Nostrils can detect odours independently from one another and can subconsciously guide you to the source of a smell, a study has concluded. Researchers from China found that applying different strengths of odour to people's nostrils in tests subtly impacted their perception of visually-simulated movement. Your nose knows: Nostrils can detect odours independently from one another and can subconsciously guide you to the source of a smell (stock image)The study was undertaken by psychologist Wen Zhou and colleagues from the State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science in Beijing. The volunteers were asked to determine which way they were 'moving' relative to a fixed cross on the screen while each of their nostrils was exposed to different concentrations of odours. The full findings of the study were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Source: Daily Mail June 22, 2020 19:02 UTC