FlipFact of the Day: Changes in the weather can be detected by people with a keen sense of smell. The common odors that we catch a whiff of before, during, and after a storm are ozone (which smells somewhat like chlorine), petrichor (that sweet, grassy “rain-on-pavement” smell), and geosmin (the smell of damp earth, created by certain bacteria), respectively.
Today’s Science History Milestone: On July 17, 1959, paleoanthropologist Mary Leakey discovered a fossilized skull at Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania. It turned out to be the first specimen of Paranthropus boisei (a.k.a. Australopithecus boisei), an ancient hominin species that lived in eastern Africa, 2.3-1.2 million years ago.
Still remember your 5th-grade science classes? Test your knowledge and see if you still remember these facts and fundamental concepts in human anatomy, biology, botany, and other branches of science. Click here to try the “Are You Smarter Than A Pinoy Fifth-Grader” Challenge.
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References
- https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/storm-scents-smell-rain/
Author: Mikael Angelo Francisco
Bitten by the science writing bug, Mikael has years of writing and editorial experience under his belt. As the editor-in-chief of FlipScience, Mikael has sworn to help make science more fun and interesting for geeky readers and casual audiences alike.
