The smell of body odor, a full trash can, or a recently used bathroom may be unpleasant, but there are actually much worse things you could get a whiff of. If we’ve piqued your curiosity, keep reading to discover the 18 most excruciating smells in the world.
Surströmming
Surströmming is a Swedish dish that translates to “sour herring.” As its name suggests, it consists of fermented herring that has an extremely pungent taste and odor. The smell can be described as a combination of ammonia, feces, and rotten eggs. Many people consider it to be one of the worst smells in the world, often causing gagging and even vomiting.
Durian
The durian is a tropical fruit from Southeast Asia. While it may look innocent enough, it has a strong, distinctive odor that can be compared to sewage, turpentine, or rotten onions. In fact, according to Atlas Obscura, it’s so stinky that it is banned in many public spaces.
Rotten Eggs
Nothing smells great once it’s gone bad, but rotten eggs may take the cake as one of the worst-smelling spoiled foods. Rotten eggs have a strong odor, often described as being similar to sulfur, rotten cabbage, or sewage. This is why it’s important to keep track of the quality of your eggs to avoid stinking up your fridge.
Skunk Spray
Mother Nature is full of strange sights and smells. But one of the stinkiest animals of them all is the skunk, which can release a highly pungent spray that deters predators and other threats. People usually describe the smell as resembling garlic, burnt rubber, and eggs.
Human Feces
It goes without saying that human feces isn’t the most pleasant thing to encounter. We are designed to be repulsed by human waste, as being in close contact with it can pose health risks. While the smell of human waste can vary widely depending on one’s diet and health, it can smell bad enough to cause gagging and vomiting.
Putrescine and Cadaverine
You may not have heard of putrescine and cadaverine, but if we tell you that “putrescine” and “putrid” both stem from similar Latin words relating to rotting and decay, you can imagine how unpleasant they are. These chemical compounds are produced when organic matter decomposes, which is why they’re often associated with the “smell of death.”
Hydrogen Sulfide
Hydrogen sulfide is a colorless, flammable gas known for its strong odor, which resembles rotten eggs. This compound is produced naturally in sewers, swamps, and volcanic areas, and people typically describe it as rotten, sulfurous, and nauseating. It can be toxic to humans in high concentrations, so it’s important to avoid close contact.
Putrid Meat
Like eggs, meat can develop an extremely pungent, foul odor when it goes bad. But it’s a good thing that it does, because eating spoiled meat can cause us to develop potentially serious foodborne illnesses. The smell is often described as rancid, nauseating, and rotten.
Vomit
As we all know, the thought, appearance, and smell of vomit are disgusting. Many people have a fear of vomit and vomiting, and close contact can cause others to gag and become nauseous themselves. The smell is typically described as sour, acidic, and nauseating.
Ammonia
Ammonia is another compound known for its strong, unpleasant smell. Unfortunately for us, it is found in many cleaning products. As noted by the New York State Department of Health, ammonia gas can be extremely irritating and potentially dangerous, so it’s important to avoid inhalation as much as possible.
Garbage Dump
Garbage dumps are full of organic waste, so it’s no surprise that they can smell absolutely awful. Decomposition, sewage, rotten food, and chemical emissions combine to make a vile cocktail of terrible smells, making even the most iron-stomached among us feel queasy.
Rotting Vegetation
Rotting vegetation is known to emit a foul odor associated with bacterial decomposition. This scent can be described as moldy, foul, and musty. As well as smelling bad, this process can release toxins and allergens into the air that may pose a risk to human health.
Burnt Hair
While you may not think of hair as being associated with terrible smells, burnt hair can actually emit a surprisingly foul odor. This is caused by the combustion of keratin proteins within the hair, creating a smell that resembles sulfur or burnt feathers.
Rotting Fish
The bacterial decomposition that occurs in rotting fish creates a strong, foul odor that can be described as sulfuric, putrid, and similar to ammonia. Not only that, but, if ingested, rotten fish can lead to foodborne illnesses that could pose a serious risk to human health.
Stagnant Water
While water is usually completely odorless, stagnant water can harbor many types of bacteria, algae, and decomposing organic matter. This often creates a horrible smell frequently described as rotten, putrid, and swampy. Stagnant water can also pose a threat to human health, so it should never be ingested.
Decomposing Animal Carcass
Decomposing animal carcasses naturally produce foul smells because of the bacterial decomposition process that takes place within them. This smell is often described as sulfuric, rotten, and putrid. It can also attract scavengers and pose health risks for those who come into contact with it.
Sewage Treatment Plant
You won’t be surprised to hear that sewage treatment plants are one of the worst-smelling places in the world. The organic waste, chemical emissions, and decomposing matter contained within them give off a terrible sulfurous, putrid, and acrid smell that can cause gagging and vomiting.
Burnt Rubber
Rubber doesn’t usually have an unpleasant scent. However, when it’s burnt, it can emit a strong, acrid smell that resembles sulfur and chemicals. The smell is also often associated with industrial fire and car accidents, which doesn’t exactly help its case.
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