Stand by the sea, take a deep breath. You’re smelling salt, seaweed, and a dash of death. No, really! That classic seaside scent comes in part from dimethyl sulfide, a gas released by dying algae and marine bacteria. It’s the ocean’s way of saying, “I’m alive, and also decaying!”
It’s also what clouds use to form raindrops. So next time you’re at the beach, remember: you’re sniffing the ghost of a tiny plant that helps make the weather. Deep, man.
