sinnene

Sinnene, or the senses, are the faculties by which organisms perceive the external world and internal states. In humans, the traditional five senses — sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch — are mediated by specialized sense organs: the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin. Each sense relies on receptors that transduce physical stimuli—light, sound, chemical molecules, mechanical pressure, and temperature—into neural signals sent to the brain.

Beyond the classical five, scientists recognize additional senses that contribute to spatial orientation and homeostasis. Proprioception enables awareness of body position and movement; the vestibular system detects head motion and balance; thermoception senses temperature; nociception signals potential damage via pain; interoception monitors internal states such as hunger, thirst, and heart rate. Some species also exhibit magnetoreception or echolocation, illustrating the diversity of sensory modalities.

The brain combines sensory information through a process called multisensory integration, creating a coherent percept. Perception is influenced by attention, learning, context, and prior expectations. Sensory systems develop over infancy and adapt to experience, a phenomenon known as plasticity.

Disorders of sensation can affect any modality, including blindness, deafness, anosmia (loss of smell), ageusia (loss of taste), and neuropathic pain. Sensory research spans philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, and medicine, contributing to fields such as sensory biology, rehabilitation, and human-computer interfaces.