Why are our tastebuds organized into sections (sweet, bitter, etc) rather than evenly distributed throughout the tongue?
2006-09-01 17:19:45 · 9 answers · asked by Superprofundo 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
They are not. That is an old wives tale.
FROM WIKIPEDIA:
Localization of taste and the human "tongue map"
Contrary to popular understanding that different tastes map to different areas of the tongue, taste qualities are found in all areas of the tongue.
2006-09-01 17:21:10 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
It has to do with the evolution of the tounge an our ability to swallow.
If as a caveman you ate bad food the bitter or sour tastes on the front of the tounge would allow you to spit it out before more bad food got down your throat. While the reverse is true, the sweet tastes in the back of your mouth make you swallow.
2006-09-01 17:28:19 · answer #2 · answered by boter_99 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
if they were evenly distributed throughout the tongue, our taste buds would be "confused." meaning, that when you eat something sweet or sour, you will not be able to enjoy it to the fullest potential.
anyways, it's really hard to explain. get a warhead (sour candy) suck on one on the right side of your mouth. and then suck on another one (same flavor) on the left side of your mouth. you will notice that on one side, it is more sour than the other. same with sweet candy. on one side it tastes sweeter than the other side.
they've done many experiments, having taste testers and all that mumbo jumbo. just think about it. that is how we are born. we didn't make it that way.
2006-09-01 17:27:11 · answer #3 · answered by Pearlz 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
No. The adage: "even as existence factors lemons, make lemonade" isn't the actually answer. in the game Portal 2, Cave Johnson says "Make existence take the lemons again! keep your stupid lemons, existence!" the reason of that philosophy is that one has no decision in existence. bitter and sweet are available in various of doses, at diverse circumstances.
2016-12-06 03:23:32 · answer #4 · answered by esquerra 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they aren't
every taste bud can sense all the tastes
it just depends on where you put the food
2006-09-01 17:59:35 · answer #5 · answered by millegas08 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
So that in kindergarten the tongue is easy to color!♥
2006-09-01 17:26:38 · answer #6 · answered by ♫♪♫TAY-LUR♫♪♫ 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
because thats the way God wanted it to be i guess
2006-09-01 18:27:21 · answer #7 · answered by mikamilk_dud 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
because if something tastes bad, you don't want your whole tounge to taste bad afterwards
2006-09-01 17:22:21 · answer #8 · answered by DeAd DiScO 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
because that's they way were born!
2006-09-01 17:25:01 · answer #9 · answered by magdalina 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋