I was watching Abandoned again the other night, and was struck by Locke's comment that Aaron smelled good. Occurs to me that this isn't the first time someone has made reference to how someone else smells. The first reference I can recall is Sarah's comment about how badly Jack smells after his run. Another is Kate's comment in the Hatch that Jack could use a shower. Any I've missed, like maybe from season 1? Doesn't have to be body odor...

What do you suppose is the significance?

I don't know, but good catch on the Aaron smelling good.

Isn't smell the sense that has the strongest associations with memory?

IMO, that was just a general comment that most people make about babies. They do smell good. (unless they're poopie :biggrin: ) Babies have a unique "baby smell." I always missed it when my kids started smelling like, well, kids, lol.

OTOH, I do think there was something to Sarah's comment to Jack about him smelling, even after he showered.

Isn't smell the sense that has the strongest associations with memory?

Yup. Can take you back to whenever just like that. *snaps fingers*

Isn't smell the sense that has the strongest associations with memory?

Absolutely, Todell. Marcel Proust wrote entire novels about this phenomenon and a term emerged - "Proustian Memory", which is based on smells. Here's a description:

Traditionally, we humans have five senses - they're smell, hearing, vision, touch and taste. But smell is different from all the other senses in a very special way. A smell from your distant past can unleash a flood of memories that are so intense and striking that they seem real.

This kind of memory, where an unexpected re-encounter with a scent from the distant past brings back a rush of memories, is called a "Proustian Memory". It's named after Marcel Proust, one of the greatest novelists of the 20th century. He describes this phenomenon in the opening chapter of his novel Swan's Way, the first novel in his mammoth seven-part work, Remembrance Of Things Past.

So, I think it will be significant that Locke had this experience with the smell of an infant...maybe one of his younger foster siblings? Or another baby he held?

He describes this phenomenon in the opening chapter of his novel Swan's Way, the first novel in his mammoth seven-part work, Remembrance Of Things Past.

Another Swan reference! Brilliant!

I remember reading somewhere that you do not have the sense of smell in dreams.....anyone else heard that, or am I imagining things? Maybe the writers were trying to disprove the theory of LOST being a dream sequence?

So, bigmouth: when I went to wikipedia about smell (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odor), I noticed something interesting, that's probably nothing:

Pheromones are odors that are deliberately used for communication. A female moth may release a pheromone that can entice a male moth from several kilometers. Honeybee queens constantly release pheromones that regulate the activity of the hive. Workers can release such odors to call other bees into an appropriate cavity when a swarm moves in, or to "sound" an alarm when the hive is threatened.

On the island, Charlie has encounters with both bees and moths. Maybe he's giving off some sort of pheromone?

On the island, Charlie has encounters with both bees and moths. Maybe he's giving off some sort of pheromone?

Excellent catch!

Maybe all the Lostaways are giving off distinct and specific pheromones beyond the normal body scents (i.e., the smelly Jack comment that Sarah made in the hospital). Remember, scent was also brought up this week when Shannon has Vincent smell Walt's shirt.

Sam G. started a thread in Spoiler Theories a while back about the senses. I think it was called Tying some threads together...Our Senses. I'll try to find a link and edit this post for the spoiled among you. There have been numerous references to the senses, but it seems this season we're getting pummeled with the sense of smell for some reason.

Last season Charlie said he had a dream that he was driving a bus, all his teeth started falling out, and everything smelled of bacon. I don't remember which epi right off-hand, but I think it was probably RBA when Claire had her "dreams." Also, in WTCMB Sawyer asked Kate if she smelled blood on the wind. Hmmm...

bigmouth: Wayne mentions that it smells? smells funny? when Kate is leading him to the bedroom.

Is that why there's talk about Kate leaving the gas on in "What Kate Did" (other than by inference)? I didn't catch that...

Yeah. He sort of mumbles it when she's helping him into the house. Kate tells Wayne it's probably his breath, lol.

Yeah. He sort of mumbles it when she's helping him into the house. Kate tells Wayne it's probably his breath, lol.
Thanks...I guess blinking would not explain how I missed it, so I'll blame it on the mumbling...I figured I missed Kate turning/leaving the gas on (I still could have...did she?). I bet that's what TPTB want us to assume.

Thanks...I guess blinking would not explain how I missed it, so I'll blame it on the mumbling...I figured I missed Kate turning/leaving the gas on (I still could have...did she?). I bet that's what TPTB want us to assume.

Yes, she did. The oven door was open. He was probably smelling the rotten egg smell that is added to natural gas. The windows were open too. You could see the drapes blowing around when she opened the door to help Wayne into the house. He may have only caught a whiff of it.

tabby: My take is the same as shootfire's. We don't actually see her turn on the gas, it's just strongly implied. Probably did it before she went outside to wait for Wayne.

todell: How did I miss your prior comment about pheremones? I like this idea since they're secreted in sweat, and Jack was way sweaty both times he smelled. Pheremones are also associated with sex drive. Could this provide a link with your "Love is the Answer" thread?

Yes, she did. The oven door was open. He was probably smelling the rotten egg smell that is added to natural gas. The windows were open too. You could see the drapes blowing around when she opened the door to help Wayne into the house. He may have only caught a whiff of it.
Thanks! I don't want to make any false assumptions. I'll try not to comment on this issue further until I watch the epi again.

ETA

tabby: My take is the same as shootfire's. We don't actually see her turn on the gas, it's just strongly implied. Probably did it before she went outside to wait for Wayne.


bigmouth: just saw this after posting. Thanks (and don't roll your eyes), but it seems possible that she was airing the house out after someone failed to turn off the oven or ???

Yes, she did. The oven door was open. He was probably smelling the rotten egg smell that is added to natural gas. The windows were open too. You could see the drapes blowing around when she opened the door to help Wayne into the house. He may have only caught a whiff of it.

You know, sulphur has a rotten egg smell to it, too...




todell: How did I miss your prior comment about pheremones? I like this idea since they're secreted in sweat, and Jack was way sweaty both times he smelled. Pheremones are also associated with sex drive. Could this provide a link with your "Love is the Answer" thread?

Oooh... I hadn't thought about phermones and their association with sex in that context...interesting...

Kate mentioned the shower smelling like sulphur.

This may not fit, but there have been several scenes with Sun smelling flowers, herbs etc.

[QUOTE=Todell;643358]You know, sulphur has a rotten egg smell to it, too...

Yes! That's right! The additive they put in natural gas to give it it's warning smell is sulphur-based. I can't believe I missed that connection.:redface:

If Kate's horse was named "Trigger", it all makes sense now.:biggrin:

From Deus Ex Machina, when Jack is examining Sawyer for his headaches:

Jack: Do you smell anything funny? Brain tumors bring on phantom smells, maybe like something burning.

Interesting. And it may tie into your Island/Brain theory, bigmouth!

Lost smells nice :D

http://www.thefuselage.com/Threaded/showthread.php?t=6266&highlight=senses
Old thread where we were discussing the smells

Any I've missed, like maybe from season 1?


Well we know that Sawyer wears cologne. He admits it to Kate and Locke in Outlaws. Hopefully, it's not Old Spice. :p

Kate mentioned the shower smelling like sulphur.

This may not fit, but there have been several scenes with Sun smelling flowers, herbs etc. sun used eucalyptus--a very strong scent--to help shannon with her asthma.

my sister, as an adult, fell from ladder to the cement below, landing on her head. for a very long time she lost all sense of smell. as it gradually came back, some smells were "off"--they weren't as she remembered they should be. now, when she smells a peach, the odor reminds her of strawberries (it also effects the way food tastes to her--chocolate is no fun anymore!).

my mother had a brain tumor. she would smell things that weren't there all the time. she was constantly smelling smoke, or flowers, or....? it was almost always something which, typically, had a very strong scent (vinegar, eggs, etc.)

then there's me. i was a smoker for many years. i have almost no sense of smell at all for most things.

just rambling....

Not that it has anything to do with it, but check out halfway down the page under "otherworldly odor" http://www.weirdload.com/apollo.html. PS Gunpowder smells a bit like sulphur (since that is one of the ingedients).

Sam G. started a thread in Spoiler Theories a while back about the senses. I think it was called Tying some threads together...Our Senses. I'll try to find a link and edit this post for the spoiled among you. There have been numerous references to the senses, but it seems this season we're getting pummeled with the sense of smell for some reason.

Last season Charlie said he had a dream that he was driving a bus, all his teeth started falling out, and everything smelled of bacon. I don't remember which epi right off-hand, but I think it was probably RBA when Claire had her "dreams." Also, in WTCMB Sawyer asked Kate if she smelled blood on the wind. Hmmm...Shootfire I brought the thread over.

The reason I bring the old threads back up is that we forget so many things that we brought up when the episodes first aired.

You had mentioned Jack saying that they were going to have to burn the fuselage. The bodies were starting to smell.

Digging up the Marshal to get the key to the Halliburton. His body smelled.

(By the time Jin bumped into Goodwin's body it was probably smelling pretty bad. We could hear all the bugs buzzing there.)

I'm torn. There are enough references for it to be something but it could also be the writers trying to engage us more fully.

Are there any theories on why exactly the smells are important? To me, smellin funky on an island just seems like an issue that would be addressed. However, we know to look out for people who are having "phantom smells". Maybe that will be the first sign of the sickness!

If you go to the other thread it deals with all the senses and we are certainly dealing with sound and sight in ways we don't usually encounter.

http://www.thefuselage.com/Threaded/showthread.php?t=6266&highlight=senses

I've been thinking about the 23rd Psalm. With all of the smells that have been underscored in the show, why does nobody smell the "smokey?" I mean, they've all called the monster black smoke, but wouldn't you smell smoke? Wouldn't you have some sense that it was in the area by the smell? Hmm...

I've been thinking about the 23rd Psalm. With all of the smells that have been underscored in the show, why does nobody smell the "smokey?" I mean, they've all called the monster black smoke, but wouldn't you smell smoke? Wouldn't you have some sense that it was in the area by the smell? Hmm...

Robots don't smell, silly shootfire!

By the way, congrats on your promotion! Have to keep myself in line around you.:biggrin:

Robots don't smell, silly shootfire!

By the way, congrats on your promotion! Have to keep myself in line around you.:biggrin:

What makes you think it's a robot? It's really a soul sucking electromagnetic storm. Seriously!

Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids!:biggrin:

I've been thinking about the 23rd Psalm. With all of the smells that have been underscored in the show, why does nobody smell the "smokey?" I mean, they've all called the monster black smoke, but wouldn't you smell smoke? Wouldn't you have some sense that it was in the area by the smell? Hmm...
Shootfire, I think that question is right on target. If it really were smoke in the conventional sense (e.g., exhaust) someone would have mentioned the stench.

I don't know, but good catch on the Aaron smelling good.

Isn't smell the sense that has the strongest associations with memory?

Hey! look what I posted in the second post here! Wonder if it ties to my memory theory? (http://www.thefuselage.com/Threaded/showthread.php?t=32406)