This week on Knock Knock, Hi, Will and Kristin stumble into one of the more unexpected parenting moments yet: discovering their teenager might want to become an astronaut. That leads to a surprisingly deep dive into what it actually takes to make it to space and the answer is… a lot. Think extreme environments, elite training, and possibly even medical school. Naturally, Will immediately begins researching astronaut pathways while Kristin begins quietly calculating the odds.

Then the conversation pivots to something even stranger: the science of smell.

Researchers are now experimenting with devices that could restore the sense of smell using electrical stimulation in the nose. Yes, that means scientists are literally shocking people’s noses in the name of research. The idea is to help people who lost their sense of smell from head injuries, infections, or COVID.

Along the way, Will explains how smell actually works, why losing it is more serious than most people realize, and why scientists are now trying to build the sensory equivalent of a cochlear implant… but for your nose.

Takeaways:

Astronaut training is even more intense than you think and there are surprisingly few paths that actually get you there.

Losing your sense of smell can dramatically affect quality of life, including mental health.

Scientists are experimenting with artificial smell technology, using electrical signals to help people detect odors again.

Some medical devices sound brilliant on paper… and very uncomfortable in real life.

Sometimes the most interesting conversations happen when kids start asking big questions about their future.

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