How many senses do humans have?
Humans are traditionally said to have five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. Scientists today recognize many more, including balance, temperature, pain and body position.
The idea of five senses goes back to the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle. Modern science defines a sense as a system of specialized receptors that send a particular kind of information to the brain. Using this definition, there are many more than five.
Additional senses include equilibrioception, the sense of balance, controlled by the inner ear; proprioception, the sense of where your body parts are; thermoception, the sense of temperature; and nociception, the sense of pain. Interoception lets us sense internal signals like hunger, thirst and the need to use the bathroom.
How many in total?
Depending on how they are counted, scientists list anywhere from about 9 to more than 30 senses. For example, touch can be divided into separate senses for pressure, vibration and stretch. The exact number depends on how finely senses are divided.
Did You Know?
Some animals have senses humans lack, such as sharks' ability to detect electric fields and birds' magnetic sense for navigation.
This answer is general information, not medical advice. For a personal health question, talk to a doctor.