This is one of those nice things in the world that the coming generations very likely will miss: the smell of books!

Everyone’s familiar with the smell of old books, the weirdly intoxicating scent that haunts libraries and second-hand book stores. Similarly, who doesn’t enjoy riffling through the pages of a newly purchased book and breathing in the crisp aroma of new paper and freshly printed ink? (Compound Interest: “What Causes the Smell of New & Old Books?”)

As with all aromas, the origins can be traced back to a number of chemical constituents. You can also see a video here: