What does the Sun taste like?

[apenpaap]

I wonder what it would taste like if you took a bite out of the Sun. Besides the kind of spicy taste of your mouth disintegrating, that is. But if you were entirely heat-and radiation-proof, what would it taste like in that case? I'm guessing the plasma's loose electrons might give it a salty taste, as if I remember my chemistry correctly the salt receptors in your mouth respond to chloride ions, and those have an extra electron. Then again, I guess all the loose hydrogen nuclei in the plasm might taste very sour. And what would the Helium contribute? Hmm, I dunno. Any thoughts?

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

I was expecting this to be a think thread.

 

[Shatnertage]

I'd be more worried about what it would feel like coming out the other end.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

I'd be more worried about what it would feel like coming out the other end.

A little worse than Tex-Mex.

 

[RJDiogenes]

It tastes like chicken.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Probably tastes like burning.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

I'd be picking out bits of Page 3 from my teeth.

 

[Jadzia]

Any thoughts?

Since it is made of plasma, I imagine it would taste like electricity. Have you ever touched a battery to your tongue?

 

[apenpaap]

You know, I think you might be right. I had forgotten that we have such an easy way of tasting electrons on Earth. So I guess my first guess about it being salty might be right.

Then again, there is also an awful lot of hydrogen ions in the plasma, so maybe it would be a combination of salt and sour.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Since it is made of plasma, I imagine it would taste like electricity. Have you ever touched a battery to your tongue?

Yes. Whoo!

 

[Jadzia]

I'm not sure it's the electrons that are being tasted directly.

The three ions that stimulate the nervous system are Cl-, Na+, and K+.

IIRC, what happens is that there's a cell boundary, and the water on each side of the boundary has different concentrations, because ions are released from the taste receptors. The Na+ and K+ ions are small, and these can flow through pores (ion channels) in the cell lining via osmosis, but Cl- is too big to fit, and that selective flow of ions creates a potential difference across the cell boundary, and triggers a nerve signal.

What electricity from a battery does is push these ions about artificially, pushing Na+ and K+ into a cell even when the concentrations are balanced.

 

[iBender]

They taste like burning.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Bad case of heartburn. I don't think you'd be able to taste anything as it would burn off your tastebuds.

 

[RJDiogenes]

Ultimate fuzzy tongue.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

They taste like burning.

 

[Skywalker]

Probably tastes like burning.

They taste like burning.

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mP5Ges4plp4[/yt]

 

[CorporalClegg]

A Sunkist flavored Starburst.

 

[iBender]

Probably tastes like burning.

They taste like burning.

YT Video

Oh gosh, Thank You. -- I was tempted but wasn't sure they had one, so I didn't look, yet, but, thank you very much for that video.

 

[Avon]

i vote for no flavour.

as you'd be dead.


or piccalilli.

 

[iBender]

WHAT IF our Sun tastes like Sunny D?