Petrichor is the wonderful, earthy smell that rises from the ground after the first drops of rain fall. Breathe deep the next time you're outdoors at the start of a rain shower, and you'll experience petrichor for yourself!
There is something poetic about petrichor, a word that captures a specific but elusive smell that most people find appealing. However, it's a highly scientific concept, first described in 1964 by Australian researchers, who discovered that a molecule is released into the air when water falls on warm, dry soil. The smell of petrichor is so popular that it's been recreated in many perfumes. The word's roots are the Greek petra, "rock," and ichor, "blood of the gods."