Image by Jessica Klima
I am Avery Gilbert, an olfactory scientist and author. FirstNerve is my substack.
My specialty is human odor perception. I’ve had a career in the fragrance industry and as an independent scientific consultant. I have explored olfactory mental imagery, as well as the multi-sensory associations linking scent to color and sound. My most recent work is on the aroma of cannabis.
I am the author of What the Nose Knows: The Science of Scent in Everyday Life, and have also published two short stories based on fictional scent expert Nick Zollicker.
And yes, for three years running I appeared in television commercials for Shiseido’s Ag DEO24 products in Japan.
What is FirstNerve about?
My substack covers the science and culture of smell—everything from newly published research results to social trends, including developments in the fragrance industry. I love reporting on intriguing new smell science but I also delight in busting bogosity wherever I find it.
What do you need to do?
Sign up for a free subscription to FirstNerve! You will get every new edition delivered directly to your inbox, and have access to the full archive.
Feel free to post comments and questions—I love to interact with my readers.
