Rain's familiar smell had no scientific name until 1964. 🌧️ . . . Australian researchers Isabel Joy Bear and Richard Thomas introduced “petrichor” in a Nature paper 62 years ago. During dry periods, plant-derived oils collect on soil and rock; rainfall helps release their odor into the air. That ancient-smelling storm scent carries a surprisingly modern name.
Source
Nature, 1964, 'Nature of Argillaceous Odour', doi:10.1038/201993a0Spot an error? Email hello@thefact5.com with a source — we correct visibly.