The sea and the sense of the smell

Every time you sit by the seashore and breathe, you can smell molecules. These are called Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and play a crucial role in marine environments.  

In this conference, I will begin by briefly discussing the importance of oceans and seas, marine VOCs, and phytoplankton communities. Afterwards, you can get to look at phytoplankton species obtained from the Baltic Sea through microscopes.

After this, the audience will get to smell some aromas (VOCs) from the ocean to try to guess what they are. Lastly, we will do a practical origami workshop, where participants can get to make and fold some of these planktonic organisms.

The conference is suitable for all interested audiences, but there is special emphasis on children between the ages of 5 and 10, so they can learn about the importance of invisible organisms in our daily lives.

(Photo: Shutterstock)