Did you know? Rain has its own special scent

That fresh, earthy smell when rain falls on dry ground has a name: petrichor. The word was coined by Australian scientists in 1964.

The scent develops when raindrops release plant oils and compounds from the soil into the air. One of these compounds, called geosmin, is produced by soil-dwelling microorganisms – and the human nose is remarkably sensitive to it.

So, when someone says they can smell the rain, there is real science behind it!