Okay, I’ll admit this is just my personal opinion, but the smell of rain on dry ground is by far the greatest smell in existence. I assume that at least some of you agree, and humans aren’t the only ones.
This smell is known as petrichor, and it’s caused by several factors. One of these is the release of a chemical called ‘geosmin’ by particular kinds of bacteria. Scientists recently completed a study into geosmin and found that it is specially designed to smell amazing.
Humans aren’t the intended targets, though. Instead, this chemical is used to attract springtails (a kind of small insect-like creature). These critters love the smell, and use it to track down and eat the bacteria.
Getting eaten might sound like a bad move, but it’s actually a vital part of the bacteria’s life cycle. This process helps them spread their offspring far and wide – all thanks to an incredible smell.
Lachlan Writes Science 