmeg","label":"Nutmeg"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:black-pepper","label":"Black Pepper"}],"descriptors":["smellbook:descriptor:warm","smellbook:descriptor:spicy"],"claims":[]},{"key":"citrus-vs-fresh","title":"Citrus and Fresh","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/vocabulary/citrus-vs-fresh","question":"Is citrus a kind of fresh?","text":"Is citrus a kind of fresh? Bright peel-like freshness ranging from juicy to bitter and aromatic. A bright, newly aired or recently changed sensory impression.","examples":[{"urn":"smellbook:smell:bergamot","label":"Bergamot"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:lemon-zest","label":"Lemon Zest"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:grapefruit-peel","label":"Grapefruit Peel"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:fresh-orange-juice","label":"Fresh Orange Juice"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:lemonade","label":"Lemonade"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:dish-soap","label":"Dish Soap"}],"descriptors":["smellbook:descriptor:citrus","smellbook:descriptor:fresh"],"claims":[]},{"key":"floral-vs-powdery","title":"Floral and Powdery","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/vocabulary/floral-vs-powdery","question":"Where do floral and powdery meet?","text":"Where do floral and powdery meet? Flower and petal-associated smell language. Fine, soft, cosmetic or dust-like smell character.","examples":[{"urn":"smellbook:smell:lavender","label":"Lavender"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:rose","label":"Rose"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:jasmine","label":"Jasmine"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:garden-after-rain","label":"Garden After Rain"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:lilac","label":"Lilac"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:gardenia","label":"Gardenia"}],"descriptors":["smellbook:descriptor:floral","smellbook:descriptor:powdery"],"claims":[]},{"key":"metallic-vs-mineral","title":"Metallic and Mineral","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/vocabulary/metallic-vs-mineral","question":"Is metallic the same as mineral?","text":"Is metallic the same as mineral? Cold metal, coins, rails and machinery: a sharp, mineral-like impression associated with metal surfaces. Stone, damp surface and cool non-sweet impressions.","examples":[{"urn":"smellbook:smell:metal","label":"Metal"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:cold-metal-rail","label":"Cold Metal Rail"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:subway-metro","label":"Subway / Metro"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:garage","label":"Garage"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:train-carriage","label":"Train Carriage"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:elevator","label":"Elevator"}],"descriptors":["smellbook:descriptor:metallic","smellbook:descriptor:mineral"],"claims":[]},{"key":"resinous-vs-woody","title":"Resinous and Woody","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/vocabulary/resinous-vs-woody","question":"When is woody also resinous?","text":"When is woody also resinous? Sticky tree resin, pine sap, cedar and incense: dense, balsamic woody character. Dry grain, timber, pencil-shaving or forest-like character.","examples":[{"urn":"smellbook:smell:cedar","label":"Cedar"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:pine-needles","label":"Pine Needles"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:pine-forest","label":"Pine Forest"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:pine-resin","label":"Pine Resin"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:fresh-wood","label":"Fresh Wood"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:church-incense","label":"Church Incense"}],"descriptors":["smellbook:descriptor:resinous","smellbook:descriptor:woody"],"claims":[]},{"key":"marine-vs-salty","title":"Marine and Salty","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/vocabulary/marine-vs-salty","question":"How do marine and salty differ?","text":"How do marine and salty differ? Sea air, spray and seaweed: salty, open, coastal smell language. Marine, coastal and salt-air associations.","examples":[{"urn":"smellbook:smell:sea-air","label":"Sea Air"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:ocean-spray","label":"Ocean Spray"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:seaweed","label":"Seaweed"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:cinema-popcorn","label":"Cinema Popcorn"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:beach-towel","label":"Beach Towel"}],"descriptors":["smellbook:descriptor:marine","smellbook:descriptor:salty"],"claims":[]},{"key":"fermented-vs-tangy","title":"Fermented and Tangy","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/vocabulary/fermented-vs-tangy","question":"Is every tangy smell fermented?","text":"Is every tangy smell fermented? Sour, tangy or ripe character from fermentation, as in vinegar, yogurt and cheese. Bright sour or cultured smell character in food and fruit.","examples":[{"urn":"smellbook:smell:vinegar","label":"Vinegar"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:yogurt","label":"Yogurt"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:cheese","label":"Cheese"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:pineapple","label":"Pineapple"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:grapefruit-peel","label":"Grapefruit Peel"},{"urn":"smellbook:smell:lemonade","label":"Lemonade"}],"descriptors":["smellbook:descriptor:fermented","smellbook:descriptor:tangy"],"claims":[]}]},{"key":"classroom","title":"Classroom Guides","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/classroom","description":"Free SmellBook Learn lesson plans for teachers, built from the Atlas and the Learn courses.","boundary":"Classroom guides are free, like all of SmellBook Learn. They are suggestions for teachers, not a curriculum standard, and they are not tied to any school, programme or partner.","itemLabel":"classroom guide","items":[{"key":"naming-smells","title":"Naming smells","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/classroom/naming-smells","question":"Pupils describe familiar smells with shared words and compare their descriptions.","text":"Pupils describe familiar smells with shared words and compare their descriptions. Ages 8–12, 45 minutes. Read the safety note together. Pass each cup round; pupils waft gently and write one word for each smell. Collect the words on the board and group similar ones. Open the matching Atlas entries and compare the class words with SmellBook's descriptors. Discuss: did everyone use the same word? Why might words differ?","examples":[],"descriptors":[],"claims":[]},{"key":"earthy-or-mineral","title":"Earthy or mineral?","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/classroom/earthy-or-mineral","question":"Pupils learn to tell two easily confused smell words apart using Atlas examples.","text":"Pupils learn to tell two easily confused smell words apart using Atlas examples. Ages 10–14, 40 minutes. Read the two definitions from the lesson. Sort the lesson's Atlas examples into earthy, mineral or both. If using samples, waft each gently and vote which word fits better. Repeat with a second pair of words from the course.","examples":[],"descriptors":[],"claims":[]},{"key":"my-place-through-smell","title":"My place through smell","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/classroom/my-place-through-smell","question":"Pupils record the smells of a familiar place and compare them with the Atlas.","text":"Pupils record the smells of a familiar place and compare them with the Atlas. Ages 10–16, 60 minutes. Read the smellscape lesson together. Walk the chosen place in pairs and record three smells with where and when. Back in class, compare notes: which smells did everyone notice? Find related Atlas places and entries and compare descriptions.","examples":[],"descriptors":[],"claims":[]},{"key":"smell-memories","title":"Smell memories and meanings","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/classroom/smell-memories","question":"Pupils explore how the same smell can mean different things to different people, respectfully.","text":"Pupils explore how the same smell can mean different things to different people, respectfully. Ages 12–18, 45 minutes. Read the lesson on shared smells and different meanings. Each pupil writes one smell they associate with a place or moment; sharing is optional. In small groups, compare how a single smell can feel different to different people. Discuss how SmellBook separates cultural associations from scientific findings.","examples":[],"descriptors":[],"claims":[]}]},{"key":"seminars","title":"Seminar Guides","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/seminars","description":"Free SmellBook Learn seminar plans for university teaching, built from registered evidence, the heritage record format and the citation tools.","boundary":"Seminar guides are free, like all of SmellBook Learn. They are suggestions for lecturers, built only from what SmellBook already publishes; they are not a curriculum and not tied to any university, programme or partner.","itemLabel":"seminar guide","items":[{"key":"reading-a-historical-smell-source","title":"Reading a historical smell source","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/seminars/reading-a-historical-smell-source","question":"Students learn how a historical statement about smell is located, dated, worded and bounded before it can count as evidence.","text":"Students learn how a historical statement about smell is located, dated, worded and bounded before it can count as evidence. Undergraduate or postgraduate, 90 minutes. Open the two claims. For each, find the source, its holding institution, the digitised copy and the locator (a page for the 1858 essay, a chapter for the 1901 novel). Follow the locator to the digitised copy and find the passage. Note why one is cited by page and the other by chapter. Compare SmellBook's wording with the passage: what is kept, what is left out, and why SmellBook writes its own wording and reproduces no passage from a source. Read the period and its basis. Both rest on the publication date: discuss what that can and cannot say about the time described. Discuss the novel: why its claim must say it is a novel, and what a depiction can show about how a smell was written about. What would it take to say anything about how the square outside Valencia Cathedral smells today? Why does a catalogue record prove that a source exists but not what it says? Which details in a source would let you narrow the period beyond its publication date?","examples":[],"descriptors":[],"claims":[]},{"key":"scientific-and-historical-evidence-side-by-side","title":"Scientific and historical evidence side by side","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/seminars/scientific-and-historical-evidence-side-by-side","question":"Students compare two kinds of evidence attached to one entry and explain why neither can stand in for the other.","text":"Students compare two kinds of evidence attached to one entry and explain why neither can stand in for the other. Undergraduate, 60 minutes. Open the Church Incense entry and find its claims, grouped by evidence class. Read the scientific claim and its scope: what was measured, on what material, and what was not studied. Read the historical claim and its scope: what kind of source it is, and the time it describes. Make a two-column table: what each claim supports, what it does not, and what further source would extend it. Does the odorant analysis of unburnt resin tell us anything about the 1901 scene? Does the novel tell us anything about the resin's chemistry? Why does SmellBook show the two classes together on the entry but never merge them into one statement?","examples":[],"descriptors":[],"claims":[]},{"key":"documenting-olfactory-heritage","title":"Documenting olfactory heritage: a record workshop","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/seminars/documenting-olfactory-heritage","question":"Students write an olfactory heritage record in the SmellBook draft format and check it offline, without sending anything anywhere.","text":"Students write an olfactory heritage record in the SmellBook draft format and check it offline, without sending anything anywhere. Postgraduate, museum and heritage studies, 120 minutes. Read the four record kinds (object, archival document, place, practice) and the worked examples, which are built from evidence SmellBook has registered. Choose a public-domain source or an object description you are allowed to use, and a smell it describes. Fill in a template: write the smell in your own words, choose the evidence class, give the passage location and the period with its basis. Link SmellBook entities by permanent identifier, and the SB number of the smell if there is one. Download the offline checker and run it on your record until it is valid. Keep the record yourself: nothing is sent to SmellBook. Which fields were hardest to fill honestly, and why? When should a record stay editorial rather than claim historical or scientific evidence?","examples":[],"descriptors":[],"claims":[]},{"key":"citing-a-smell-encyclopedia","title":"Citing a smell encyclopedia","url":"https://smellbook.com/learn/seminars/citing-a-smell-encyclopedia","question":"Students cite a SmellBook entry precisely: its identifiers, the revision read, the dataset release and the sources behind it.","text":"Students cite a SmellBook entry precisely: its identifiers, the revision read, the dataset release and the sources behind it. Undergraduate, 45 minutes. Open an entry and its citation package. Find the SB record number, the permanent identifier and the resolver address. Find the revision and the dataset release checksum, and explain what each pins down. Import the entry into a reference manager from the RIS or BibTeX file. Trace one claim to its original source and cite the source itself, not SmellBook, for the fact it states. When should you cite SmellBook, and when the source it cites? Why does a permanent identifier outlast a page address?","examples":[],"descriptors":[],"claims":[]}]}],"safety":["Smell only things you know are safe. Never smell unknown substances, chemicals, gas, smoke from fires or anything that could be harmful, and waft gently instead of inhaling hard. If you have a smell-related health concern, ask a medical professional.","Smell only things you know are safe. Never smell unknown substances, chemicals, gas, smoke from fires or anything that could be harmful, and waft gently instead of inhaling hard. If you have a smell-related health concern, ask a medical professional.","Check for allergies and sensitivities before any smelling activity, and let any pupil sit out.","Use closed cups and waft; never ask pupils to sniff strongly or to smell cleaning products, fuels, chemicals or anything unknown."],"fieldRights":{"title":"smellbook-editorial","description":"smellbook-editorial","question":"smellbook-editorial","text":"smellbook-editorial","boundary":"smellbook-editorial","url":"factual-structured","key":"factual-structured","examples":"factual-structured","descriptors":"factual-structured","claims":"factual-structured"},"licence":"No licence has yet been granted for SmellBook-created datasets. They are publicly readable; reuse beyond citation and quotation needs permission until a licence is published.","boundary":"SmellBook Learn is free. This file describes the published courses; it is not a curriculum standard, and lessons are not tied to any school, programme or partner."}}