--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The nose is also the only organ that can…" description: "\"“The nose is also the only organ that can see backwards in time.”\" — Terry Pratchett" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/895/terry-pratchett-19_time_the-nose-is-also-the-only-organ-that-can_1694776.jpg" --- # The nose is also the only organ that can see backwards in… ![“The nose is also the only organ that can see backwards in time.” quote by Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/895/terry-pratchett-19_time_the-nose-is-also-the-only-organ-that-can_1694776.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/895/terry-pratchett-19_time_the-nose-is-also-the-only-organ-that-can_1694776.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/895/terry-pratchett-19_time_the-nose-is-also-the-only-organ-that-can_1694776.jpg) > ““The nose is also the only organ that can see backwards in time.”” [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The nose uniquely perceives past events, suggesting sensory organs can hold memory. **In simple terms:** Noses can “see” the past. Key Takeaway Consider sensory memory beyond sight. Themes memory perception biology time imagination Mood playful thoughtful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - medical diagnostics - historical research - creative writing - museum curation Key Concepts neuroscience philosophy fiction metaphor Questions to Reflect On - How does this metaphor shape our view of memory? - Can other senses “see” the past? A Different Perspective Physical senses have limits; metaphor may mislead. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Backwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backwards/) [Backwards Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backwards-time-940830/) [Nose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nose/) [Nose Organ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nose-organ-1090395/) [Organ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organ/) [Organ Backwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organ-backwards-1090394/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [NOSE, n. The extreme outpost of the face. From the circumstance that great conquerors have great noses, Getius, whose writings antedate the age of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/nose-n-the-extreme-outpost-of-the-face-from-the-circumstance-that/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [Time is not a line but a dimension, like the dimensions of space. If you can bend space you can bend time also, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/time-is-not-a-line-but-a-dimension-like-the-dimensions-of-space-if/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [A mathematician makes plans to travel backwards in time through a wormhole to a parallel universe when he can't even make it to Mars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gaede/a-mathematician-makes-plans-to-travel-backwards-in-time-through-a/) [Bill Gaede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gaede/) > [You can't go forward and backwards at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-harvey/you-can-t-go-forward-and-backwards-at-the-same-time/) [Steve Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-harvey/) > [It is this compulsion to look backwards at a time of crisis because one's got no idea of what lies ahead. 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Although this can make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/most-of-you-are-experiencing-old-pieces-of-a-lesson-you-hadn-t-quite/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“No? How about now? Am I going backwards?' For once the bird was perfectly still and steady. 'No,' said Random. 'Well I was in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/no-how-about-now-am-i-going-backwards-for-once-the-bird-was-perfectly/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“He seemed even younger now, as though he were traveling backwards in time, in his mind, or merely becoming innocent, as if the dead,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/he-seemed-even-younger-now-as-though-he-were-traveling-backwards-in/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [My hours get kinda backwards. Most of the time, we're basing out of one town, flying out, doing the show, then flying back. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/my-hours-get-kinda-backwards-most-of-the-time-we-re-basing-out-of-one/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [If you wanted to travel backwards in time, you're out of luck. We have theories on how it might be possible to do so,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-hill/if-you-wanted-to-travel-backwards-in-time-you-re-out-of-luck-we-have/) [Kyle Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-hill/) > [When I go into my living room and turn on the TV, I feel like I have gone backwards in time by 20 to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/when-i-go-into-my-living-room-and-turn-on-the-tv-i-feel-like-i-have/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [Don't stick your nose where someone can pull it off and eat it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/don-t-stick-your-nose-where-someone-can-pull-it-off-and-eat-it/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## More by Terry Pratchett > [“This one’s mental.’ ‘Eccentric.’ ‘What’s the difference?’ ‘A bag of cash.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/this-one-s-mental-eccentric-what-s-the-difference-a-bag-of-cash/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“But I did not return until half past four this morning and I distinctly remember stubbing my toe on the stairs. I am as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/but-i-did-not-return-until-half-past-four-this-morning-and-i/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Someone broke from the scrum and, punching and kicking, staggered towards the Klatchian goal. "Isn't that man your butler?" said Ahmed. "Yes." "One of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/someone-broke-from-the-scrum-and-punching-and-kicking-staggered/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [It's an interesting fact that fewer than 17 % of Real cats end their lives with the same name they started with. Much family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-s-an-interesting-fact-that-fewer-than-17-of-real-cats-end-their/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [You can't trust folk songs. They always sneak up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-can-t-trust-folk-songs-they-always-sneak-up-on-you/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Either dragons should exist completely or fail to exist at all, he felt. A dragon only half-existing was worse than the extremes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/either-dragons-should-exist-completely-or-fail-to-exist-at-all-he/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Magrat wondered what it was like, spending your whole life doing something you didn’t want to do. Like being dead, she considered, only worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/magrat-wondered-what-it-was-like-spending-your-whole-life-doing/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [A hardback's harder at Christmas time because that's a good hardback buying time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/a-hardback-s-harder-at-christmas-time-because-that-s-a-good-hardback/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There were more old people. The world was full of them,' said the wizard. 'Yes, I know. And now it's full of young people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-were-more-old-people-the-world-was-full-of-them-said-the-wizard/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“Hobson was big and heavyset, but not exactly fat; he was probably what you’d get if you shaved a bear.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/hobson-was-big-and-heavyset-but-not-exactly-fat-he-was-probably-what/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“There is a night that never comes to an end… The clock of the world turns under its own shadow. Midnight is a moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/there-is-a-night-that-never-comes-to-an-end-the-clock-of-the-world/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You'd like Freedom, Truth, and Justice, wouldn't you, Comrade Sergeant?' said Reg encouragingly. 'I'd like a hard-boiled egg,' said Vimes, shaking the match out.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-d-like-freedom-truth-and-justice-wouldn-t-you-comrade-sergeant/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [“You are not apprehensive, are you? I can't detect no trace of fear none whatsoever Roomy cranium all possible videos of all possible outcomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/you-are-not-apprehensive-are-you-i-can-t-detect-no-trace-of-fear-none/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Imagination, not intelligence, made us human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/imagination-not-intelligence-made-us-human/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) [Explore all 3,328 Terry Pratchett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) ## More Backwards quotes > [I'm just always looking forwards. I spend very little time, looking backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-vaynerchuk/i-m-just-always-looking-forwards-i-spend-very-little-time-looking/) [Gary Vaynerchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-vaynerchuk/) > [I wear T-shirts and backwards hats and buy my shoes at Payless!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaitlyn-bristowe/i-wear-t-shirts-and-backwards-hats-and-buy-my-shoes-at-payless/) [Kaitlyn Bristowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaitlyn-bristowe/) > [A historian is not always a prophet facing backwards, but a journalist is always someone who afterwards knew everything beforehand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/a-historian-is-not-always-a-prophet-facing-backwards-but-a-journalist/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Why don't you just imagine it never happened..??](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/effy-stonem/why-don-t-you-just-imagine-it-never-happened/) [Effy Stonem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/effy-stonem/) > [“It would seem no matter how progressive we get there are always those few who are backwards in their ways.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solange-nicole/it-would-seem-no-matter-how-progressive-we-get-there-are-always-those/) [Solange nicole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solange-nicole/) > [In the spiritual life, he who does not advance goes backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pio-of-pietrelcina/in-the-spiritual-life-he-who-does-not-advance-goes-backwards/) [Pio of Pietrelcina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pio-of-pietrelcina/) > [Now, success is not the result of making money; making money is the result of success - and success is in direct proportion to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-nightingale/now-success-is-not-the-result-of-making-money-making-money-is-the/) [Earl Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-nightingale/) > [Can anyone be so foolish as to believe that there are men whose feet are higher than their heads, or places where things may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lactantius/can-anyone-be-so-foolish-as-to-believe-that-there-are-men-whose-feet/) [Lactantius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lactantius/) > [I took a little break - I was coming back to work and the last thing I was going to do was take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-long/i-took-a-little-break-i-was-coming-back-to-work-and-the-last-thing-i/) [Nia Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-long/) > [Only a fool walks into the future backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/only-a-fool-walks-into-the-future-backwards/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [We have different expectations for different groups of people. We tend to modulate the degree with which we're forgiving or punitive depending on how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hayes/we-have-different-expectations-for-different-groups-of-people-we-tend/) [Chris Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hayes/) > [You know what, if you play 'She Looks So Perfect' backwards... you just listen to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-hemmings/you-know-what-if-you-play-she-looks-so-perfect-backwards-you-just/) [Luke Hemmings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-hemmings/) > [Nursing is a progressive art such that to stand still is to go backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-nightingale/nursing-is-a-progressive-art-such-that-to-stand-still-is-to-go/) [Florence Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-nightingale/) > [“Just like backing out of the driveway… If the driveway was ten miles long, full of rocks and pits, with lethal radiation hovering above,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-thorman/just-like-backing-out-of-the-driveway-if-the-driveway-was-ten-miles/) [Daniel Thorman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-thorman/) > [We're not competitor obsessed, we're customer obsessed. We start with the customer and we work backwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/we-re-not-competitor-obsessed-we-re-customer-obsessed-we-start-with/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) [Browse all 837 Backwards quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/backwards/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The nose is also the only organ that can see backwards in time.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Terry Pratchett" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-nose-is-also-the-only-organ-that-can-see-backwards-in-time/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Backwards" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-nose-is-also-the-only-organ-that-can-see-backwards-in-time/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/895/terry-pratchett-19_time_the-nose-is-also-the-only-organ-that-can_1694776.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/895/terry-pratchett-19_time_the-nose-is-also-the-only-organ-that-can_1694776.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/895/terry-pratchett-19_time_the-nose-is-also-the-only-organ-that-can_1694776.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The nose is also the only organ that can see backwards in time.” — Terry Pratchett", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Terry Pratchett", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The nose is also the only...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-nose-is-also-the-only-organ-that-can-see-backwards-in-time/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-nose-is-also-the-only-organ-that-can-see-backwards-in-time/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```