Tongue News and Research

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'Synthetic tongue' identifies and kills oral bacteria

From the discomfort of plaque buildup on the teeth to the unpleasant condition of halitosis, bacteria play a significant role in oral health.

27 Feb 2024

Prefrontal Neurons’ Cascade of Phonetic Representations

A new study led by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) uses sophisticated brain recording techniques to show how neurons in the human brain cooperate to enable people to plan words for speech and then produce them verbally.

5 Feb 2024

A Newly Discovered Iguana in Asia’s Reptile Realm

An iguana has become part of Asia’s diverse reptile population, officially documented as a newly discovered species in the open-access journal ZooKeys.

29 Dec 2023

Distinctive Taste Receptors Between a Moth’s Larval and Adult Stages

New research reveals that the cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera) employs distinct sugar-sensing mechanisms in its larval and adult stages to fulfill its dietary preferences.

8 Nov 2023

New Way to Visualize Tumors During Surgery

Surgeons often face the challenge of achieving precise tumor removal while preserving healthy tissue. Traditionally, they rely on their visual and tactile senses to determine where to make incisions.

17 Oct 2023

Scientists Find Surprise in Renowned Killer Whale Ancestry

Evolutionary biologists have achieved a significant milestone by unraveling the genetic ancestry of a renowned killer whale and its pod.

12 Oct 2023

Madagascar's Leaf-Tailed Geckos Still Hold Many Mysteries

Leaf-tailed geckos are masters of camouflage. Some species have skin flaps around the whole body and head, as well as flattened tails.

17 Aug 2023

The Bilateral Laryngeal Motor Cortex’s Role in Preventing Speech Perception Difficulties

Understanding how the motor cortex participates in active inference of speech perception and choice is critical for understanding human language intelligence, which may inspire the next generation of AI.

10 Aug 2023

Extraoral Bitter Taste Receptors Serve as Endogenous Sensors for Bile Acids

Taste receptors for bitter substances are not only observed on the tongue but also on cells outside of the oral cavity.

5 Jul 2023

Study Sheds Light on How Foxp2 Gene Controls the Ability to Produce Speech

Mutations of a gene called Foxp2 have been linked to a type of speech disorder called apraxia that makes it difficult to produce sequences of sound. A new study from MIT and National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University sheds light on how this gene controls the ability to produce speech.

5 May 2023

A protein in the lung forms a natural protective barrier against SARS-CoV-2 infection

University of Sydney scientists have discovered a protein in the lung that blocks SARS-CoV-2 infection and forms a natural protective barrier in the human body.

10 Feb 2023

Synthetic biosensor could lead to better understanding of cell biology

A synthetic biosensor that mimics properties found in cell membranes and provides an electronic readout of activity could lead to a better understanding of cell biology, development of new drugs, and the creation of sensory organs on a chip capable of detecting chemicals, similar to how noses and tongues work.

8 Feb 2023

New insights into the lubrication mechanism of chocolate

Scientists found the physical process that takes place in the mouth when a piece of chocolate is eaten.

31 Jan 2023

Resolving evolutionary origins of the platypus of fungi

A new study led by a research group from the University of Alberta has shown that nearly 600 apparently diverse fungi that never quite discovered a fit along the fungal family tree have been shown to have a general ancestor.

25 Nov 2022

The mechanism behind the satiating effect of milk protein

Quark and cheese are primarily casein-based in terms of protein content. The stomach’s digestion of casein results in the production of protein fragments (peptides) that have an unpleasant flavor, despite casein itself not having a bitter flavor.

13 Oct 2022

Specific gene variant linked with poor response to sublingual immunotherapy for allergies

Although sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) has become an effective treatment option for many allergies, about 20-30% of patients don’t respond to SLIT for Japanese cedar pollinosis–a highly common disease.

8 Mar 2022

Study details the design of RNA-based breathalyzer to diagnose SARS-CoV-2

In a new study in The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics, published by Elsevier, investigators report on the design and testing of a breathalyzer, known as the Bubbler, that relies on viral RNA detection to diagnose SARS-CoV-2. Its name is derived from the bubbling sound that occurs when the patient exhales into the device.

14 Dec 2021

Dopamine may play a key role in shaping female songbirds' auditory preference

In humans, the dopamine system has been tied to rewards and pleasurable sensations. As well as to memory and learning.

24 Nov 2021

Gallic acid regulates gastric acid secretion by activating bitter taste receptor

An Austrian–German group of researchers recently discovered proof that gallic acid influences gastric acid release by driving a bitter receptor.

29 Oct 2021

Researchers report several compounds responsible for coffee’s distinctive mouthfeel

Coffee drinkers intuitively recognize the pleasure of swallowing a smooth, rich brew versus a watery one. Aside from added cream or sugar, the coffee itself contributes to this sensation -; referred to as body or mouthfeel -; but the specific compounds are not well defined.

24 Aug 2021