Where does this come from, and can I check it?

Olfactory sensory neurons send direct chemical signals to the brain. The figure is taken from NIH, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.

Is this really a human body fact?

Yes. It sits on the Human Body shelf, one of 1,090 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.

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The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.

Mondo Knows Facts

The human nose can distinguish thousands of distinct scents

Olfactory sensory neurons send direct chemical signals to the brain

Olfactory receptor cells located high within the nasal cavity possess specialised cilia that detect airborne chemical odorants. Signals travel directly along the olfactory nerve to the brain's olfactory bulb, enabling humans to differentiate thousands of unique aromatic compounds.

Where this comes from

NIH

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Tags: nose, smell, olfaction

The human nose can distinguish thousands of distinct scents: the short answers

Where does this come from, and can I check it?: Olfactory sensory neurons send direct chemical signals to the brain. The figure is taken from NIH, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
Is this really a human body fact?: Yes. It sits on the Human Body shelf, one of 1,090 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.
What else can I read about it?: The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.