We all know the familiar and pleasing scent of fresh rain, but what is it exactly? This refreshing odour is released when humidity increases right before the rain and fills the pores of stones with miniscule droplets of water. This tiny amount of water is enough to flush oil from the stones, releasing it into the air along with a compound known as geosmin, which is a by-product of a particular type of bacteria. Once the rain begins to fall, the scent spreads easily on the breeze.
And yes, there is a name for the smell of rain. In 1964, two Australian scientists from the CSIRO, Isabel (Joy) Bear and Richard Thomas came up with the word ‘petrichor’. This word is derived from the Greek ‘petra’ for stone, and ‘ichor’ which, in Greek mythology, is the ethereal blood of the gods. So there you have it: petrichor – the blood of the stone.
Kind regards
Amanda Ryder