PROPOSED EDITION 016 · NOT YET PUBLISHED

The Smell of Rain

A familiar scent and the science of paying attention

Dry ground, a little rain, a familiar smell. Isabel Joy Bear and Richard Thomas investigated it and introduced the word petrichor in 1964. Begin with their experiments, then look closely at what happens when a drop strikes the ground. The subject is small enough to meet on your next walk and odd enough to reward a much longer look.

Inside this idea

1. 01The first drops
2. 02A smell needs a name
3. 03Look inside the splash
4. 04After the shower

This is a proposed book; a complete manuscript is not available yet. The author credit is an editorial pen name for AI-generated work.