Olfactory adventures

Star-nosed mole can sniff underwater, videos reveal

I wonder what it feels like to sniff underwater. Does any water go back up into your nose? I'll bet some application could be made for humans. Say, bubble air through water, then siphon it into our nose. Not that it would do us much good. Our sense of smell is terrible compared to many other animals. And why not? A good sense of smell is an expensive investment. Humans are clever enough to survive without the aid of too much olfactory guidance. It's the same reason we have less hair and are less burly than our Neanderthal ancestors.

Unleash your inner bloodhound – start sniffing

It's hardly surprising that humans can follow a scent trail, especially when the scent is as strong as chocolate. I would be impressed if humans could smell scents in such minute amounts as, say, dogs. This makes me think of one of my daydreams: genetically modifying humans to give them more advanced powers. Why not modify ourselves so we produce the antifreeze protein? This would prevent needless deaths and injuries from freezing. Why not eradicate the genes that cause nearsightedness so that a third of the population can lead normal lives without worrying about glasses, contacts, or laser surgery? How about making everyone lactose tolerant so we can all enjoy dairy products? While we're at it, can't we get rid of the "itch" sense?