What did London really smell like during the great stink of 1858? What odours wafted through the Battle of Waterloo? Were cities identifiable by the lingering aromas of the various commodities produced during the industrial revolution? It may not be possible to literally go back in time and give history a sniff, but a new project is aiming to identify and even recreate scents that would have assailed noses between the 16th and early 20th centuries. To find how to decipher the pongs of the past, Nicola Davis speaks to historian Dr William Tullett and heritage scientist Cecilia Bembibre. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod