All Episodes

April 25, 2018 3 mins

Your tongue is an amazing sensory instrument -- so why can't it taste itself? Many philosophers have pondered the same thing. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff.

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark as Played
Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Welcome to brain stuff from how stuff works, Hey, brain stuff,
Lauren Vogel bomb Here. It may seem like a ridiculous
question at first, but it's actually a mind bender. Why
can't you taste your tongue? A thirteenth century Indian mystic
deaniche War even used it in contemplation on the very
nature of being. Along with its fellow sense organs of eyes, ears, nose,

(00:25):
and skin, the tongue serves as one of the primary
ways we experience the world and form a working model
of it. The same riddle is frequently applied to the eye.
Though we can certainly see our own eyes and reflections,
we can feel our own skin, though, of course, the
tip of your left index finger can't touch itself, and
the ear cannot hear itself, but neither does it make

(00:45):
a sound. The tongue, however, looks in our mouth like
a layered beast, flip flopping its way through our daily conversations,
tasting our food and occasionally dislodging a little bit of
it from our teeth. Perhaps we're more inclined to ponder
the mystery of the tongue due to its hidden nature
or the many lingering myths regarding its functionality. Tongue rolling,
for instance, is not the simple genetic trait that we

(01:07):
often chalk it up to be. Nor is the tongue
our strongest muscle, and while we're at it, it's a
collection of muscles. Neither is the tongue laid out like
a simple map with different zones for sweet, salty, sour,
and bitter. One of the biggest misconceptions about the tongue, however,
is that it rules alone in its governance of flavor sensations.
The receptor cells in our taste buds certainly carry out

(01:28):
the chemical sensation of taste, but they're located on the
bumpy external surface of our tongue. They're not able to
turn those powers inward on themselves. They collect tactile and
thermal details about any morsel that enters their domain. But
the brain also depends upon your sense of smell to
interpret flavor, So the tongue is not alone in its
taste mission. Your tongue can taste food or the remnants

(01:50):
of food in your mouth. Accidentally bite your tongue and
you can taste the blood trickling out of its own wound.
Fun fact, all that saliva and those blood vessels in
your mouth seem to allow for quick healing. You can
also taste your own saliva, and who hasn't had a
bad taste in their mouth, whether from some aggressive garlic
or an underlying medical condition. And yes, lovebirds, you can
pick up on all these sensations during an open mouth kiss,

(02:12):
but you'll still find yourself at pains to taste an
actual living tongue. Psychologists also talk about the conception of habituation,
or the idea that if a stimulus is presented often
enough or for long enough, we learn to ignore it.
Like that scent you sprits on before you leave the
house that everyone but you can still smell later on
in the day. The inability to taste our tongues could

(02:33):
be an example of that phenomenon. In any case, we
may not be able to taste our tongues for several reasons,
but don't let that stand in the way of a
little mystic naval gazing. Today's episode was written by Robert
Lamb and produced by Tyler Clang. To hear more from Robert,
check out his weird science podcast Stuff to Blow Your Mind,

(02:55):
and of course, for lots more on this and other
tasty topics. Visit our home planet, pustuf works dot com,
m

BrainStuff News

Advertise With Us

Follow Us On

Host

Lauren Vogelbaum

Lauren Vogelbaum

Show Links

AboutStore

Popular Podcasts

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!

Cardiac Cowboys

Cardiac Cowboys

The heart was always off-limits to surgeons. Cutting into it spelled instant death for the patient. That is, until a ragtag group of doctors scattered across the Midwest and Texas decided to throw out the rule book. Working in makeshift laboratories and home garages, using medical devices made from scavenged machine parts and beer tubes, these men and women invented the field of open heart surgery. Odds are, someone you know is alive because of them. So why has history left them behind? Presented by Chris Pine, CARDIAC COWBOYS tells the gripping true story behind the birth of heart surgery, and the young, Greatest Generation doctors who made it happen. For years, they competed and feuded, racing to be the first, the best, and the most prolific. Some appeared on the cover of Time Magazine, operated on kings and advised presidents. Others ended up disgraced, penniless, and convicted of felonies. Together, they ignited a revolution in medicine, and changed the world.

Crime Junkie

Crime Junkie

Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.