Apple Weather odor alerts

As a kid, we often drove through rural North Dakota to visit family. Those who’ve never visited will be unfamiliar with the uniquely stinky odor of sugar beet harvesting. It’s a key commodity in North Dakota, and when it’s being refined, boy does it smell bad.

Upon moving to Southern California, I was pleasantly surprised to discover the smell of the beach, flora & fauna, and of course, smog. Everywhere has pros and cons, but nothing holds a candle to the uniquely stinky city of Bakersfield. A great deal has been written about this phenomenon. Anyone who’s driven through central California knows what I’m talking about.

This got me thinking about utility apps like Apple Weather. If they can detect temperature changes, why can’t we detect changes in stinkiness? This might not be the most useful feature, but it would be nice to know when your nose should prepare for some unpleasant odors.

There’s even potential to upsell products like noseplugs. Again, it might be a little too heavy-handed, but some people would appreciate this.

Have a friend with a good sense of smell? Send them this newsletter. https://sorens.beehiiv.com/