Tongue

Researchers have uncovered the mechanism by which our taste buds detect ammonium chloride, exemplified by the distinct taste of salty licorice. They say the discovery provides evidence for the existence of a sixth basic taste.

Using an artificial tongue, researchers figured out just why chocolate feels so good in our mouths. They say it all comes down to when the fat is released, which could lead to a healthier chocolate bar that still delivers all the joy.

Do people eating lots of sugar become desensitized to sweetness? Scientists have found evidence that this might be the case, with a new rat study finding that those on a high-sugar diet had up to a 50% reduction in responsiveness to sweet flavors.

A food that's subtly sweet to one person may be very sweet to another, so how can food and beverage companies objectively determine just how sweet something actually is? Well, an experimental new "bioelectronic tongue" may one day do the job.

Patients don't like getting needles, nor do clinicians like having to keep protein-based vaccines cold at all times. A new polymer wafer – which dissolves when placed under the tongue – could address both issues.

While we have heard about "electronic tongues" before, most of them have been flavor-assessing sensors that didn't look like actual tongues. Such is not the case with a new biomimetic tongue, however, which could have some interesting applications.

Tinnitus is an aggravating disorder, causing sufferers to constantly hear a ringing in their ears. A new system could help, though, by simultaneously zapping their tongue and delivering sounds to their ears.

​If you worked as a taste-tester of spicy foods, you'd only be able to try a few samples at a time – after that, your taste buds would become desensitized and need a rest. A newly-developed "electronic tongue," however, can accurately measure the spiciness of multiple foods for hours at a time.

We know that our perception of flavor involves a complex interaction between odors detected in the nose and tastes sensed by our tongue. A study has discovered the same olfactory receptors that detect odors in our nose can be found in taste cells on the tongue.

​Pancreatic cancer is not the most common of cancers, but it is one of the most deadly, often presenting as entirely asymptomatic until it is too late.​ A new study from a group of Chinese scientists suggests bacteria on the tongue could offer a promising way to detect the disease early.​

Researchers at Georgia Tech have discovered that frog saliva switches between watery and viscous states, allowing the animals to both catch prey and then whip it back into their mouths. The findings could have implications for human technology.​

In order to regain their sense of hearing, many deaf people currently opt for cochlear implants. Such devices are expensive, however, plus they must be surgically installed. That's why researchers are developing an electric retainer that transmits spoken words to the user by buzzing their tongue.