Last month in Missouri, a road accident involving a truck carrying extra-firm tofu led to a spill of about 40,000lbs (18,000kg) of the product. The tofu was left to rot for three weeks due to an insurance dispute, despite no injuries from the crash. Local officials described the resulting smell as “unforgettable” and “like a dead animal, but worse”.
The incident has prompted readers to reflect on other historically notable bad smells. One reader, Liz Prior from Southampton, has asked: “What are history’s greatest bad smells?” The question invites comparisons to infamous odours such as the Great Stink of London in 1858, when untreated sewage overwhelmed the River Thames, or the 1665 plague, where decomposing bodies contributed to a pervasive stench.
Readers are encouraged to submit their answers and new questions to nq@theguardian.com, with a selection to be published next Sunday.
