We Are the Martians: A tribute to Mars.

• Top notes: Saffron, cardamom, black pepper.

• Middle notes: Smoke accord, cold metal accord, guaiacwood.

• Base notes: Frankincense resinoid, cashmere wood, amber musk.

Once upon a time there was a young planet called Mars. It had rivers and lakes and valleys, but no trees or animals in sight. It had an atmosphere, perhaps even clouds and a blue sky, but did it ever have life? Microscopic Martians, visible Martians, Martians from Earth, Terrans from Mars, did they come from here or did we come from there? If there was ever life on Mars, was it made from the same stardust as us?

As an astrobiologist, the search for signs of ancient life on Mars is at the centre of my research. As a perfumer researching the chemistry of space, the idea of the smell of Mars fascinates me. Warm, wet and geologically active in its infancy, Mars changed from being a potentially habitable planet to a frozen dry one, inhospitable to life. The first humans to visit Mars will face an arid desert bathed in radiation and covered in rust. 

While I imagine the smell of Mars would be acrid and suffocating, a combination of dusty smells, rust, acid, sulfuric and chlorine notes, this is meant to be a perfume, so I have relegated the science-based smells to the classroom and educational sessions. We Are the Martians is my tribute to the planet that occupies half of my time. It retains the alien, metallic and dusty smell of Mars, and combines it with the warm and comforting smells of home that astronauts may take with them on their journey to Mars.