What Causes 'Old People Smell'?
If you've ever associated a smell with old age, you weren't imagining it—it all has to do with the chemistry of our skin. Hosted by: Stefan Chin ---------- Support SciShow by becoming a...
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[♪♩INTRO] If you got to spend time with your family back during the holidays, you might have noticed that grandpa smells a little… old. Not stinky or bad — he just had that distinctive old person smell which some people describe as grassy or greasy. And you weren’t imagining it, either. Like baby humans, older humans do have a certain odor, and it’s likely caused by the chemical nonenal. More specifically, that smell is caused by a version of the molecule called 2-nonenal, and it occurs naturally on human skin. Researchers have found that nonenal begins appearing around age 40, and that the amount of it increases as you age. It all has to do with the complex chemistry in your skin. See, your skin secrets fats to help form a barrier between your...
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[♪♩INTRO] If you got to spend time with your family back during the holidays, you might have noticed that grandpa smells a little… old. Not stinky or bad — he just had that distinctive old person smell which some people describe as grassy or greasy. And you weren’t imagining it, either. Like baby humans, older humans do have a certain odor, and it’s likely caused by the chemical nonenal. More specifically, that smell is caused by a version of the molecule called 2-nonenal, and it occurs naturally on human skin. Researchers have found that nonenal begins appearing around age 40, and that the amount of it increases as you age. It all has to do with the complex chemistry in your skin. See, your skin secrets fats to help form a barrier between your...
