this post was submitted on 09 Feb 2026
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Science Memes

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[–] tomjuggler@lemmy.world 8 points 5 days ago (2 children)

I'll bet you CAN taste ants though

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[–] Omnipitaph@reddthat.com 8 points 5 days ago

TIL I'm a mutant. X-men watch out!

[–] JamesBoeing737MAX@sopuli.xyz 9 points 5 days ago (2 children)

Well, how do you know it isn't just the smell of the enviroment? I always smell a distinctive smell around ants in the forest, but I don't know if that's actually just the smell of their hill (is it actually called a hill) or of ants.

[–] sartalon@lemmy.world 10 points 5 days ago

My anecdotal experience.

I was in SERE school, in the US Navy.

We were in the field portion of the training, the low mountains of SoCal.

I would periodically get this weird, almost bitter smell. Fast forward a day and I realized the smell was when there was an ant on me.

I don't know if it was a combo of the environment, the type of ant, the lack of food or showering for a few days, but it was pretty reliable.

After SERE was over, I have never experienced it again.

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[–] Etterra@discuss.online 9 points 5 days ago (9 children)

I'm not surprised to learn this, given that there are certain tastes that are generic. The "cilantro tastes like soap" mutation, and the "bitter vegetables are good actually" mutation come to mind.

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[–] bluegreenpurplepink@lemmy.world 8 points 5 days ago (4 children)

I can smell earthworms when it rains. It's gross.

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[–] texture@lemmy.world 3 points 4 days ago

i can smell fruit flies and i wish i couldnt

[–] BillyClark@piefed.social 7 points 5 days ago

I'm pretty sure I've smelled a dead fly before, but not like Lee Mack.

[–] Grail@multiverse.soulism.net 7 points 5 days ago (2 children)

My friend really doesn't like when I shapeshift into an ant because of the smell

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[–] anon_8675309@lemmy.world 3 points 4 days ago

Homo Orycteropus.

[–] I_Has_A_Hat@lemmy.world 4 points 5 days ago

There is a type of ant that smells like rotten coconut when squished. Is that what they're talking about?

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