That’s not your imagination! That smell has a name, and it’s actually backed by science. That earthy, fresh, almost nostalgic smell after a rainstorm is called petrichor (pronounced PEH-truh-kor). It ...

The smell of rain can comfort some, but it also warns of what’s to come. But what does rain actually smell like? The sensitive nose can smell a storm coming as the air fills with a fresh and earthy ...

Where it rains very little, you learn to be attuned to any sign the weather could turn wet—any sign that relief is imminent. Gray clouds move in, dimming the sky. The air thickens. A roll of thunder ...

Some people are more likely to detect early scents than others.