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Have you noticed the mug in which you are served #coffee? Or have you complained about #flight #food? Perhaps not! Frankly, I have never consciously done that, though I can admit I like #keventers. Whenever asked, it just felt sweeter. It was the chapter "Sensation and Perception" in King's #psychology that changed how I now look at coffee mugs. An article published by Doorn, Wuillemin, and Spence in 2014 studied the taste of coffee in different coloured mugs. Data showed, statistically, that coffee tastes sweeter in transparent mugs rather than in white ones. It is thus argued that what we "feel" is a story weaved by multiple #senses we use to read the environment! The air inside aeroplanes is dry, depleting the mucus inside your noses. The aroma chemicals of your food usually dissolve in this mucus for your receptor cells to pick up. That's why you start salivating even when you can't locate the Samosa shop but can smell it for the delicious food it is. On the aeroplane, less mucus means less smell, and your brain simply cannot appreciate the food for what it is- it has lost its magic in your brain- it tastes bland. A perk is that when you land and indulge in the chocolate pastry, it tastes just out of the world delicious. Isn't it amazing how great a storyteller your brain is? It doesn't just see, smell, or taste; it does a little bit of everything and tailors a story you believe to be true. It is difficult to resist quoting Dumbledore here with a twist "Of course it is happening inside your head Harry, why should it mean it is completely true" Next time you are dining out, try noticing the plate—or don't—and let your brain tell you its passionate story while you just enjoy the food. #brain #neuroscience #foodscience

Really insightful, sir!

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