If you know Ross from friends then you will know Unagi! But that was turned out to be joke! In general though being aware is an essential human as well as other living things’ trait.
We thus have a range of senses to be aware! That capability is called perception!
Now you know the five senses and then some nonsense but do you know other senses like Chemosensory and Magnetoreception? You will by the end of this blog!
Now everyone knows the five standard sensation like taste smell vision touch and hearing but there are apparently some special senses!
One of them is called the Spacial sense! This is the ability to be aware of your relationships with the environment around you and with yourself. It is related to the haptic and kinesthetic perception.
Others include form, vestibular, thermal, kinesthetic and time which are special and self explanatory.
Now some more senses are theorized like
Chemosensory which is the ability to interpret chemical substances dissolved in saliva that translate into strong tastes. It is a modification of the taste sensation.
This may be why you have those who are expert ‘tasters’ and ‘chefs’ who can make out the subtle nuances in the taste and flavour of the food!
Then you have the latest entrant to make sense! It is of course been there for long; we have just got more information now!
Magnetoreception or magnetoception!
Magnetoreception is the remarkable biological sense allowing animals like birds, turtles, and foxes to detect Earth’s magnetic field for orientation, navigation, and mapping, acting as an internal compass, though the exact mechanisms are still under scientific investigation, with emerging evidence suggesting even subconscious human detection!
There are several proposed mechanisms;
One of them is the
Chemical or Radical Pair Mechanism which involves cryptochrome proteins in the eye, where magnetic fields influence the spin of electrons, creating a visual signal for birds, potentially appearing as light patterns.
Then you have the Magnetic Particles or Magnetite which are tiny magnetic crystals within cells which can act as miniature compass needles, connecting the magnetic field to the nervous system, possibly in fish or birds’ beaks.
These are just not theories since many animals use it in their day to day life!
For birds this is essential for long-distance migration while sea turtles use this to guide hatchlings offshore and help adults navigate vast oceans.
Even the most important species in the world the Bees use it for navigation!
In animal it has been seen that foxes use it for hunting, while studies suggest dogs align with the field when defecating!
Some researcher also indicates subconscious human brain responses to magnetic fields, hinting at a dormant ability!
Humans also have deposits of ferric iron (magnetite) in their ethmoid bone! For years the role of sinuses especially the ethmoids which is a complex bone with porous nature; has been unclear! In fact it is a favourite bone of the Rhinologist!
Whether it is involved in Magnetoreception is a good future research! Of course digging into it too much may cause some headache!
Many senses are also activated when you sketch and most of the times they join together to give you some satisfaction or headache depending on the outcome!
That is the internal affair of the body! Then again if it is external affair; you have no one better than S Jaishankar!
Now give all your senses some well deserved rest!
Shubh ratri…
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