We can indeed smell and taste air. The smell of air is often referred to as "fresh air" or "clean air," and it is the result of the combination of various gases and particles present in the atmosphere.

The sense of smell works by detecting volatile molecules in the air, and there are some molecules in the air that can activate our olfactory receptors. For example, the smell of rain or the scent of the forest are both due to specific molecules present in the air. However, since air is mostly composed of nitrogen and oxygen, which are odorless, we usually don't notice the smell of air unless there are significant concentrations of other molecules.

As for taste, we do not have specific taste buds for air. However, we can sense the presence of air in our mouths, because the movement of air can activate the mechanoreceptors in our oral cavity. When we breathe in or out, the air passing through our mouth creates a pressure difference that stimulates these receptors and we perceive it as a sensation in our mouths.