Jacobsons Organ and the Sixth Sense

Jacobson's Organ and the Sixth Sense Humans are equipped with five senses: sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell. Animals possess several extra senses, including altered vision and hearing, echolocation, electric and/or magnetic field detection, and supplementary chemical detection senses. In addition to taste and smell, most vertebrates use Jacobsons organ (also termed the vomeronasal organ and vomeronasal pit) to detect trace quantities of chemicals. Jacobson's Organ While snakes and other reptiles flick substances into Jacobsons organ with their tongues, several mammals (e.g., cats) exhibit the Flehmen reaction. When Flehmening, an animal appears to sneer as it curls its upper lip to better expose the twin vomeronasal organs for chemical sensing. In mammals, Jacobsons organ is used not simply to identify minute quantities of chemicals, but also for subtle communication between other members of the same species, through the emission and reception of chemical signals called pheromones. L. Jacobson In the 1800s, Danish physician L. Jacobson detected structures in a patients nose that became termed Jacobsons organ (although the organ was actually first reported in humans by F. Ruysch in 1703). Since its discovery, comparisons of human and animal embryos led scientists to conclude that Jacobsons organ in humans corresponded to the pits in snakes and vomeronasal organs in other mammals, but the organ was thought to be vestigial (no longer functional) in humans. While humans dont display the Flehmen reaction, recent studies have demonstrated that Jacobsons organ functions as in other mammals to detect pheromones and to sample low concentrations of certain non-human chemicals in the air. There are indications that Jacobsons organ may be stimulated in pregnant women, perhaps partially accounting for an improved sense of smell during pregnancy and possibly implicated in morning sickness. Since extra-sensory perception or ESP is awareness of the world beyond the senses, it would be inappropriate to term this sixth sense extrasensory. After all, the vomeronasal organ connects to the amygdala of the brain and relays information about the surroundings in essentially the same manner as any other sense. Like ESP, however, the sixth sense remains somewhat elusive and hard to describe.

Discussion Questions to Use in English Conversation

Discussion Questions to Use in English Conversation Asking good questions is essential to having interesting conversations. Sometimes, its difficult to come up with good questions when learning a new language like English. Here are several questions divided up by category to help classes improve their conversational skills by discussing topics that play an important role in their daily life. If you are teaching questions, can feel free to print out the questions for use in class. If you are learning English on your own, use these questions as cues to help you have conversations with other English learning friends or English speakers. Language Learning Do you speak any other languages?How many languages do you speak?Which languages do you speak?How long have you been studying English?How much do you study English every day?What is the most difficult thing about English for you?Are you studying American English or British English?Does listening to songs in English help you learn the language? How?Why are you studying English?Do you use English at work? If yes, how do you use English at work?Do you use the Internet to help you with English? If yes, how do you use the internet to help you with English?What is the easiest thing about English for you?How do you learn new vocabulary in English?In your opinion, what is the best way to learn English?Do other people in your family speak English?How do you think English will be helpful for your future?What could you do to improve your English even more?Which activities do you find most helpful in English class?Which activities do you find least helpful in English class?Do you think learning English with a native English speaker is a good idea? Education Are you a student?Where are you currently studying?How long have you been studying?If you are not a student, when did you finish studying?What did you study when you were a student?Which classes do you like the most?Which classes do you like the least?Which classes do you think will help you the most in the future?Which classes do you think arent necessary for your future?Who is your favorite teacher? Why?How often do you go to school?How much homework do you have to do?Are you going to graduate soon? If so, when?Which techniques help you with your homework?How important are computers for your studies?Do you go to university? If so, what is your major?What could your teachers do to help you learn more?Is higher education expensive in your country?How often do you skip class?How do you have to take tests? Hobbies and Activities Do you have any hobbies?How do you stay fit?Do you play any sports? If so, which sports do you play?In your opinion, what are the advantages of team sports?In your opinion, what are the advantages of individual sports?How do hobbies help people enjoy life?Do you belong to any clubs? If so, which clubs do you belong to?How much time do you spend doing your hobbies?What type of outdoor activities do you enjoy?What type of indoor activities do you enjoy?How long have you been doing your favorite hobby?How many different types of hobbies can you name?Can you name any of the hobbies of your friends?How much do you spend on your free time activities?Is your hobby expensive? If so, why?Have you made any friends through your hobbies?What days of the week do you do your hobbies?Where do you go to participate in your hobby?Which hobby would you like to take up?Do you think everyone should have a hobby? If so, why? Money and Work Do you have a job? If so, what is it?How important is money to happiness?What do you enjoy about your job?Whats the most challenging part of your work?Whats the most satisfying part of your work?Describe your colleagues.Would you like to try another profession? If so, which?How long have you been working at your current job?Do you invest any of your savings?How do you take care of budgeting?How many people work in your family? What do they do?Is unemployment a problem in your country?What type of education do you need for your profession?What type of continuing education do you do for your profession?In your opinion, how important is a big salary to job satisfaction?Have you ever had a promotion? If so, when were you last promoted?Describe your boss.Do you enjoy working with people?Which sector do you work in?Do you have a retirement plan at work? Family and Friends How many siblings do you have?Are you married? If so, tell me about your husband / wife.Who is your best friend? Tell me about him / her.Do you have any children? How many children do you have?Do you have a lot of acquaintances?How do you make new friends?Whats a good way to make new friends?What type of things do you like doing with your friends?Which activities do you enjoy doing as a family?Do you eat together as a family? If so, which meals?Tell me about your favorite aunt or uncle. Why are they your favorite?If you dont have any children, would you like to have children?Do you spend more time with your family or your friends?Do you have a boyfriend or a girlfriend? If so, tell me about them.What bothers you about your brother or sister?What bothers you about your father or mother?Are you an only child?How would you describe your best friend?Have you ever done business with friends or family? If so, what was it like?What should parents do or not do for their children? Technology How important is technology in modern life?Which technologies do you use at work?Which technological gadgets do you have?How much time do you spend on the computer?Do you use social media? If so, how much time do you spend on social media?Which technology could you live without?Which technology could you not live without?In your opinion, whats the most important type of technology in our lives?Are you comfortable using a computer?Do you think we can trust what we read on the internet?How can we recognize if something is trustworthy on the internet?What type of device would you like to buy?How much money do you spend on technology every year?Can you program a computer? If not, would you like to learn?Do you spend more time watching TV or surfing the internet?Do you ever shop online? If so, what type of things do you buy online?What would happen if we lost electricity for a long period of time?If you could, would you use less or more technology every day?What type of technology do you find frustrating? Which type of technology do you find the most helpful in your daily life?