When it comes to eyes and ears, pairs make sense. Paired eyes give us stereo vision, which allows us to see objects in depth, and paired ears give us stereo hearing, which allows us to detect the direction a sound is coming from. The reason for paired nostrils, however, is a little less obvious. While there is no such thing as stereo olfaction (smelling), the pairing of our nostrils is not just for show.

The nose is the focus of our sense of smell, but it’s also where we draw in much of our oxygen. Our nostrils have evolved to perform both roles, although each nostril prefers one role over the other at different times. At any given moment, one nostril may draw in more air than the other, whereas the other nostril will draw in less air, which allows it to better pick up certain scents in the environment. Even in breathing mode, the high-flow nostril can still detect a scent, but the scent will spread throughout the nostril’s sensory receptors quickly. If the scent is a kind whose microscopic particles can dissolve quickly in the fluid covering such receptors, the high-flow nostril will pick it up; if the scent is a kind whose particles can’t dissolve quickly, that nostril may detect it as fainter. In contrast, the low-flow nostril is likely better at dissolving (and hence detecting) scent particles, because it has the time to do so. Studies have shown that each nostril can switch between breathing dominance and smelling dominance several times per day, which can be helpful—for example, when there is nasal congestion caused by the common cold.