Your body knows when death is near — and it all starts with your nose

An instinctive reaction to the invisible:

According to a 2018 study published in  Frontiers in Psychology , we share with animals a heightened sensitivity to certain odors linked to organic degradation. When exposed to these specific chemical compounds (such as cadaverine or putrescine), human participants showed increased alertness, anxiety, and even stress—without consciously identifying the source of this reaction.

The body, for its part, had already understood: a danger, even an invisible one, is close. This reaction would in reality be a deeply rooted defense mechanism, to avoid potentially harmful environments.

Can we feel our own end?

This is a question that  borders on mystery , and yet it increasingly intrigues caregivers. In palliative care units, many nurses speak of moments of “terminal lucidity”: a sudden, sometimes touching clarity of mind in people at the end of their lives. A final moment of awareness before the great departure.

Some theories suggest that this burst of lucidity could be linked to a final sensory surge from the brain. The sense of smell, in particular, would pick up micro-chemical changes in the body… and alert the brain to this impending upheaval.

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