Petrichor

Rare card · No. 28798

Petrichor ( PET-rik-or) is the earthy scent often associated with rain falling on dry soil or rock. The term was introduced by Australian researchers Isabel Joy Bear and Richard Grenfell Thomas in a 1964 paper in Nature. Bear and Thomas used the term for an odour released from rock or soil materials after dry conditions when they are exposed to moisture. The smell is associated with oils that accumulate in rocks and soil during dry periods and are released by moisture. Later experiments using high-speed cameras found that raindrops striking porous surfaces can trap air bubbles, which rise and burst as aerosols, providing a mechanism by which scent-carrying material can enter the air. The noun petrichor originated as a compound of two Greek words, πέτρα (meaning 'rock' or 'stone') and ἰχώρ ('ichor', the ethereal golden fluid that runs in the veins of Ancient Greek gods and goddesses).

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