Are there more senses besides the traditional five?

When we think about the senses, we usually refer to the traditional five: sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. However, the animal kingdom reveals to us that there is much more than these five basic senses. In different species, extraordinary senses have developed to adapt to their habitats, hunt, defend themselves and reproduce. From detecting electric fields to magnetic perception, these additional senses show us how evolution can generate sensory capabilities that seem like something out of science fiction. What are these senses and how do they work?

1. Electroreception: the ability to sense electricity

Electroreception is the ability to detect electric fields in the environment, a sense that is extremely useful in water, where electricity is transmitted more easily. This sense is common in several aquatic animals, such as some fish and sharks, but almost nonexistent in terrestrial animals.

How does electroreception work?

Animals that possess electroreception have specialized organs for detecting variations in the electric fields generated by the muscles and nervous systems of other creatures. This allows them to “sense” the presence of prey or predators, even in murky waters or at great depth.

2. Magnetoreception: sensing the Earth’s magnetic field

The sense of magnetoreception allows animals to sense the Earth’s magnetic field, which helps them orient themselves and migrate over long distances. This sense, although less common and more difficult to study, is essential for many migratory animals.

How do animals perceive magnetism?

The details of how this sense works are not yet fully understood, but scientists believe that some animals possess structures that contain magnetite, a magnetic mineral that could act as an internal compass. Other studies suggest that in some cases the sense of magnetoreception is linked to vision.

3. Thermoreception: detect heat from a distance

Thermoreception is the ability to detect heat emitted by other bodies, even at a distance. It is a valuable tool for nocturnal predators, as it allows them to “see” their prey in complete darkness.

How does thermoreception work?

Some animals have specialized organs to capture the infrared waves emitted by hot bodies. In mammals and reptiles, these receptors can detect minute variations in temperature, helping them locate their targets.

4. Echolocation: “seeing” through sounds

Echolocation is a sensory ability that allows certain animals to use sound to locate objects, prey, and obstacles in their environment. By making sounds and analyzing the bouncing echoes, these animals can create a “mental map” of their environment, even in the dark.

How does echolocation work?

Animals that use echolocation emit high-frequency sounds, inaudible to the human ear. By interpreting the echoes of those sounds, they determine the distance, size, and movement of objects around them.

5. Direction of polarization of light

The sense of light polarization allows some animals to detect the orientation of light waves. Although not perceptible to humans, this sense helps animals improve their vision underwater, navigate, and, in some cases, communicate.

How does the sense of polarization work?

Animals that sense the polarization of light have specialized cells in their eyes that allow them to detect the direction of light, which is useful in aquatic environments or during sunrise and sunset.

6. Chemoreception: detecting chemicals in the environment

Chemoreception is the ability to detect chemical changes in the environment. Although we perceive smell and taste to a limited extent, some animals have developed these senses to a much more sensitive level, allowing them to detect prey, potential mates or imminent dangers at impressive distances.

How does chemoreception work?

Many animals have specialized receptors for detecting chemicals in the air or water, allowing them to react quickly to changes in the environment.