You ever met someone that loves the smell of gas?
No, not that gas! The kind you get from the actual gas station!
Well whether its them or YOU that enjoys the very distinct fume, y’all probably should avoid it..not even probably-YOU SHOULD.
First off, let me tell you exactly what gasoline is; its a “chemical cocktail comprised of many ingredients, including de-icers, lubricants, anti-rust agents and hundreds of chemical compounds known as hydrocarbons. You’ve got butane, pentane, isopentane and the so-called BTEX compounds: benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene, and xylene. Of all those compounds, benzene is the one responsible for gasoline’s gassy smell.” according to Discover Magazine.
Now the benzene, is what’s got everybody hooked. It’s so powerful that we only need “1 part per million in the air that we breathe” to detect it. Kind of like when you’re pumping gas and a drop falls on your shoe- then when you get in the car the smell literally suffocates you so much you have to roll the window down…
Howeverrrrrr, many people don’t think it’s weird to like the smell of gasoline. Here’s what else is wild. Back in the day- I’m talking 1800s and early 1900s- people used benzene in after-shaves and douches just to get the “sweet aroma”…and yes I said douches. Only thing is, you can’t inhale high concentrations of this stuff-you will literally pass out. So here’s two most observant reasons WHY people love this smell:
- It’s possible we have a memory with the smell of gas or benzene from when we were younger. It could be going on road trips as a kid or even go-kart riding!
- The fancy Discover website says, “benzene and other hydrocarbons, when inhaled, have a suppressing effect on the nervous system, which results in a temporary, euphoric feeling” or in other words-PEOPLE LIKE GETTING HIGH OFF THE SMELL and its all in the ‘dopamine’ “Whether it’s sex, video games, drugs or gasoline, it’s “dopamines” pathway in the brain that makes them feel good and kickstarts a self-reinforcing feedback loop.”
bsa
