Why does asparagus make your pee smell funny? - Bytesize Science

Asparagus is known for its great flavor, but also for its ability to make pee smell... different. In this video, biochemist and author Shirley Corriher explains the science behind this funky phenomenon.
Shirley is the author of CookWise: The Hows and Whys of Successful Cooking. She explains that enzymes in our nose allow us to smell the scent of asparagus pee. It turns that not everybody can perceive this funny odor -- check out the video to get the whole story.
For more information on asparagus pee, visit: cen.acs.org/articles/88/i44/Da...
Produced by the American Chemical Society
Directed, narrated and animated by Elaine Seward

[@LeadingEdgeTraining]

Thanks runawaychemist, exactly what I was about to post.

[@didaloca]

Enzymes allow you to smell stuff?!

[@ChimeraOmegaLLC]

"its your genes that allow your nose to smell it and to produce a scent in the first place".
Some people have more sensitive noses than others and are simply predisposed to specific odors. Kind of like how one person can smell cleaning chemicals after the janitorial staff has cleaned while others cannot.
Genetics.

[@runawaychemist]

Ok, I'm going to put my honest opinion out here. The title is kind of misleading. It doesn't really explain why asparagus makes your pee smell funny, rather it just let you know that you can smell it due to genetic disposition. You may or may not possess the ability to smell it but what makes it smell to people who are able to detect it?