Longevity and the sense of smell: The scent of death

Vital organ? PEOPLE whose hearts are failing, or who have had cancer or lung disease, have good reason to be concerned about their future. People who have merely lost their sense of smell might not be so worried. Actually, though, their prospects are worse. You are more likely to die within five years if you cannot recognise common smells than if you have ever been diagnosed with one of those more obviously deadly illnesses. That, at least, is the conclusion of a sobering study just published in...