Inner Nature: Getting touchy-feely with Somatosensation
By Vidja Rajan, Columnist, The Times
Somatosensation is the ability of the body to sense stimuli, but is not as straightforward as it seems. For example, touch can range from being barely perceptible to being excruciating; an itch that is scratched can go from feeling pleasurable to painful. Percussion and loud music can can be felt as a physical sensation. How does this happen, and is it touch or...