Dying patients sense fear-inducing smell before death

Can a dying person sense the smell of approaching death? Scientists say yes. Research has shown that people at the end of their lives begin to perceive a distinctive, fear-inducing odor subconsciously.

The moment of death evokes fear in most people, and nothing is surprising about that. Many also wonder if someone on their deathbed can sense the approaching end. One of the signals is a distinctive, fear-inducing smell perceived in the subconscious of dying individuals. Scientists from the Department of Behavioral Sciences at the University of Arkansas in the United States decided to investigate this specific "smell of death."

After researching, scientists from Arkansas determined that just before death, the dying can sense a distinctive odor reminiscent of rotting meat. To confirm whether this is true and why, they experimented.

Study participants were exposed to three different smells: ammonia, water, and putrescine. The third one elicited the strongest reactions from the patients. As revealed by one of the scientists, Arnaud Wisman, the experiment's participants admitted that the smell of putrescine triggered a subconscious fear they had never experienced before.

It's important to note that only dying individuals complain about the smell of rotting meat. Their surroundings do not perceive this odor, but the mentioned putrescine is responsible for the distinctive smell of corpses.

Along with three groups of biogenic amines, which emerge from the postmortem decomposition of amino acids and proteins, a so-called cadaveric poison forms, which can be dangerous in high concentrations. That is why people dealing with corpses, such as pathologists or funeral home workers, usually wear protective gloves and masks.