Why _can't_ we record smells?

[wispfox]

Or touch?

I was outside briefly to put things in the shed, and was all "I want to take a picture of the smells!"

After a pause, I was bemused to realize that no, I cannot photograph the smell of our lilacs in bloom. Nor the feel of things.

Why not?!

Comments

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

Imagine how much time passed between humans drawing what things looked like, and taking very representational photos.

And we do *duplicate* scents, or try to, but just not from a glance/sniff and a capture. It takes chemistry. We will probably speed the process over time.

[wispfox.livejournal.com]

*nod* I had the impression that many of the current duplication methods weren't very good, but it's been long enough that I've checked that I could easily be mistaken!

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

Oh, the duplication methods aren't great! But neither was early photography.