Watch this video (http://openstaxcollege.org/l/DanielleReed) to learn about Dr. Danielle Reed of the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia, PA, who became interested in science at an early age because of her sensory experiences.She recognized that her sense of taste was unique compared with other people she knew.
Now, she studies the genetic differences between people and their sensitivities to taste stimuli.
In the video, there is a brief image of a person sticking out their tongue, which has been covered with a colored dye.
This is how Dr. Reed is able to visualize and count papillae on the surface of the tongue.
People fall into two large groups known as "tasters" and "non-tasters" on the basis of the density of papillae on their tongue, which also indicates the number of taste buds.
Non-tasters can taste food, but they are not as sensitive to certain tastes, such as bitterness.
Dr. Reed discovered that she is a non-taster, which explains why she perceived bitterness differently than other people she knew.
Are you very sensitive to tastes? Can you see any similarities among the members of your family?
