Alexander Fjældstad is an associate professor at the Department of Clinical Medicine and co-founder of the Clinic for Smell and Taste Disorders at Regional Hospital Gødstrup. He has long been fond of the Tænkepauser series, which is published ten times a year by Aarhus University Press.

“I’ve read many Tænkepauser books because it’s a great way to gain insight into exciting areas of research that you otherwise wouldn’t know much about,” he explains.

At the end of 2019, he spoke with the publisher about writing a test chapter and an outline for a book on the sense of smell. But shortly afterward, COVID-19 hit, and everything changed.

“Suddenly, the sense of smell went from being a nerdy niche topic to me, as a researcher, standing in the eye of the storm. Smell turned out to be the best indicator of COVID-19, and many Danes are still struggling with loss or distortion of their sense of smell several years after the pandemic.”

The book project was put on hold for years while his research work took priority. When the pressure of the pandemic eased, Alexander Fjældstad resumed work on the book – now with even stronger reasons to do so.

“After the pandemic, more people could relate to the subject because they themselves, or someone they knew, had experienced losing their sense of smell, whether temporarily or permanently.”

From cocktail bar to research clinic

But how does one end up immersing oneself in the study of smell? For Alexander Fjældstad, it began with a student job at the cocktail bar St. Pauls Apothek in Aarhus, where he was able to explore his interest in food and drink.

“I was already fascinated by the sense of smell back then, when I was mixing drinks during my student days. It’s a huge part of life’s pleasures – like enjoying a drink or a good meal. I became curious about how the mechanisms work, and what it means for a person when they don’t.”

As he neared the end of his medical degree, he expected neurology and ENT (ear, nose, and throat) to give him answers. But he was sorely disappointed.

“The textbooks only had three lines on how to test the sense of smell. That puzzled me, especially because we know that smell affects a person in so many ways – for example, our ability to enjoy a meal or to form social connections.”

Taking matters into his own hands, Fjældstad’s master’s thesis led to a PhD and later to the establishment of the Clinic for Smell and Taste Disorders at Regional Hospital Gødstrup. The more he researched, the more questions arose – especially concerning the social and psychological consequences of smell loss.

Back to the classroom

After the test chapter and a proposal for six chapters for Duft, a close collaboration followed with editor Jacob Vestergaard at Aarhus University Press – and a sea of corrections.

“I have never seen so many red marks as when I started writing my book. Not a single sentence came back with fewer than three comments, and a lot had to be completely rewritten. It felt a bit like being back in senior year of high school, spending much of our time talking about sentence structure and decorative adjectives.”

The editor also insisted on more examples.

“If I came up with one good example of the importance of smell to humans, he would say: ‘Try to find five more.’ That sent me down a rabbit hole of everything from the role of scent in antiquity to biblical references.”

Finally, the manuscript was sent for peer review by a group of fellow researchers before the book was compiled and published on May 5, 2025.

From science book to cookbook

For Fjældstad, Duft was not only a fun project but also a way to improve his science communication skills.

“When you write a book like this, you learn how to communicate to the general public, and that’s a skill that also strengthens grant applications. It’s about engaging people in a subject that many might underestimate.”

One example from the book describes a study in which young people were asked whether they would give up their sense of smell in exchange for a new iPhone, money, or better hair.

“Surprisingly many said yes. That shows how little we understand about life without smell, and why we need to talk about how much it means to us both physically and psychologically – whether it’s enjoying a meal or trying to attract a partner.”

Following its release, Duft has taken Fjældstad to talks at Nørrebro Theatre and Aarhus Theatre with comedian Sebastian Dorset, to book fairs, and into the media, including Berlingske, TV2 Østjylland, Jyllands-Posten, and Avisen Danmark.

“It’s funny how the book pops up in places I never imagined. I get messages from people I haven’t spoken to in years because they’ve come across me or my book somewhere.”

Alongside Duft, the researcher has also published a book, Lugtetab og mad (“Smell Loss and Food”), with recipes and sensory experiments for both patients with reduced or no sense of smell and food enthusiasts.

“The Tænkepauser process has been a fantastic experience. The editor challenged me all the way through without discouraging me, and I’ve got the taste for writing more. It takes time – especially alongside small children and clinic work – but few things compare to the pride I feel when I hold the finished book in my hands,” says Alexander Fjældstad.

You can read more about Duft on Aarhus University Press’s website.

Contact

Associate Professor and Physician Alexander Fjældstad
Aarhus University, Department of Clinical Medicine, and
Regional Hospital Gødstrup, Clinic for Smell and Taste Disorders
Email: alefja@clin.au.dk