Do we only taste different flavors on specific areas of our tongue?

No, the idea that different flavors can only be tasted on specific areas of the tongue is a common misconception. The tongue does contain taste buds that are sensitive to different flavors, but these taste buds are distributed evenly across the tongue, and they can detect all five primary tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami (savory).

However, certain areas of the tongue may be more sensitive to certain flavors. For example, the sides of the tongue may be more sensitive to sour tastes, while the back of the tongue may be more sensitive to bitter tastes. This sensitivity may vary from person to person and can also depend on factors such as age and genetics.

Another factor that can influence taste perception is the sense of smell. The sense of smell works in conjunction with taste buds to create the perception of different flavors. The olfactory receptors in the nose can detect thousands of different smells, and these odors can influence how we perceive taste.

No, we do not only taste different flavors on specific areas of our tongue. The tongue map is a common misconception that different sections of the tongue are exclusively responsible for different basic tastes. It is illustrated with a schematic map of the tongue, with certain parts of the tongue labeled for each taste. Although widely taught in schools, this has been scientifically disproved by later research; all taste sensations come from all regions of the tongue, although different parts are more sensitive to certain tastes.

While some parts of the tongue may be able to detect a taste before the others do, all parts are equally capable of conveying the qualia of all tastes. Threshold sensitivity may differ across the tongue, but intensity of sensation does not. The same paper included a taste bud distribution diagram that showed a "taste belt". In 1974, Virginia Collings investigated the topic again, and confirmed that all the tastes exist on all parts of the tongue. Into the late 1970's tongue map experiments were a teaching tool in high school biology classes.

The tongue map was first proposed in 1942 by Edwin Boring, a psychologist at Harvard University. Boring based his map on the results of a study he had conducted in which he asked people to identify which parts of their tongues were most sensitive to different tastes. However, Boring's study was flawed because it did not control for factors such as the temperature and concentration of the taste stimuli.

In the 1970s, a number of studies were conducted that directly challenged the tongue map. These studies found that people were able to taste all five basic tastes (sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami) on all parts of their tongues. They also found that there were no significant differences in taste sensitivity across the tongue.

Today, the tongue map is widely considered to be a myth. It is still sometimes taught in schools, but most scientists now agree that it is not an accurate representation of how we taste.