The Science Behind That Fresh Rain Scent

Short Wave

English - June 10, 2021 04:30 - 12 minutes - 11.1 MB - ★★★★★ - 5.8K ratings
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(Encore episode.) Scientists have known for decades that one of the main causes of the smell of fresh rain is geosmin: a chemical compound produced by soil-dwelling bacteria. But why do the bacteria make it in the first place? Reporter Emily Vaughn answers this mystery.

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