logo
episode-header-image
Jul 22
34m 30s

ReThinking: The science of taste and sme...

TED
About this episode

Do you hate the taste of cilantro and chocolate? You might be a super taster! Rachel Herz is a neuroscientist at Brown University who specializes in taste and smell. In this episode, Adam, Rachel, and Adam’s wife Allison Sweet Grant investigate the sources of their different food preferences, uncover the overlooked power of smell, and analyze the effects of the gene that can turn some people into picky eaters. 


Follow

Host: Adam Grant (Instagram: @adamgrant | LinkedIn: @adammgrant | Website: adamgrant.net/)

Guest: Rachel Herz (Instagram | LinkedIn: @rachelherz | Website: rachelherz.com/) 


Links

Books: Why You Eat What You Eat (2019),  That’s Disgusting (2013), The Scent of Desire (2008)


Subscribe to TED 

Instagram: @ted

YouTube: @TED

TikTok: @tedtoks

LinkedIn: @ted-conferences

Website: ted.com

Podcasts: ted.com/podcasts

For the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/worklife/worklife-with-adam-grant-transcripts


Interested in learning more about upcoming TED events? Follow these links:

TEDNext: ted.com/futureyou

TEDAI Vienna: ted.com/ai-vienna

TEDAI San Francisco: ted.com/ai-sf

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Oct 7
ReThinking: What we’re getting wrong about mental health with RaQuel Hopkins
RaQuel Hopkins is a therapist and HR professional whose hot takes on growth and well-being have challenged how many people talk and think about mental health. In this episode, Adam and RaQuel explore how some people use mental health labels as a crutch, discuss ways to expand our ... Show More
33m 53s
Sep 30
ReThinking: Brené Brown on courageous leadership
Brené Brown is a researcher, storyteller, and author who hosts the podcast Dare to Lead and has given some of the most popular TED Talks of all time. Brené joins Adam live at Authors@Wharton to talk about her new book, Strong Ground. They discuss how to identify your core values, ... Show More
41m 22s
Sep 23
ReThinking: Matthew McConaughey on avoiding cynicism and finding gratitude
Matthew McConaughey is the Academy Award-winning star of Dallas Buyers Club, Dazed and Confused, or Interstellar. But he’s not just an actor—he’s also an entrepreneur, philanthropist, teacher, and prolific writer. His second book, Poems and Prayers, was built on decades of his jo ... Show More
34m 41s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 12
The science of taste and smell with Rachel Herz | from ReThinking with Adam Grant
Do you hate the taste of cilantro and chocolate? You might be a super taster! Rachel Herz is a neuroscientist at Brown University who specializes in taste and smell. In this episode, Adam, Rachel, and Adam’s wife Allison Sweet Grant investigate the sources of their different food ... Show More
35m 18s
Feb 2025
Valentine’s Day Isn’t Just for Romance—The Science of Deep Friendships
Love isn’t just about romance. This Valentine’s Day, we’re exploring the power of deep nonromantic bonds. Host Rachel Feltman sits down with Rhaina Cohen, a producer and editor for NPR’s podcast Embedded and author of The Other Significant Others, to discuss the history and psych ... Show More
17m 2s
Jun 2025
Why you don't need a personal brand (w/ Debbie Millman)
“If you’re a good designer in five or ten years, you’re gonna want to look back on your portfolio with horror and nostalgia and somewhat amusement… because you want to be growing,” says illustrator Debbie Millman. Debbie is the host of the longest running podcast, Design Matters, ... Show More
38m 19s
Jun 2025
How to change careers and reinvent yourself (w/ Dawn Burrell) | from How to Be a Better Human
Dawn Burrell is a celebrated long jumper, an Olympic athlete, and a chef’s whose cooking made her a semifinalist for a James Beard Award — and these are just a sampling of her many accolades. In this episode, Dawn talks about how she navigated the career shift from athlete to che ... Show More
40m 31s
Jul 28
How I make vegan food sexy | Pinky Cole
At the plant-based burger chain Slutty Vegan, Pinky Cole is flipping the script on vegan food with bold style. In conversation with host of "TED Radio Hour" Manoush Zomorodi, she shares the highs and lows of her entrepreneurial journey, from her roots in Baltimore to the grease f ... Show More
21m 39s
Oct 2023
What To Do When Your Partner Changes | Tom & Lisa Bilyeu (Replay)
[Original air date: January 4, 2019]. In this week’s episode of Relationship Theory, Tom and Lisa discuss their perspectives on how to navigate your relationship when you have different ambitions in life. FOLLOW LISA: Lisa’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisabilyeu/ Women ... Show More
53m 26s
Oct 1
What It Means to Be Audience-First in Marketing with Rachel Waldstein, VP of Global Strategic Consulting at Wunderkind | Ep. 353
Think you know your customer? You might be wrong. And that’s costing you. Daniel sits down with Rachel Waldstein, VP of Global Strategic Consulting at Wunderkind, to explore how today’s top brands balance personalization and privacy. Money isn’t the only currency around here…it’s ... Show More
26m 44s
Sep 29
Love 2.0: How to Fix Your Marriage, Part 1
Many love stories end when the characters are still in the heady, euphoric early stages of a relationship. But what comes after that intoxicating first phase of love is over? Today, we kick off a new series on the challenges specific to long-term relationships. We'll talk with ps ... Show More
1h 41m
Sep 25
Rachel Sennott is Popping In
Welcome! This week’s guest is the talented and hilarious Rachel Sennott! Rachel and Caleb talk car accidents, a never before seen moment from early in her acting career, vocabulary words, and her new show I Love LA coming to HBO MAX on November 2nd! Join our Substack for an exclu ... Show More
1h 1m
Aug 24
TED Talks Daily Book Club: Intentional Ambition: Redefining Your Work for Greater Joy, Freedom, and Fulfillment | Rha Goddess
Rha Goddess is an entrepreneurial soul coach and author of the new book "Intentional Ambition: Redefining Your Work for Greater Joy, Freedom, and Fulfillment." In this TED Talks Daily Book Club interview with host Elise Hu, Goddess talks about moving forward after the 2020 pandem ... Show More
53m 52s
Listen to millions of songs and podcasts on Anghami