BEYOND THE FIVE

10 Weird Senses Humans And Other Animals Have

Image: Bacila Vlad

Who said there are only five senses? While humans rely heavily on sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearing, there are many more sensory abilities in both humans and animals, some of which can seem bizarre or even otherworldly.

From detecting magnetic fields to perceiving infrared light, here are 10 extraordinary senses that will challenge your understanding of animal perception.

Image: Inge Poelman

Despite having a weird name, this is by far one of the most standard senses among living organisms. Humans and animals alike rely on proprioception to perceive the position and movement of their bodies in space. This sense operates through specialized receptors (mechanosensory neurons) located in muscles and joints, providing crucial feedback to our brains for keeping balance, coordination, and doing precise movements.

Image: Jametlene Reskp

Some animals, like birds, turtles, and even some insects, possess the remarkable ability to sense Earth's magnetic field. This sense, known as magnetoreception, allows them to navigate during migration or find their way home with astonishing accuracy. In fact, some scientists argue that humans might have a latent or even subconscious ability to perceive Earth’s magnetic field through a number of receptors located in the optical retina.

Image: TJ Fitzsimmons

Bats and dolphins are well known for their use of echolocation, emitting high-frequency sounds and interpreting the echoes to navigate and locate prey. A form of active sonar similar to the one used by ships and submarines, this extraordinary sense enables them to "see" their surroundings even in complete darkness. Interestingly, some insects that are hunted by echolocating bats have developed active countermeasures against them, using ultrasonic clicks for echolocation jamming or by imitating the call of toxic species.

Image: Amos

Sharks, rays, and certain fish have electroreceptive organs called ampullae of Lorenzini, allowing them to detect the electric fields produced by other animals. In most species, this sense is paired with the ability to generate weak electric fields of their own. This unique sense aids in both navigating and hunting in murky or dark waters, where traditional senses might fall short. Monotremes like platypus and echidnas have curiously evolved a similar sense of electroreception to aid them in finding food.

Image: Wolfgang Hasselmann

Thermoception or thermoreception is the sense that aids in detecting changes in the surrounding temperature, and it is the reason anything feels hot or cold. In large animals, like humans, thermoception occurs mainly in the skin. But some species, like pit vipers, possess specialized organs capable of detecting infrared radiation, allowing them to sense heat from prey or predators. Recently, scientists have discovered that dogs possess thermoreceptors within their noses, allowing them to detect weak thermal changes in front of them.

Image: Alexander Grey

Certain insects, such as ants and locusts, possess hygroreceptors that allow them to detect humidity levels in their environment. This sense helps them find suitable habitats, avoid desiccation, and regulate behaviors like nest-building and foraging. And while you might think humans can also tell whether something is wet or not, the truth is we don’t have any hygroreceptors, and can only infer wetness through contextual clues - as wet objects tend to be colder or feel slippery.

Image: Mikhail Vasilyev

Many animals, including insects, mammals, and even some reptiles, communicate using pheromones – chemical signals similar to hormones that trigger social or reproductive behaviors. This sense plays a vital role in mate selection, territory marking, and coordination within social groups. Social insects make extensive use of this ability to coordinate complex colonies and establish hierarchies.

Image: Franco Antonio Giovanella

The vestibular system, found in the inner ear of humans and most vertebrates, contributes to balance, spatial orientation, and sense of motion. This sense is made of two main components or specialized organs: semicircular canals that indicate rotation, and otoliths, which help perceive linear acceleration. This intricate sense helps us stay upright, perceive gravity, and coordinate movements, essential skills for activities like walking or running.

Image: Aron Visuals

While the subjective experience of time might not be associated with a specific sensory system, scientists seem to agree that there are a series of complementary mechanisms that allow humans to perceive the passing of time. In fact, some animals exhibit remarkable abilities to perceive temporal changes, a crucial ability for survival. It has even been suggested that smaller animals with a fast metabolic rate tend to experience time more slowly than larger species with slower metabolic rates.

Image: Marcus Löfvenberg

Certain animals, like the African elephant, possess incredibly sensitive pressure receptors called Pacinian corpuscles in their feet, which allow them to detect minute seismic vibrations and communicate over long distances. This acute sense of touch, paired with their exceptional hearing, plays a crucial role in social bonding, navigation, and detecting potential threats in their environment.

When the real drama happened off-screen

Movies with behind-the-scenes stories better than the plot

Some movies are memorable for what happens on screen. Others? Well, let's just say the real show was happening behind the camera. From explosive feuds to total meltdowns, these ten productions were a mess—and honestly, that makes them even more fascinating. Grab some popcorn and enjoy the chaos.

This epic was supposed to be Hollywood's crown jewel. Instead, it nearly bankrupted 20th Century Fox. The budget spiraled from $2 million to over $44 million—the equivalent of hundreds of millions today. Elizabeth Taylor fell seriously ill, sets were scrapped and rebuilt, and the production moved from London to Rome.

And then there was the love affair. Taylor and her co-star Richard Burton fell head over heels for each other—while both were married to other people. The scandal made headlines worldwide. The movie became the highest-grossing film of the year, but its massive budget meant it struggled to turn a profit and was a box office disappointment. The gossip? Priceless.

This beloved classic looks like pure magic on screen, but behind the curtain, it was anything but. The original Tin Man actor had to be replaced after the aluminum dust in his makeup nearly killed him. Judy Garland, just 16 at the time, was put on a strict diet by the studio and given pills to keep her energy up—a troubling practice that haunted her for years.

Multiple directors came and went during filming. There were costume accidents, on-set injuries, and the actors playing the flying monkeys reportedly terrorized cast members. It's a wonder the yellow brick road led anywhere at all.

Director Francis Ford Coppola went to the Philippines to make a war film—and essentially ended up living one. The shoot stretched from a planned six weeks to over a year. Marlon Brando arrived overweight and completely unprepared. Martin Sheen suffered a heart attack mid-production. A typhoon destroyed the sets.

Coppola himself had a nervous breakdown and threatened to quit. The documentary about the making of the film, Hearts of Darkness, is arguably more gripping than the movie itself. That's saying something, because the movie is considered one of the greatest ever made.

Steven Spielberg's thriller almost sank before it ever hit the water. The mechanical shark—nicknamed "Bruce" by the crew—malfunctioned constantly in the saltwater. It looked ridiculous, broke down every other day, and production on the water was a nightmare from the start.

But Spielberg turned the disaster into a stroke of genius. Unable to show the shark, he built suspense through music (John Williams’ score became iconic) and reaction shots instead. The result was one of the most terrifying movies ever made. Sometimes your problems solve themselves—or at least make for a better film.

Finding Scarlett O'Hara was a two-year circus. Over 1,400 women were tested for the role before Vivien Leigh was cast—famously just days before filming began. Director George Cukor was fired early on, reportedly because Clark Gable didn't like him, and Victor Fleming took over (while also directing The Wizard of Oz that same year—the man was busy).

On set, tensions ran high between the stars, the producers, and pretty much everyone else. Leigh and Olivia de Havilland both clashed with the production at various points. Still, the film won eight Academy Awards. Hollywood was always good at keeping its scandals off the official record.

This noir classic had real-life darkness lurking behind it. Director Roman Polanski and writer Robert Towne argued bitterly over the ending—Towne wanted something hopeful, while Polanski insisted on tragedy. Polanski won, and the bleak final scene became one of the most memorable in cinema history.

Then there was the tension between Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway. By most accounts, they did not get along. Dunaway allegedly threw a cup of urine at Polanski during a dispute about her hair. Nicholson was reportedly frustrated for reasons too numerous to list. And yet somehow, they made magic.

James Cameron has a well-earned reputation for being, let's say, intense on set. During the making of Titanic, crew members were reportedly pushed to exhaustion, shooting in freezing water tanks for hours on end. At one point, someone spiked the crew's clam chowder with PCP—yes, really—sending dozens of people to the hospital.

Cameron himself was so difficult to work with that a crew member reportedly wore a T-shirt reading, "You Can't Scare Me, I Work for James Cameron." The budget ballooned to $200 million, making it the most expensive film ever made at the time. It also became the highest-grossing film in history. So he gets to keep being intense, apparently.

From day one, this film felt cursed, and the cast and crew weren't shy about saying so. There were mysterious fires, set accidents, and a string of deaths connected to people involved in the production. Jack MacGowran and Vasiliki Maliaros, who both played characters that died in the film, passed away before it was even released.

Linda Blair, just 14 when she played the possessed Regan, suffered a back injury during a violent scene that caused problems for years. Director William Friedkin reportedly fired a gun on set to provoke a shocked reaction from actors. Audiences fainted in theaters. The making of this one was as unsettling as the film itself.

Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn were not exactly natural companions, and filming deep in Africa didn't help. The cast and crew battled dysentery, insects, heat, and flooding rivers throughout the shoot. Director John Huston insisted on eating and drinking whatever the locals offered—and stayed perfectly healthy.

Bogart and Hepburn, however, were miserable. She reportedly hated every minute in Africa, while he found the whole experience rather amusing. The creative tension between them, though, translated beautifully on screen. Their performances earned both actors Academy Award nominations, which goes to show that suffering is sometimes good for art.

Before it became a punchline, Waterworld was already a catastrophe in progress. Filming entirely on the ocean turned out to be as chaotic as it sounds. The sets broke apart and sank. The weather was brutal. Costs ran so far over budget that it became the most expensive film ever made at the time, a title it held until Titanic came along.

Kevin Costner and director Kevin Reynolds had a very public falling out, with Reynolds quitting before the film was finished. The press had a field day calling it "Kevin's Gate" and "Fishtar." The movie was actually decent, but the behind-the-scenes disaster overshadowed everything. Some films just can't escape their own reputation.