The last statement is true for a lot of people. Good on you for acknowledging it.  

 👏 

 Pheromones will probably throw you for a tailspin 😉 

 Smell is a large part of taste indeed, olfactory receptors in the back of your nose/throat are what allow you to differentiate tastes. 

Tongue: this is sweet
Nose: this sweet is an apple versus a grape 

 Your mind is the main taste sensor. Think and you shall taste.  

 good point. I bet neuralink could trigger taste amd smell sensations... wild to think about 

 Elons neuralink connected/24/7 to starlink? All robot humans controlled at all times. No thanks.  

 in the latest fridman pod with the neuralink team they said they have plans to integrate fully into all parts of the brain, and even support multiple neuralinks.

seeing in infrared, radio (visual system)

I don't see why olfaction wouldn't be a part of it as well. download a smell. 

 Based off readily available scent kits used by sommeliers and perfumists its very possible 

 Cybemen is not a cool thing to become 

 sounds like funding is being driven by military applications. 

 It’s called retronasal smell. The tongue is actually pretty “bad” at tasting. It can only differentiate between some macro / major tastes (sweet, sour, etc.). Other aromas that you taste actually come from the nose “smelling” the molecules going back into your nasal passages through your throat. 

Its the main reason why sommeliers fear getting a cold / clogged nose 😁 

 I thought this was common knowledge 

 maybe it is. interesting experiment: go around on the street and ask people what is used to taste things. I would suspect 99.999% of people would say tongue. 

 Will didn't you plug your nose while taking medicine? 

 please read again 

 Fair enough, did you ever eat an apple but smell a pear? 

 Imagine not being able to smell!! 

 this can happen, e.g. 
- head trauma, such as car accidents, when the olfactory nerves get ruptured. interestingly, these are the only nerves that can 'reattach' 
or 
- common cold. this is usually also not permanent
 

 Damn! I guess maybe your other senses are heightened to make up for it? Hopefully! 

 You can finally enjoy #Cilantrostr 

 Can food have good taste if you just put it in your mouth for a while then spit it out without swallowing? 

 no. these nerves are working together, in a very complicated manner

e.g. olfactory nerves skip the thymus but nerves from the tongue dont 

 hmmm  

 or in other words, 

the process of eating is very complicated. rewarding hormons can not be easily cheated. 

e.g. during chewing the odor starts going to the nose which tells you want you eat. 
but only after swallowing when smell goes even more back/up the nose it completes the sensation. only thereafter, the food smells and tasts complete. you can try it by eating chocolate. try to spit it out. its not the same. 
whine is another good example. this is why the professional tasting of whine looks al strange   

 wine tasting is so bizarre. sometimes it smells like socks but then is actually good after I drink it. its like a switch gets turned on and my brain approves after gathering more information. 

 exactly! 
so you have potential to become a pro soon ;-)  

 There's a direct neural link from the nasal cavity right into the brain stem. Neurons that pick up smell, and trigger your reptile brain. Smell is our oldest sense, and the most intimate one. BTW COVID attacked those neurons in a subset of people. That's what led to loss of smell/taste, as those very neural cells were converted to virus 🦠 particles. The five basic tastes (sour/bitter/salty/sweet/umami) are taken up in the mouth, but aroma is all in the nose.

Source: lecture on smell at Mainz university, 2022-ish. 

 interesting.. 

 its a common game for kids in central europe. cover the eyes and use a clip to close the nose. give food to try and you will have a lot of fun, as they wont be able to tell. 
when your kids are young, the older ones might start first ;-)  

 actually not only covid but many cold do impair smell.

and i am not sure whether the nerves go directly to the brain stem but rather the hippocampus.  

 I probably mixed up the biological names. It's a very ancient part of the brain, might be hippocampus, amagdyla or whatevs. I never can memorize those 😶 

 You also have smell receptors on you skin, inside the lung and intestines. No kidding. They trigger hormone release based on their sensory reactions. Pretty interesting stuff. 

 Olfactory retarded? 

 Anyone who works on the food industry knows that smell and sight are a huge part of taste. You smell and see your food before you actually put it in your mouth. 

 That's why at some fancier places they will gussy up a plate with aromatics. 

 Retro nasal passageway 

 Will, is this what you start thinking about when the family leaves you alone for a few days!?! 😂 

 just think of what my notes will be like after a week 

 I can’t wait. Please document the descent on NOSTR for us all to enjoy. 😂 

 You get a real good experience for the difference when you eat popurrí  

 Also noise: nothing tastes good in a noisy environment,  like airplanes  

 I don't know if the tongue is the main taste sensor, but I can confirm that you are both retarded and a genius. 

 a true observation but later. this happens when we get sick  

 It's ok to be a little retired