Illustration of the anatomy of smell. The perception of smell starts in the lining (mucosa) of the nose, where tiny hairlike receptor nerve cells detect airborne chemicals. Activated receptor cells transmit messages to the olfactory bulb, just above the nasal cavity. The olfactory bulb is a swelling on the end of the olfactory nerve which carries the sensory impulses to the brains smell centers. These olfactory centers lie brains frontal lobe and limbic system, which interpret the impulses to produce the sensation of smell. Inset is a close up of a taste bud (bottom inset) and nasal anatomy (top inset).