Today, we’re re-releasing an episode with Norwegian chemist, artist, linguist, and smell researcher, Sissel Tolaas, whose work explores scent as a powerful medium for storytelling. In this conversation, Sissel shares how she analyzes smell molecules in everything from garments in museum archives, to the ancient ruins of Pompeii. Through collaborations with institutions such as the Cooper Hewitt, the Tate Modern, Venice Biennale, and Metropolitan Museum of Art, Sissel reveals how the invisible world of scent can uncover forgotten histories and deepen human connection.
To learn more, visit our website at fost.org.
To get your copy of Charlie’s book, The Future of Storytelling, visit thefutureofstorytelling.com/home.
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© 2026 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.
Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.
124 West 13th Street
New York, NY 10011
Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher
Director, Carolyn Merriman
Assistant Producer, Tsuki Carlson
in collaboration with Charts & Leisure
Founder, Jason Oberholtzer
Producer, Meghal Janardan
Editor, Garrett Crowe
Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli
With special thanks to Sissel Tolaas, Madison Brown, Lor Simpson, David Gray, Bonnie Eldon, and Megan Worman.
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