Think about the last time you were outside when it started to rain. Usually, we experience a unique odor when it starts to rain. Do you know the word for that rain smell? In 1964, Australian mineralogists decided to coin a word describing that smell of rain: They named it “petrichor.” The term is from the Greek words petra, meaning "stone" and ichor, the fluid that flows in veins of Greek gods. The smell is caused by plant oils that wash off in rain, bacterial spores in soil, and ozone, as a result of lightning activity. Impress your friends next time it rains by using the word Petrichor.
Growing Home: Petrichor
