Biology 2e is designed to cover the scope and sequence requirements of a typical two-semester biology course for science majors. The text provides comprehensive coverage of foundational research and core biology concepts through an evolutionary lens. Biology includes rich features that engage students in scientific inquiry, highlight careers in the biological sciences, and offer everyday applications. The book also includes various types of practice and homework questions that help students understand—and apply—key concepts. The 2nd edition has been revised to incorporate clearer, more current, and more dynamic explanations, while maintaining the same organization as the first edition. Art and illustrations have been substantially improved, and the textbook features additional assessments and related resources.

By the end of this section, you will be able to do the following:

Explain in what way smell and taste stimuli differ from other sensory stimuli
Identify the five primary tastes that can be distinguished by humans
Explain in anatomical terms why a dog’s sense of smell is more acute than a human’s

This video segment explores the sense of taste in humans -- why we have it, and what happens when we lose it. Footage from NOVA: "Mystery of the Senses: Taste." Includes background reading material and discussion questions. [4:18]

This lesson will describe how receptors allow you to detect smells and tastes and will describe the link between taste and smell. It is 1 of 2 in the series titled "Smell & Taste." [6:51]

This resource goes into great detail describing the sense of taste through pictures, links, and solid information.