If it rained where you are today, you may have noticed that delightful earthy smell. It’s wonderful, right? Well, you can thank microbes for making a chemical called geosmin.

But what is geosmin, what microbes make it, and why? Here, I’ll answer those questions, share a few places you may encounter geosmin without realizing it, and hopefully not disappoint you too much when I reveal the context where geosmin can be a problem. After listening to this episode, you’ll be armed with detailed knowledge about this microbially-produced perfume that you can share with your friends so they too can find delight in the microbial world.

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GEOSMIN MERCH: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/92355353/