For most patients, the loss faded within weeks or months. But for a smaller group, taste never fully returned. Even years after infection, certain flavors remain muted or completely absent.

A biologist studies blind cavefish, a species of fish that dwell in cave ponds in Mexico. He looked at the timeline for when the cavefish develop additional taste buds on the head and chin, finding ...

Taste is one of our most vital senses, shaping appetite, nutrition, and quality of life. Yet taste buds are fragile, relying heavily on the nerves that connect them to the brain. When those nerves are ...