The nose is the first organ of the upper respiratory system, responsible for performing important functions such as breathing, smelling, sneezing, and filtering air.
Air Purification
The air we breathe contains various substances such as oxygen, nitrogen, dust, pollutants, allergens, bacteria, and cigarette smoke. This organ functions to clean impurities and dirt, preventing infections thanks to the ciliated cells. These cells capture harmful particles in the air, preventing them from entering the lungs.
In dry weather, the nose moistens the inhaled air through a multi-layered airway with three sets of turbinates (upper, middle, and lower), which help regulate drainage and humidity.
At Least 14 Nose Shapes
A study conducted by Ben Gurion University (Israel) with nearly 2,000 participants identified 14 distinct human nose shapes. According to scientists, the shape of the nose is determined by the position of the nasal bone and the upper and lower cartilages. Any combination of differences in these three areas can create a different appearance, and there can even be more variations. Additionally, the shape of the nose is heavily influenced by ethnicity.
Produces a Significant Amount of Mucus
Each day, the nose produces nearly one liter of mucus. A small amount of this mucus exists in the sinuses and nasal cavity, while most is swallowed and dissolved in the stomach. When the body is ill, the nose and sinuses produce nearly double the amount of mucus.
The nose contains nerve cells that detect odors. (Photo: Freepik).
Affects Food Flavor Perception
The nose has a large number of nerve cells for detecting odors, meaning that all taste perceptions are related to the sense of smell. Chewing also helps bring aromatic air to the nerves in the nose and throat, enhancing the flavor experience of food. This is why food can taste bland when the ability to smell is diminished.
In addition to allowing us to taste food, the olfactory receptors in the nose also react to smoke, unusual scents, and spoiled food.
Contributes to Voice Production
The larynx contains vocal cords that vibrate when we speak. This vibration then resonates through the nose and sinuses, giving our voice a distinctive sound. Therefore, pinching the nose can change the voice and make it sound very high-pitched. The nasal voice heard in people with colds and allergies is due to nasal congestion, loss of resonance, or structural issues in the nose and throat.
Connected to the Brain
The sense of smell is the only sense that is directly connected to the brain regions responsible for memory (hippocampus) and emotional processing (amygdala). This function is also linked to the limbic system, which assigns emotions to past events. We often recall old memories when we smell a familiar scent.
Helps Recognize Partners
The nose plays a crucial role when combined with the olfactory system in sexual instinct recognition; it helps identify people when they are nearby through characteristics such as perfume, body odor, and pheromones—substances secreted from the body that act as chemical signals between individuals of the same species. A loss of smell correlates with a decrease in sexual desire.
