jessk: whitetumbles:(via Gus Mueller)
Geosmin, which literally translates to “earth smell”, is an organic compound with a distinct earthy flavour and aroma, and is responsible for the earthy taste of beets and a contributor to the strong scent that occurs in the air when rain falls after a dry spell of weather (petrichor).
The human nose is extremely sensitive to geosmin and is able to detect it at concentrations as low as 5 parts per trillion.