We don't think of ourselves as being particularly good at sniffing things out, especially when compared with other mammals such as dogs. But research has shown that smell can have a powerful influence on human memories and feelings. People who have lost their sense of smell - following an accident or illness - report a strong sense of loss, with impacts on their lives in ways they could never have imagined. Perhaps we don't rank smell very highly among our senses because it's hard to appreciate what it does for us - until it's gone.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original article at https://patient.info/ears-nose-throat-mouth/smell-and-taste-disorders