Buzz
Though human sense of smell is far weaker than many animals', we can still pick up on billions of different odors. Nature typically gives off scents we expect—fruits are sweet, flowers are fragrant, and animals smell earthy. However, there are some plants and creatures whose smells defy expectations, with aromas that can be surprisingly delightful or downright disgusting.
10. The Core of the Galaxy Emits the Aroma of Raspberries or Rum
It’s a well-known fact that our galaxy is composed of stars, dust, gas, black holes, and dark matter. But did you know that it also has a surprisingly delightful fragrance?
Thanks to the IRAM telescope in Spain, astronomers from the Max Planck Institute studying a dust cloud called Sagittarius B2 near the heart of our Milky Way discovered the chemical ethyl formate (C3H6O2). This compound is responsible for the flavor of raspberries and is also present in rum.
However, this wasn’t the only chemical present in the cloud near the galaxy’s center, so the scent isn’t quite as pure as you might imagine. And unless you don’t need oxygen and have a spaceship equipped for a journey of millions of years, you won’t be able to visit the Milky Way to inhale or taste it.
9. The Eastern Spadefoot Toad Emits a Smell Similar to Peanut Butter
This toad is known for its unique traits, from its sizable body (measuring 1.5–3 inches) to its striking yellow eyes with slit-like pupils. The Eastern Spadefoot Toad has a tan or brown coloration, and while its name comes from the spade-shaped hind foot it uses for burrowing, its most remarkable feature is its unmistakable peanut butter-like scent.
Spadefoot toads typically live underground, only emerging during heavy rainfall when they gather in wetland areas. However, be cautious when attempting to catch and smell one: Some individuals may experience allergic reactions upon contact. If you’d rather avoid sneezing or irritated eyes, feel free to get close enough to enjoy their scent—but refrain from touching.
8. The Chocolate Flower Smells Just Like Chocolate
Berlandiera lyrata, commonly called the chocolate flower, chocolate daisy, or green-eye lyre leaf, is a perennial plant that grows between 1 and 2 feet tall. This daisy-like flower features yellow petals that frame a deep red center. When the petals are removed, the tempting scent of chocolate is released.
The sweet chocolate fragrance can also be detected in the plant’s leaves and stems. The chocolate flower thrives in dry, rocky soils found across Arizona, Texas, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and central Mexico. This aromatic plant is most fragrant on warm days and is in bloom throughout the year.
7. The Carrion Flower Emits the Scent of Decaying Flesh
Stapelia gigantea, also known as the starfish flower or carrion flower, resembles a cactus with a large, star-shaped bloom that can grow between 10 and 12 inches in length. The flower features a tan and maroon color palette and a texture reminiscent of suede or animal skin. While most sweet-smelling flowers attract pollinators like bees and butterflies, the carrion flower has a different strategy. It lures its preferred pollinators—flies—by emitting the odor they love most: the stench of decaying flesh.
This intensely foul-smelling plant is part of the milkweed family. In addition to its autumn-blooming flowers, it also produces pods containing fruit and seeds. The plant grows rapidly and is easy to maintain, but if the smell of rotting meat is unbearable, simply remove the flowers; the rest of the plant does not share the same pungent odor.
6. The Western Conifer Seed Bug Smells Just Like an Apple
Leptoglossus occidentalis, commonly known as the western conifer seed bug, is a brown, black, and orange insect found across North America and Canada, though it is most abundant in New York and Pennsylvania. Adult bugs grow to about 0.75 inches in length and make their homes in conifer trees, which produce cones like pinecones. These insects feed on cone needles and lay their eggs there, causing enough damage to disrupt the seed crop of various fir and pine species.
This troublesome bug often seeks refuge indoors during winter, sneaking through small openings in doors and windows. When crushed, it secretes a blue substance and, strangely, releases an apple-like fragrance.
5. The Western Skunk Cabbage Has a Smell Similar to a Skunk
The western skunk cabbage, also known as swamp lantern (Lysichiton americanum), is typically found in the Pacific Northwest. It thrives in swamps and moist areas with partial sunlight. In March and April, the plant blooms with foul-smelling yellow flowers designed to attract flies for pollination. After the flowers, the plant’s leaves grow, and when crushed, they emit a strong skunk-like odor.
This large perennial can grow up to about 5 feet tall and is poisonous if consumed by humans or other animals. An east coast variant, the eastern skunk cabbage, features purple flowers but shares the same repulsive, decaying meat or skunk-like scent.
4. The Voodoo Lily Releases a Meaty Smell
Dracunculus vulgaris, commonly known as the voodoo lily, dragon arum, dragonwort, stink lily, or drakondia, is originally from Greece, Crete, Turkey, and the Balkans. Although not native, it has spread to Spain, Italy, and North Africa. The plant thrives in moist soil and features light green leaves and dark purple or black flowers. A variety found in Crete can even produce white blooms.
Like many other foul-smelling plants, the voodoo lily attracts flies and beetles with its scent of rotting meat. The flies that land on the plant become trapped, pollinating it before being released the next day.
As suggested by its names, the plant has an eerie, almost sinister appearance. Its unappealing odor and menacing look keep most animals at bay—an advantage, since the plant is highly poisonous.
3. Hakarl Has the Smell of Ammonia
Hakarl, a type of fermented shark meat, is infamous for its repulsive smell yet considered a delicacy in Iceland. To prepare it, poisonous Greenland shark meat is buried underground for several months, where it decomposes, developing a pungent odor that many describe as unbearable.
The shark, which can grow up to 24 feet long, is left to decompose under the sand for anywhere between six weeks and three months, allowing the poisonous liquids to leach out. After that, the meat is hung to dry for several more months. By the time it's ready to eat, the meat has dried out and turned brown, but it still carries the harsh ammonia scent from the shark’s toxic uric acid.
2. The Binturong Smells Like Buttered Popcorn
The binturong, a mammal found in the rainforests of Southeast Asia, is often called the bearcat due to its cat-like face and small bear-like body. Despite this, it's actually related to the civet. These animals grow between 2 and 3 feet in length and weigh between 30 to 50 pounds. Females usually live for around 15 years, while males tend to live a few years longer, up to 18.
With its fur typically black or dark brown, and sometimes streaked with white or silver, the binturong is a tree-dwelling creature that enjoys eating fruit. It releases a strong and peculiar odor that many say resembles freshly buttered popcorn. This aroma, produced by oil glands near its tail, serves as a territorial warning—while it might smell inviting, it signals to intruders to keep their distance.
1. The Italian White Truffle Smells Like Musk
Truffles can be found in regions such as France, Italy, North Africa, and the Middle East. In North America, they are commonly found in California and Oregon. Known for being a pricey delicacy, they can fetch anywhere from $150 for Oregon truffles to as much as $450 for French or Italian truffles per pound, with some rarer types commanding even higher prices. These fungi grow beneath the soil and are harvested by trained pigs or truffle dogs from September through May.
The Alba white truffle, found in Italy, is particularly famous for its musky aroma and bold taste. Freshly harvested truffles are often consumed raw or lightly cooked to enhance the flavor of other dishes. They are also frequently used to produce truffle oil or truffle butter.
+The Hoatzin Smells Like Manure
The hoatzin, often called the “stink bird,” lives in the rainforests of Ecuador and earns its name from its foul odor, which resembles cow manure or hay. This striking bird, with its brown, black, and white feathers, has a vivid blue face and a spiky Mohawk-like crest. Though it struggles to fly, it’s excellent at climbing and swimming, preferring to live in groups of about twelve.
What makes the hoatzin particularly unique is its foregut fermentation system, allowing it to break down the leaves it consumes with the help of bacteria, much like cows and sheep. Another fascinating fact about this bird is that baby hoatzins are born with extra claws on their wings, which vanish after three months.
