Have you ever winced when eating something sour? Our class explored why we react in different ways to sour things! We learned that some people believe in the ‘tongue map’, that certain areas of the tongue experience taste more strongly than others. This theory has been disproven, but many people still believe it! We tested this theory ourselves by investigating if a sour candy tasted stronger on certain ‘parts’ of our tongue.
Image description above: a diagram of the ‘tongue map’, which includes bitter, sour, umami, sweet, and salty tastes.
Some questions to consider at home:
-Why do you think some people are more sensitive to certain tastes (ex: spicy, sour) than others?
-Do you believe in the ‘tongue map’? Why or why not?
-Do you think the way humans experience taste is the same as other animals experience taste?