14 DAY TRIAL // Let's face it, pretty much everybody finds the smell of rain downright irresistible. It strikes us as so darn fresh and clean that, whenever it rains, we just have to open a window and take a sniff, maybe even two or, say, twenty.
The thing is that, since water itself has no smell, the fact that rain produces this pleasant scent in the air is kind of puzzling. On the bright side, there is nothing some good old science can't explain.
As shown in the video below, the smell of rain actually comes from compounds produced by plants and bacteria. When water reaches them, these compounds, which would otherwise go unnoticed, get kicked up into the air and make it smell good.
The plant compounds that give rain its fresh and clean scent are basically oily, fatty substances that, when present in the ground, keep seeds from sprouting. Essentially, these compounds help plants keep competition at bay during harsh times.
The other compounds that give rain its distinctive smell are released by bacteria either when they die and begin to decompose, or while dormant. This explains why, the longer a region experiences drought, the more pleasant the first rain is.
Interestingly enough, it appears that the scent of rain has a name of its own. Thus, it is called petrichor, from the Greek words “petra,” i.e. “rock,” and “ichor,” which referred to a substance believed to flow through the veins of the gods.
