According to an analysis published by The Conversation, several neuroscientists believe that humans possess many more senses than the five most people learn about in school.
The estimate ranges from 22 to 33 senses. Among them are the sense of body position, balance, and internal signals such as hunger and heart rate.
Professor Charles Spence of the University of Oxford explains in the analysis that these senses are constantly working together.
They help us move safely, react quickly, and understand what is happening both outside and inside the body.
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The body’s signals
Although we rarely think about it, we use these senses all the time.
When walking to work, cooking, or sitting still in front of a screen, the body continuously registers pressure, tension, and movement.
According to The Conversation, focusing on screens can cause people to overlook these signals, even though they still affect the body.
Senses also do not function as a single, unified system. For example, some patients with brain damage may feel that an arm does not belong to them, even though they can still perceive touch.
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Sensory experiences
Several well-known sensory experiences are also often composite in nature.
Taste does not arise solely on the tongue, but through an interaction between taste, smell, and touch in the mouth, The Conversation writes. Texture and aroma therefore play a major role.
The classic idea of five senses covers only a small part of human perception of the world. This understanding is changing the way researchers view the senses today.
Sources: SciTechDaily, and The Conversation.
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