Your Body Knows When Death Is Near

Losing a loved one can feel like the hardest thing in the world. It leaves us feeling hopeless and defeated. It affects us not just mentally, but emotionally and spiritually. It’s impossible to recover in one day. Healing takes time. The mental trauma caused by such a loss can stay with us for years.

Some people believe that we can sense when someone’s time is near. It might seem like just a coincidence, but others feel sure of it. Humans may instinctively know when death is near. It’s normal to think about what someone we care about might experience during their final moments. Scientists also know that when a person passes away, the body starts to decay immediately. One byproduct of this decay is a foul smell called putrescine.

This smell is dangerous and unpleasant. Studies show that humans can unconsciously detect this smell when it’s released. Animals also have a strong sense of smell, which helps them recognize danger. In fact, a study by Arnaud Wisman and Ilan Shira shows that humans and animals may not be so different when it comes to sensing danger.

All species, including humans, rely on chemical odors to survive. Putrescine is one of these warning signals. It’s produced when the body starts breaking down, either while alive or after death. The smell is a chemical warning.

When humans are exposed to putrescine, they react both consciously and unconsciously. In one study, people immediately moved away when they smelled it. This is the same reaction as the fight-or-flight response that animals have.

Humans and animals both face two choices: fight or flee. Most often, we choose to keep our distance. The smell of putrescine makes us aware and alert, but it also makes us avoid conflict. Similarly, other smells, like sweat, can also trigger an automatic response.

In conclusion, we are not aware of how smells influence our emotions or reactions, but they certainly do. Putrescine signals danger, while pheromones act as a signal for attraction. The reaction to each is the opposite, but both show how powerful smells can be in guiding our actions.