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Smell is arguably the least understood sense, yet it has always been a vital component of the human experience, and that of all living creatures. It has been used by plants and animals for millions of years to warn, to attract, to identify, to navigate and even to mislead. Smelling to Survive explains some of these fascinating processes, and explores how the past would have smelt quite different to our ancestors, and how future technologies will further change the world of scents. Along the way, leading scientist Bill Hansson recounts amazing stories from the world of olfactory research: from the tobacco plant that excretes an alarm odour, to mosquitos that cherish the smell of sweaty feet, to lilies that imitate the fragrance of horse manure. Hansson explains why scientists are interested in the smell that surrounds teenage males, and how climate change affects the smell of our environment. He describes research trips to Christmas Island, where crabs with particularly keen noses crack coconuts on the beach, and outlines studies that reveal how penguins recognize their partner by their scent.

Research on insect olfaction is crucial for two main reasons. First, the olfactory systems of insects and their arthropod relatives serve as favorable models for studying general olfactory principles applicable to both vertebrates and invertebrates. Detailed comparisons of olfactory pathways in these groups have uncovered significant similarities in functional organization, physiology, and development, indicating that the neural mechanisms for processing olfactory information are more alike than different, despite evolutionary distances. Second, the significance of insect olfaction extends to its economic and medical implications, given that insects can be agricultural pests and disease vectors, while beneficial species like bees and moths play vital roles in pollination and honey production. The impact of an insect—whether harmful or beneficial—depends on its behavior, which is largely influenced by sensory information. Olfaction often serves as the primary sensory modality guiding essential insect behaviors, such as orientation, movement towards mates, oviposition sites, and food sources. Consequently, much research in this field aims to leverage insights from insect olfaction to develop strategies for managing harmful species and promoting the welfare of beneficial ones.