Scientific Reason Behind Rain Smell: The first rain of monsoon not only brings with it coolness, but also brings with it a sweet smell that brings a smile on everyone’s face. Almost everyone must have felt this fragrance that dissolves in the air as soon as the first drop of rain falls. But have you ever wondered where this fragrance comes from? Is it just the smell of wet soil or is there some unique mystery of nature and science hidden behind it? Let us know the complete scientific story behind this lovely smell that emerges from the soil after the first rain.
Hot afternoon… Dark clouds covered the sky… Strong wind blowing… And then suddenly the first drop of rain falling on the earth. As soon as the first drop touches the dry soil, a fragrant aroma spreads all around, which is not easy to describe in words. Some open the window and feel it, some go to the terrace and enjoy the rain, some close their eyes and get lost in childhood memories.
Perhaps this is the reason why the first rain not only changes the weather, but also changes the mood of the mind. But have you ever asked yourself this question, where does this sweet fragrance come from?
Or is there some secret of nature hidden behind it, which science had understood long ago?
The interesting thing is that not one but many natural processes work together behind this beautiful fragrance. Micro-organisms living in the soil, natural elements coming from plants and the first drops of rain together create such a wonderful confluence which is loved by the whole world.
The sweet smell which we have been experiencing since childhood also has a scientific name – Petrichor. Let us tell you that this name was given by two scientists in the year 1964. It is made up of two words of Greek language.
The first word is “petra”, which means stone, and the second word is “ikor”, which means divine liquid. Not only this, by combining these two words, the fragrance that rises from the earth after the first rain was named.
That is, when the first drop of sky meets the earth, the sweet fragrance that dissolves in the air is called petrichor in scientific language.
Now the question is, why does the whole air suddenly start smelling as soon as a rain drop falls? In fact, during summer, when there is no rain for several weeks or several months, the soil becomes completely dry. During this period, many natural processes continue continuously inside the soil. Let us tell you that plants keep releasing some natural oil around their roots. These oils remain stored in the soil for a long time.
Meanwhile, the microscopic bacteria living in the soil also keep doing their work. These bacteria produce a special type of natural aromatic substance called geosmin. This geosmin later becomes the biggest reason for the sweet fragrance that we feel during the first rain.
As soon as the first raindrop hits the dry ground, the air inside the soil rapidly comes out. In this process very small bubbles are formed. With these bubbles, geosmin and natural plant oils spread into the air. The wind carries them everywhere and within a few moments the whole place is filled with that fragrant smell. This is why many times as soon as it starts raining, even before the drops fall heavily, we start smelling the smell of soil.
You will probably be surprised to know that the human sense of smell is very sensitive to this natural fragrance. Even very small amounts of geosmin are easily detected by our nose. This is the reason why as soon as just a few drops of rain fall, we immediately start feeling the smell of soil. Let us tell you that scientists believe that nature has given us this ability during thousands of years of evolution, because rain has always been to water, agriculture and life.
If you have ever noticed, the smell of the first rain is the strongest and most distinct. But the same feeling diminishes a little in the second or third rain. This happens because natural oils and geosmin continuously accumulate in the soil during summer. When it rains for the first time, all these elements spread into the air together. In subsequent rains, their quantity does not remain the same as before, hence the fragrance also becomes lighter. This is why people eagerly wait for the first monsoon rains.
The answer to this question is – absolutely not. If you have enjoyed the first rain both in the village and the city, then you yourself must have felt that the fragrance of both the places is different. The reason for this is the texture of the soil, the minerals present in it, moisture, number of plants and amount of micro-organisms. Where there is more greenery, the smell of soil also feels more deep and natural. For this reason, the joy of the first rain is different in fields, forests and hilly areas.
