T rex breath and Queen Elizabeth’s car: scientists creating ‘time machine for the nose’

Researchers are recreating ancient odours for museumgoers as interest in the archaeology of smell grows

From the interior of Queen Elizabeth II's car to the scent of ancient Egyptian funerary practices, museumgoers are getting a whiff of the past like never before.

Experts say the approach is more than a pungent stunt: it's part of a broader effort to try to reconstruct the sensory worlds of the past, with collaborations involving historians, scientists, heritage experts and perfumers.