© 2026 Milwaukee Public Media is a service of UW-Milwaukee's College of Letters & Science
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Due to ice and technical difficulties, WUWM 89.7 FM is operating at reduced power. Thank you for your patience as we work to get this fixed.

Are There More Than Five Basic Tastes?

Part 2 of theTED Radio Hour episodeThe Five Senses

About Nicole Garneau's TED Talk

Scientists have long believed we have just five tastes - salty, sweet, bitter, sour and umami (or savory). Geneticist Nicole Garneau argues we might be able to taste a sixth — fat.

About Nicole Garneau

Dr. Nicole Garneau is a geneticist who is interested in the way a person's DNA affects their ability to taste, and therefore their food choices and diet. She is a curator at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, where she conducts research in an innovative citizen science program.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

NPR/TED Staff