system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
How can a skunks spray be so powerful over such a large distance? Is it a trick of the mind, or do they really saturate the air?

Skunks seem to be capable of producing an overpowering odor up to a mile in radius, how is this possible from such a small animal? Are they really pumping out a large quantity of gases or are they simply taking advantage of a defect in our perception of smell?
gpt
I have no idea about the actual air saturation, but the skunk's spray is composed of chemicals known as mercaptans (thiols) that can be detected by humans at really low concentrations (i.e., 10 parts per billion).