This video explores how our sense of smell works, considering two main theories: shape and vibration. The shape theory suggests that smell receptors fit specific odor molecules like a lock and key, but it can't explain all scents. The vibration theory proposes that receptors detect vibrations of molecules, similar to spectroscopy techniques, but it also has limitations. The video discusses how quantum physics, specifically quantum tunneling, might be involved in the sense of smell. Experiments with deuterium-substituted molecules suggest that both shape and vibration factors contribute to our sense of smell, but the exact mechanism remains a mystery.
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1. Our nose uses quantum physics to smell, according to the best theory of how smell works.
2. Odor molecules are captured by a layer of mucus in the nose and taken to the olfactory epithelium.
3. The olfactory epithelium contains neurons with special receptor sites that detect odor molecules and send signals to the brain.
4. There are two main theories about how smell receptors work: shape theory and vibration theory.
5. Shape theory suggests that receptors have specific shapes that fit odor molecules.
6. Vibration theory suggests that receptors detect molecules based on their vibrational frequencies.
7. Inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy is a technique used to probe molecules' vibrational frequencies.
8. Experiments showed evidence that different forms of molecules, even with the same vibrations, can smell different.
9. It appears that both shape and vibration models are needed to explain how we smell.
10. Directly observing receptor sites in action is needed to understand the exact mechanism of smell using quantum physics.
These facts provide an overview of how our sense of smell works and the theories behind it.