Why Can a Scent Take Us to a Place We've Never Been Before?

Ever suddenly smelled something, and in a matter of seconds you were transported to a place you hadn't visited in a long time?

 

The aroma of coffee from the kitchen that reminds you of mornings at grandma's house. The smell of wet earth that takes you back to your childhood. Or the scent of old books that makes you miss the school library you left long ago.

 

Now imagine you smell an aroma, and suddenly feel a longing for a place you've never actually been to. An island at the edge of Indonesia, for example. Or a small cafe in a European city you've only seen in movies.

 

How can you long for something you've never experienced?

 

In this article, we will review the answers, from why scents have a special pathway in our brains, how memories are formed from something never directly experienced, to why certain smells make you feel at home in a place that is actually far from home.

Ever Felt a Longing for a Place You've Never Been To?

Street scene abroad during rain

 

Before delving into the science behind scent, let's first validate this feeling. Because it turns out, you're not alone.

It's Not Your Fault, Your Brain Just Works That Way

Many people have experienced it. Seeing a picture of mountains in Norway and suddenly feeling like they've been there. Watching a movie set in 80s Japan and feeling a strange longing, as if that era was a part of their life.

 

This feeling is often ignored because it's considered "hallucination" or just the effect of watching too much. Yet, human brains are actually designed to form emotional connections to something never directly experienced.

 

Imagination, visual exposure, stories, and aromas can construct new memories in your brain. Memories that feel real, even if factually you've never been there.

There's a Name for This Feeling: Anemoia

In 2012, an author named John Koenig coined a term to describe this feeling. He called it anemoia: a sense of nostalgia for a time or place we have never personally experienced.

 

This term comes from Greek, and is included in his work entitled The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, a collection of new words for emotions that previously had no name.

 

Anemoia can appear in many forms:

 

• Longing for the pre-internet era, even though born in the digital age

• Feeling nostalgic for Parisian cafes in the early 20th century

• Drawn to the Mediterranean coastal atmosphere only seen in postcards

• Or missing the rain on a small island in eastern Indonesia, even though never been there

 

Interestingly, anemoia doesn't come from emptiness. It emerges because our brain collects fragments of information from various sources, then weaves them into a complete emotional experience.

And Aroma is the Quickest Path to That Feeling

Of all the triggers for anemoia (images, sounds, stories), one works fastest and deepest: aroma.

 

A photo can amaze you. A song can sweep you away. But aroma works differently. It doesn't need time to be processed. As soon as it enters your nose, it directly touches the part of the brain that stores emotions and memories.

 

That's why aroma can make you cry, laugh, or feel nostalgic, before your mind has a chance to explain why.

 

Read also: What is the Connection Between Aroma and Memories?

How the Brain Processes Aroma and Memory

Illustration of how the brain processes aroma and memory

 

There's a reason why scent has a power that other senses don't. The answer lies in how our brain processes it, and it's quite unique.

 

• Almost All Senses Go Through a "Filter", Except Smell

When you see something, hear a sound, or feel a touch, the signals from those senses don't directly reach the emotional center of your brain.

 

They first have to stop at a station called the thalamus, a sort of checkpoint that sorts and relays information to the appropriate parts of the brain. This process is fast, but there's still a delay. There's a filter at work before that information becomes an emotional experience.

 

Smell works differently. When you smell something, the scent signal doesn't go through the thalamus. It goes directly into two areas of the brain: the amygdala and the hippocampus. Two areas responsible for emotions and memories.

 

This means that scent is the only sense that has direct, unfiltered access to the most intimate parts of your brain. This is why scent can trigger an emotional reaction before you even have time to think.

 

• The Role of Amygdala and Hippocampus in Scent Memory

Let's get acquainted with these two parts of the brain, as they are the main players in this story.

 

• The amygdala is the emotion processing center. It makes you feel scared when you hear strange noises at night, or feel warm when you hug someone you love.

• The hippocampus is the memory center. This part stores and retrieves memories from your life, from the most detailed to the most vague.

 

Because scents are directly connected to these two areas, memories triggered by scent tend to have two distinct characteristics: they are more emotional and deeper.

 

A study from Brown University once showed that memories triggered by scent feel stronger and last longer than memories triggered by visuals or sounds. That's why people often cry when they smell their late mother's perfume, or suddenly feel calm when they smell the scent of their childhood home.

 

Scent doesn't just bring back memories. It brings back those memories complete with their emotions.

 

Also read about Reed Diffuser as a Medium for Therapy: The Relationship Between Aroma and Mental Health

 

• When the Brain "Remembers" Something Never Experienced

This is the most interesting part. The human brain has a unique ability: it's not very good at distinguishing between real experiences and imagined experiences.

 

When you read a very detailed novel about a cafe in Paris, your brain constructs a picture of that place complete with sounds, atmosphere, and even its aroma. When you watch a movie about rain on a tropical island, your brain records those details as if you had been there.

 

The brain then stores that information as a kind of "imaginary memory." Not an original memory, but a construct that has a similar structure to memory.

 

Then, when one day you smell an aroma that matches that construct, for example, the scent of wet wood, volcanic earth after rain, or tropical tree resin, your brain gets a familiar trigger. It "recognizes" something it has never actually experienced directly.

 

The result: you feel like you've come home. To a place you've never been.

When Imagination Meets Real Places: Banda Neira

Banda Neira Image

 

One of the places in Indonesia that most often triggers a longing for a place never visited is Banda Neira.

 

This small island in Central Maluku has a long history as a global spice trade center, and to this day still holds an atmosphere difficult to find elsewhere, including through its aroma.

 

• Petrichor from Volcanic Soil That Forms a Unique Aroma

Perhaps you've heard the term petrichor. It's the scientific name for the aroma that arises when rain falls on dry ground after a long dry season.

 

Its aroma is familiar to almost everyone. Earthy, slightly metallic, and possessing an unexplainable "lively" impression. But what many people don't know is that the character of petrichor in each place is actually different. It depends on the type of soil, the humidity of the air, and the vegetation present in the surroundings.

 

Banda Neira has a distinctive petrichor. Several factors make it unique:

 

• Its soil is volcanic, a result of centuries-old eruptions of Mount Banda Api

• The air humidity is high because it is surrounded by tropical seas

• Its vegetation is dominated by nutmeg trees, woods, and other tropical plants

• The air is clean, far from big city pollution

 

The combination of all these factors produces an aroma specific to Banda. Not ordinary petrichor, but a petrichor that carries the character of a spice island with a long history within it.

 

Aroma crafted from the elements of Banda's land

This is what the reed diffuser Hujan di Banda Neira from Home of Humans does. This reed diffuser tries to translate the moment of rain on the island into an aroma that you can bring into your home.

 

The method is not to imitate petrichor directly. Rather, it is by reconstructing the elements that form it, through natural ingredients that have similar characteristics:

 

• Elemi to capture the earthy aroma and fresh tree resin

• Moss and Patchouli to bring a deep sense of damp earth and greenness

• Cedarwood and Sandalwood to bring the warmth of wood familiar in Banda's old buildings

• Mimosa and Violet to give a touch of cool and delicate air, like a thin mist before rain falls

 

The result is a blend that is more than just fragrant. Each of its notes is chosen to trigger a certain sensation in your brain: the sensation of an island, rain, earth, and the tranquility that accompanies it.

 

Suddenly, you feel like you've been there. Even though you probably haven't.

Aroma Designed with Science, Not Just Intuition

Home Nature Reed Diffuser: Rain in Banda Neira

 

There's a layer of science at work behind every combination of notes in this reed diffuser. It's not just a blend based on taste, but a formula that goes through research and testing before it reaches your hands.

More Than Just Fragrance: Aroma That Evokes a Sense of Place

Many room fresheners are designed with one goal: to make something smell good.

 

However, a reed diffuser can do more than that. Its ingredients are not only chosen because they smell good, but because they have the ability to trigger certain sensations or emotions in the body.

 

Some considerations included in the blending process:

 

• How each note interacts with olfactory receptors in the nose

• How the combination of notes affects the nervous system, stress levels, and mood

• How the layers of top, heart, and base notes work to create an evolving experience over time

• How the intensity of the aroma is regulated so it's not aggressive, especially for bedrooms

 

This is what distinguishes functional aroma from mere air fresheners. Something designed to transport you to a certain state; relaxed, focused, or, as in Hujan di Banda Neira, the sensation of returning home to a place.

Tested by IFF to Provide a Sense of Relaxation

This reed diffuser is formulated using IFF Science of Wellness Technology. Its scent blend undergoes scientific testing before being deemed suitable for release.

 

IFF (International Flavors & Fragrances) is one of the largest perfume companies in the world, with a research division that studies the relationship between aroma and human body responses.

 

Through the Science of Wellness program, they developed formulas with measurable effects, not just subjective claims.

 

For Hujan di Banda Neira, the formula has been tested to provide a relaxing sensation:

 

• Helps reduce stress levels when inhaled

• Supports a body condition that is more ready for rest

• Creates a more conducive sleep environment

 

When you smell it in your room, there’s a physiological response that happens in your body; heart rate slows down, breathing becomes deeper, muscles start to release tension. From an aroma that takes you to an island, to a body that can finally rest peacefully.

Not Every Place Has to Be Visited to Be Experienced

There are places that are difficult to reach. They are far away, access is complicated, or time and cost do not always allow for a visit.

 

Banda Neira is one of them. But the science of scent we just discussed shows something interesting: you don't have to actually set foot in a place to experience it.

 

That's what Hujan di Banda Neira is doing. It becomes the key to unlocking the construction already in your head, then letting you experience that place from your own bedroom.

 

In one breath, a distant island suddenly feels close.