LAUGHTER ] >> PANCAKES? OH NO. >> NO. NOT PANCAKES. >> SOME PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY SMELL SOMETHING IN THE CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THEBOTANICAL ATTRACTION CALLED THE CORPSE FLOWER IN BLOOM. >> THE TYPICAL BLOOM LASTS JUST 24 HOURS. >> SHAWN CHITNIS HAS A LOOK AT WHY THE PLANT IS SO SPECIAL AND SOME OF THE SCIENCE BEHIND WHY IT'S SO STINKY. >> Reporter: IT WAS A SIGHT THAT GOT MANY STARES LEADING UP TO TUESDAY AFTERNOON. PLENTY OF PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO COME THROUGH THE RAINFOREST AT THE CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES AND SEE THE CORPSE FLOWER BEFORE ITS BLOOM. >> THIS IS INCREDIBLY EXCITING FOR ME HERE AS A BIOLOGIST AT THE CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES BECAUSE GROWING THE PLANT IS KIND OF A BIT OF AN ACHIEVEMENT. IT DOESN'T HAPPEN VERY OFTEN. >> WE ARE WAITING FOR A VERY ENDANGERED AND RARE PLANT, THE AMORPHOPHALLUS TITANIUM, OR CORPSE FLOWER, TO BLOOM. >> Reporter: YOU MIGHT SAY FROM START TO STINK, IT'S A SEVEN TO TEN YEAR PROCESS THAT ACCOUNTS FOR THE TIME IT BEGINS AS A SEED TO WHEN THE FLOWER ACTUALLY OPENS UP. FOR FIVE YEARS, MEMBERS OF THE CAL ACADEMY TEAM LIKE TIM WONG HAVE WATCHED OVER THIS PLANT. PATIENTLY WAITING FOR THIS DAY TO COME. >> AS A CORPSE FLOWER, ONE OF THEIR CLAIMS TO FAME IS THAT THEY PRODUCE THIS REALLY FOUL, ROTTEN STENCH OF MEAT, SWEATY FEET AND GARLIC TO HELP REALLY DISSEMINATE THAT SMELL THAT ATTRACTS THEIR POLLINATORS WHICH ARE CARRION FLIES AND BEETLES. >> Reporter: THAT'S PART OF THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE SMELL. NOT ONLY WILL IT GIVE OFF A HORRIBLE SCENT, STANDING MORE THAN SIX FEET TALL, IT WILL ALSO HEAT UP. GETTING TO BE AS HOT AS A HUMAN. >> THE SPADIX, THAT TALL PART OF THE PLANT, HEATS UP CLOSE TO BODY TEMPERATURE. NEARLY 100 DEGREES. AND THAT WILL ACTUALLY HELP TO DISSEMINATE THE SMELL OVER LONG DISTANCES, HOPEFULLY BRINGING AND ATTRACTING POLLINATORS FROM EQUALLY FAR. >> Reporter: IT'S A SMELL OF SUCCESS ONLY A BIOLOGIST COULD LOOK FORWARD TO AND WHILE THEY CALL THE PLANT MIRAGE BECAUSE IT CAUGHT THEM OFF-GUARD WHEN THE PLANT REVEALED IT WOULD BE READY TO BLOOM, IT WILL BE NO SURPRISE HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE SHOW UP TO GET A SNIFF THEMSELVES. >> I THINK EVERYONE IS INCREDIBLY EXCITED TO EXPERIENCE AND SMELL OUR BLOOM. IT'S LARGER THAN LIFE. IT'S ABSOLUTELY HUGE. AND WHEN IT DOES SMELL, IT SHOULD SMELL HORRIFIC AND I THINK PEOPLE REALLY WANT TO EXPERIENCE THAT. AND SEE WHAT THAT IS LIKE. >> Reporter: A TYPICAL BLOOM LASTS 24 HOURS AND IN SOME CASES, THIS FLOWER TRULY BECOMES A CORPSE, DYING AFTER THAT. BUT STAFF AT THE ACADEMY HOPE IT WILL COME BACK AGAIN TO FILL THEIR RAINFOREST WITH ITS RANCID STENCH ONCE MORE IN A FEW YEARS. >> OH MY GOODNESS. WE'VE BEEN WATCHING A LIVE STREAM OF PEOPLE -- LET'S TAKE IT RIGHT NOW FROM THE CALIFORNIA -- AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE PEOPLE ARE THERE TAKING PICTURES AND THERE'S TIM WONG RIGHT THERE. >> WHAT? >> IF YOU CAN ONLY DO BAD LIP READING NEXT TO THAT. HE'S GETTING A PICTURE. >> IT'S FASCINATING THOUGH. LIKE I CAN'T LOOK AWAY AND THERE'S REALLY NOTHING TO LOOK AT. >> LOOK AT HER COACHING HIM ON HOW TO GET THE -- NO. GET THE SHOT. TURN IT AROUND. >> SHE DOESN'T TRUST THAT HE'S GOING GET THE SHOT. DID YOU SEE THAT? SHE WAS HOVERING. NOW TAKING OVER. >> BAD LIP READING LIKE YOU ARE NOT PHOTOGRAPHING THIS RIGHT. >> WHO KNEW THE FLOWER YOU KNOW, WOULD TURN INTO A -- >> LIKE SNIFFING IT NOW. >> SMELLING IT. >> YOU JUST REENACTING. OH SMELLING.
