Why does the titan arum give off a putrid smell?

              The titan arum is one of the largest flowers on Earth. It is 10 feet tall and beautiful, but you cannot go near it without closing your nose, as it emits an unbearable stench of rotting fish! The reason for the smell is the presence of sulphur compounds in the flower.

              Sulphur was a known substance from ancient times. However, it was Antoine Lavoisier who proved to the scientific community in 1777 that sulphur was indeed an element. It is a very fine, yellow coloured powder, and it stinks when burned in air. The English call this element brimstone.

              Volcanic eruptions and emissions through hot water vents in oceans are the main sources for the natural occurrence of sulphur on Earth. Despite its unpleasant smell, sulphur has a vital role in preserving life on Earth. It is a part of proteins, and hence, essential to all living beings. Our skin, hair, and nails get strength from the sulphur bond in the protein called keratin. Penicillin, an antibiotic that kills harmful bacteria, is a sulphur compound. Atomic number of this element is 16, and the symbol is S.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pictures credit: google