When we think about our senses, we usually think of the five main ones: sight, smell, touch, hearing, and taste. But did you know that our bodies have even more senses that help us every day? Let’s explore these lesser-known senses and see why they are important!
Sight is what lets us see the world around us through our eyes. It’s how we can read, watch movies, and see our friends’ faces.
Smell is the sense that helps us detect different odors and scents, like the smell of cookies baking or flowers blooming.
Touch allows us to feel things like pressure, temperature, and texture through our skin. It’s how we know if something is soft, hard, hot, or cold.
Hearing is the ability to listen to sounds through our ears. It lets us enjoy music, hear people talking, and listen to the sounds of nature.
Taste is what lets us enjoy different flavors through our taste buds, like sweet, salty, sour, and bitter.
Pressure is a special sense that is different from touch. For example, when you play a game like Red Hands, you feel pressure when trying to move your hand away from someone else’s.
Thermoception is our ability to feel temperature changes, like hot and cold. This sense helps us avoid getting burned or too cold.
Tension sensors are found in our muscles and help our brain know how much effort we’re using when we move or lift things.
Hunger is the sense that tells us when we need to eat. It helps us keep our energy levels up by reminding us to have meals.
Nociception is the sense of pain. It’s more than just touch because it helps us detect things that might harm us, like a sharp object or a hot stove.
Equilibrioception is our sense of balance. It helps us stand up straight, walk without falling, and do activities like riding a bike.
Magnetoception is a sense that helps us detect magnetic fields. While it’s not as strong in humans as in some animals, it still helps us with direction and navigation.
Thirst is the sense that tells us when we need to drink water. It’s important for keeping our bodies healthy and hydrated.
Did you know that the back of your body is the least sensitive area? Also, the idea of the five main senses comes from the philosopher Aristotle.
Our sensory system is much more complex than just the five senses we usually think about. Learning about these extra senses helps us understand how our bodies work and how we interact with the world. Keep exploring to discover more amazing things about human biology!
Pressure Sensation Experiment: Gather some soft and hard objects like a sponge, a ball, and a rock. Close your eyes and have a friend press each object gently against your hand. Try to guess which object it is based on the pressure you feel. Discuss how this sense helps you in daily activities.
Thermoception Exploration: Fill three bowls with water: one with cold water, one with warm water, and one with room temperature water. First, place one hand in the cold water and the other in the warm water for a minute. Then, put both hands in the room temperature water. Notice how the water feels different to each hand. Talk about how this sense helps keep you safe.
Balance Challenge: Try standing on one foot for as long as you can. Then, try walking along a straight line without stepping off. Discuss how equilibrioception helps you with these tasks and why it’s important for activities like riding a bike or playing sports.
