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Study Links Old Books' Smell to Chocolate Delight

12/18/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Researchers at University College London studied the smells of books, finding many people associate old-book scent with chocolate.
The study, published in Heritage Science, aims to classify these scents to help diagnose book deterioration.
Chemist Matija Strlic and heritage scientist Cecilia Bembibre of University College London studied volatile organic compounds released by books.
They plan to expand to other objects and gather community input on preserving smells for future generations.

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Story summary

Researchers at University College London studied the smells of books, finding many people associate old-book scent with chocolate.
The study, published in Heritage Science, aims to classify these scents to help diagnose book deterioration.
Chemist Matija Strlic and heritage scientist Cecilia Bembibre of University College London studied volatile organic compounds released by books.
They plan to expand to other objects and gather community input on preserving smells for future generations.