The Colorful World of Synesthesia
Why some people hear colors or taste sounds
By Susan Gaidos
The number “6” is a bright shade of pink. Listening to a cello smells like chocolate. And eating a slice of pizza creates a tickling sensation on the back of your neck.
If you have experiences like this, you may be one of the special people with an unusual sensory condition called synesthesia (pronounced sin-uhs-THEE-zha).
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People with synesthesia experience a “blending” of their senses when they see, smell, taste, touch or hear. Such people have specially wired brains, so that when something stimulates one of the five senses, another sense also responds. This blending can cause people to see sound, smell colors or taste shapes.
Dozens of different sensory combinations exist. In the most common form of synesthesia, numbers, letters or even days of the week appear in their own distinct color.