India, Oct. 14 -- A mouse's nose can not only smell but also sense the movement and pressure of air. A fascinating new study led by Nixon Abraham from the department of biology at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Pune shows that the brain combines both chemical and mechanical signals from the nose to create a complete sense of smell.

Published on October 8, 2025 in the journal, Science Advances, the study was supported by the DBT-Wellcome India Alliance and the department of science and technology (DST), Government of India, with core IISER Pune grants and student fellowships.

Abraham said, "Our findings show that the olfactory system does not just process chemical information from odours but also integrate...