ext_22896 ([identity profile] gmh.livejournal.com) wrote in [personal profile] burntcopper 2010-07-23 10:18 pm (UTC)

Apparently it does that to everyone, but only a fraction of the population have the (genetic) ability to smell methanethiol (a.k.a. methyl mercaptan).

Congratulations, you're evolutionarily superior!

A story that has been hanging around for years (but has no solid evidence behind it that I've seen) is that methanethiol is actually a powerful fish attractant; and that tinned asparagus was issued to US aviators in the Pacific as part of their emergency rations; they could eat the stuff, piss over the side, and then hang a line out for the fish.

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