The smell of rain

Earthy smell of rain can be soothing. Plants secrete oils during dry periods, possibly to stop seeds from developing when there aren’t enough resources for them to thrive. When it rains, the water brings out the accumulated oils and they mix with a chemical called geosemin, which is produced by soil bacteria, to create a “musky” smell.

Bill Ypsilantis, a soil condition and health specialist at the Bureau of Land Management, told NPR that this is the same smell you feel when turning over the soil.