I have never really thought about it, but I have a very good smeller and I agree that also makes me a good taster too! I am always the first (within my family, at work, or elsewhere) to detect when someone is cooking something, has lit a candle, or needs some deodorant, etc. I will mention I smell something and everyone looks around, sniffing the air, but they can't smell it. I would even guess my hearing may be above average. I haven't noticed any of these things in my children, but now that someone has mentioned it I might try to pay more attention and see.
Luckily I can withstand most nasty smells (but my gag reflex can kick in at times) and it doesn't cause me headaches. I like the smell of gasoline (always have), lilacs, and fabric softener, and I can't stand cigarette smoke or that wet dog smell. I can smell cigarette smoke from a mile away, on people's clothes, breath, house, or in their vehicle, etc - even if they haven't smoked in the house or vehicle for a long time.
Not too long ago, at our office building, I smelled something heat related, not necessarily smoke or fire, but more an electrical smell (that is the best way I can describe it). I walked through our office which is quite large with about 15 separate offices trying to locate the source and asking if anyone else smelled it - of course no one did. I ended up back at my end of the office building smelling an adjacent wall that leads to another office type building. I called a couple co-workers over to the wall to see if they could smell it and they couldn't. I went outside to see if I could see or smell anything and it just wouldn't go away, but the other office was closed so I couldn't see past the front door. I went back into my office and then I could smell smoke. I again asked if anyone else could smell something and finally they thought maybe they could smell something, but they weren't sure what it was they were smelling. I said I was calling 911 and everyone looked at me like I was crazy. Good thing I did, the furnace unit in the building next door had shorted out or something and was smoking. By the time the fire dept. got there the building was filling with smoke, but no major damage occurred.
Never again will I not trust my nose!
