Did you know that in Japan there is a specific word, ‘kareishu’, to refer to the “smell of old people”? Far from being derogatory, the expression constitutes a sign of respect towards the elderly and the aroma they give off. A characteristic smell that, contrary to what is popularly believed, is softer, less intense and more pleasant than that of young or middle-aged people, as revealed by the study ‘The special scent of age’, from the Monell Center.