Olfaction is the sense of smell, which allows us to perceive and interpret different odors and scents in our environment. It is one of the five major senses and plays a crucial role in our daily experiences, influencing our memories, emotions, and interactions with the world around us. Olfaction is closely linked to the brain's limbic system, which is responsible for emotions, memories, and associative learning.

The olfactory system includes several components that work together to process and interpret smells:

• Olfactory Receptors: Located in the nasal cavity, olfactory receptors are specialized cells that detect odor molecules.
• Olfactory Bulb: The olfactory bulb processes scent information and sends signals to the brain for interpretation.
• Olfactory Cortex: This part of the brain is responsible for identifying and analyzing smells. It's closely connected to the limbic system, which is associated with emotions and memory.

Our sense of smell is triggered when odor molecules bind to olfactory receptors in the nose. These receptors send signals to the olfactory bulb and then to the brain, where the scent is interpreted and associated with memories, emotions, or other sensory experiences.