Humans have thousands of taste buds. We can taste sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami flavors thanks to the tongue's 2,000–8,000 taste buds.
The tongue is a powerful muscle and a taste organ. This collection of muscles helps humans speak, swallow, and manipulate food.
Like fingerprints, tongue prints are unique to each person. Each person's tongue has a unique taste bud configuration, which could be used for biometric identification.
The tongue heals quickly. Despite its extensive exposure to infections and potential injuries, the tongue's cells regenerate quickly, helping it recover from wounds and burns.
Tongue length varies. Adult tongues are typically 3–4 inches long. However, medical problems can cause macroglossia, an enlarged tongue.
The tongue is one of the strongest muscles in the body relative to its size. It's not the biggest muscle, but it's strong for its small.
The tongue forms sounds and phonetics, making it vital for speech. Due to the tongue's plasticity and coordination, bilinguals can easily switch languages.