https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2 ... 142801.htm

"They discovered that a machine-learning model has achieved human-level proficiency at describing, in words, what chemicals smell like."

After my first how-cool-is-that! reaction my thoughts turned to a recent book, "Optimal Illusions" with a great (if not book length) take-down of the modern penchant for always making stuff better. Progress.

Not clear how language/words and meanings can be crowd sourced to nail down a sensation. Or what's the point. Except it's cool.

Metaphor is an imperfect language device but it seems to work OK. There are points in my roasting drying stage that strike me as "musty." Or "cut and dried grass." Those are different personal meanings and no truer or communicative than "aged gym sock."

I suppose that mass roasters, perfumers, fast fooders, and so forth who worship at the alter of replicability will find use and satisfaction in this leap forward. As for human-kind? Keep on making things better even if it doesn't make us happy.