• el_abuelo@programming.dev
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    8
    ·
    2 days ago

    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?

      • el_abuelo@programming.dev
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        2 days ago

        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.

        • Clinicallydepressedpoochie@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          edit-2
          2 days ago

          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.

          • Redfox8@mander.xyz
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            2
            ·
            2 days ago

            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.

          • el_abuelo@programming.dev
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            2
            ·
            2 days ago

            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.