Is there a chemist in the house?
Walking into the stairwell that leads up my office this morning, I noticed a strong fragrance: burnt sugar! The smell is strong at first and unique, as far as I know. That's where my question comes in. But first, the smell. I remember all the way back to chemistry class in high school. My teacher poured sugar on a spoon and heated it over a Bunsen burner. The sugar became a clear-white ooze that bubbled. It then began to smoke and crystallize, turning into a crusty burnt blackness. The smell of burning sugar is very strong and unmistakable... or is it?
No one was cooking anything in our office. The toaster had not been used, nor the microwave. Donna suggested that it might be the air conditioner causing the smell and she recalled noticing a similar scent last year when we all told her she was "smelling things again." Admittedly, the central air has not been turned on in a good 6-9 months. Is there some good reason why the air conditioner could be causing the smell?
If anyone has any information leading to the identification [and capture] of perpetrator or perpetrators of said fragrance, a reward of a smile on my face has been offered by an anonymous donor. Reward paid in increments of one until all one smiles are deployed. Smiler reserves right to revoke smile at any time. See store for details.