article_snippet: In many western societies, smell has become a largely under-used sense.
article_snippet: In many cases odours have become something undesirable and to be avoided, according to Professor Majid (picture posed by a model)
article_snippet: themselves stay constantly alert for potentially harmful odors. '
article_snippet: People in the West seem to do everything People in the West can to get rid of smells, and in many contexts odour is a taboo topic. '
article_snippet: This might be linked to changes in our smell environment since the industrial revolution. '
article_snippet: If you read stories from the UK or France from before the industrial revolution, there's sewage in the streets and people are using perfume to cover up body odour. '
article_snippet: These days, we do everything we can to sanitise we environment.'
highlights_snippet: Scientists at Radboud University in the Netherlands say western culture has made smell less important and in some cases something to be avoided .