Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Cambridge ‘Doctor of Smell’ Says Viral Backlash Opened Doors

She now uses her platform to explain how smell shapes identity and culture.

Overview

  • Her celebratory post on X, which went viral in November 2024, drew more than 130 million views.
  • She recalls a week of intense online attacks that left her sleepless, including one critic calling her the “face of tyranny.”
  • Her PhD at Cambridge focused on olfactory ethics, a study of how smell is portrayed in literature and how it shapes identity.
  • She challenges common beliefs by arguing that smell preferences are learned and says humans can match dogs on some scent tests.
  • The attention led to speaking and media chances, steady engagement on smell topics, and a planned book titled Under Your Nose for spring 2027.