Science Memes

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Optimisation is a Slow Process (mander.xyz)

submitted 3 days ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Isn't smell just particulate matter hitting receptors not dissimilar to how taste receptors send taste signals to the brain? I thought science had this stuff nailed down now?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

That's what they theorize. How do you prove it?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Science shit?

I dont know....but I wouldn't say that's a good reason to doubt it, for example I don't know how they proved black holes exist but they seem pretty confident.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (2 children)

Ok, if it's just particles how does it distinguish the particles on a molecular level. This is important shit. The closest science can do is gas chromatography and that's an instrument which exists in any reputable lab. Also, using gas chromatography for this a far cry from the simple function of our sense of smell which can distinguish scents just by simply introducing a fragrence.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I believe the receptor cell responds to a particular part of the molecule in question. Artificial flavourings and scents have identical (or similar enough) parts to trigger the same response, but are otherwise different molecules.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 days ago

I think someone said the number of combinations for a key and lock receptor was insurmountable. Don't quote me.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Maybe I'm misreading your tone, but I'm not trying to argue with you - I'm genuinely curious about this and if you have superior knowledge I'm open!

My understanding from a quick skim of Wikipedia citations suggests we understand what's involved (particles and receptors) but the actual mechanism around encoding of signals seems to be theory.

We also can't teach a computer to think, but we still have quite a good idea of how it works.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 days ago

https://pca.st/episode/835428d6-e13b-4f1b-866c-de9b6a74d660

If your interested this is a good episode of Unexplainable. They can do better then me.