Get the Lowdown

Is there something where you'd like to really know how it works?  You want to get the truth, facts, and most pertinent information about something.  That's what it means to 'get the lowdown'.  What about the favourite smells in the world?  The UK's top 20 include: 1. Freshly baked bread 2. Bacon 3. Freshly cut grass 4. Coffee 5. Cakes baking in the oven 6. The Seaside 7. Freshly washed clothes 9. Fish and chips 10. Fresh flowers 11. A real Christmas tree 12. Roses 13. Vanilla 14. Scented candles 15. Log fires 16. Lavender 17. Lemon 18. Chocolate 19. Barbeques 20. Cinnamon Compare that with Reader's Digest 8 favourite smells: 1. pine 2. citrus 3. sunscreen 4. fresh-cut grass 5. flowers 6. rosemary 7. peppermint 8. baby powder How about what scientists have found that smell good to nearly everyone? This comes from https://io9.gizmodo.com/scientists-discover-five-things-that-smell-good-to-near-5515453 1. lime (fruit) 2. grapefruit (fruit) 3. bergamot (similar to an orange in scent) 4. orange (fruit) 5. peppermint 6. freesia (flower) 7. amyl acetate (a molecule that smells like apples and bananas) 8. cassia (similar to cinnamon) 9. mimosa (flowering tree) 10. fir (tree) This last list comes from tests of smells on people in Israel and Ethiopia. They considered these groups culturally diverse so the results are considered general across all populations. Our picture of the day is from the garden tour - this one an invitation to appreciate a garden masterpiece.