How do flowers get their smells?
3/17/202624 min
Flowers are famous for their smells. Most are sweet, but a few are downright stinky. Either way, the science of how and why they make these scents is fascinating. Join Molly and co-host Isla as they learn about pollinators, flower smells and the mighty corpse flower! Plus a smell for your ears: the Mystery Sound!
Guest: Dr Kelsey Byers, evolutionary chemical ecologist and group leader at the John Innes Center.
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Want to see Brains On live?!? We are probably coming to a city near you. For a complete list of shows and links to tickets head to our events page. More shows announced soon!
March 7 - Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI
March 8 - Fitzgerald Theater, St. Paul, MN
March 28 - Center Stage, Atlanta, GA
March 29 - Amaturo Theater, Fort Lauderdale, FL
April 11 - Walker Theater, Chattanooga, TN
April 12 - Carolina Theater, Durham, NC
April 25 - Marines Memorial, San Francisco, CA
April 26 - Newmark Theater, Portland, OR
May 30 - Electric City, Buffalo, NY
May 31 - Royal Theatre, Toronto, ON
Click here for an episode transcript
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsMolly Bloom· Host0:01
Friends, we are so super duper excited to tell you that we just added a bunch more cities to our 2026 live show tour.
Sanden Totten· Host0:09
Get ready for singing, dancing, magic tricks, game shows, mystery sounds, and scientists falling from the sky i- in a totally safe way. We promise.
Mark Sanchez· Host0:19
Plus, there's a chance for you to attend special meet and greet parties in every city. So come on.
Molly Bloom· Host0:25
This spring, we're coming to Milwaukee, St. Paul- Atlanta, Fort Lauderdale, Chattanooga, Durham- San Francisco, Portland, Buffalo, Toronto, and Ann Arbor We're basically gonna be everywhere. Look behind you. Are we there? No? Well, we probably will be soon.
Mark Sanchez· Host0:42
Head over to brainson.org/events for tickets.
Sanden Totten· Host0:46
And make sure you grab passes to our meet and greet party. You get to ask us questions, take pictures with us, and I'll even do some close-up magic.
Molly Bloom· Host0:57
That's brainson.org/events. Can't wait to see you.
Isla· Host1:00
[upbeat music] Brains On Universe. You're listening to Brains On, where we're serious about being curious.
Molly Bloom· Host1:13
[upbeat music] Noses exist for lots of reasons.
Isla· Host1:18
They help us breathe.
Molly Bloom· Host1:19
Mine hold up my glasses.
Isla· Host1:21
I like to try and wiggle mine.
Molly Bloom· Host1:23
But one of a nose's most important jobs is to smell stuff.
Isla· Host1:28
Maybe that's why noses love roses.