Petrichor is a delightful word for a delightful phenomenon: the earthy scent of rain on soil. Coined in a 1964 Nature article by Australian scientist Richard Thomas, petrichor has a fascinating origin. It is derived from the Ancient Greek words petra, meaning “rock”, and ichor, which was the mythological blood of the gods. The concept behind petrichor is that it is the “essence” of stone, similar to how ichor represents the essence of the gods. Prior to the publication in Nature, this pleasant scent was simply known as “argillaceous odour”. In Uttar Pradesh, India, it was referred to as matti ka attar, translating to “earth perfume”, which I personally find to be a much cooler name. The origins of both petra and ichor remain unknown, possibly dating back to a Pre-Greek era. The term petrichor saw a peak in usage in 1975, declined until 1995, and has experienced a resurgence in popularity since then.
