But now, thanks to a group of smart scientists at America’s Georgia Institute of Technology, the tongue has found a new, inspiring use: moving an electric wheelchair. Seriously.

Huh?!? But how?

The Tongue Drive is a wireless device that lets people with spinal cord injuries use nothing but their tongues to maneuver a wheelchair. But how do you turn the tongue into a remote control? First, a magnet must be attached to the wearer’s tongue, either by sticking it on or by piercing the person’s tongue (eina!). Then, a high-tech retainer, or plate, is fitted under the roof of the person’s mouth – just like the one you have to wear when you get your braces off.

Inside the retainer are tiny sensors that detect the magnet’s movements and send wireless signals to an iPod or iPhone. This can be connected to an electric wheelchair or computer, allowing the Tongue Drive to maneuver a wheelchair or even move an on-screen mouse cursor. Different tongue movements can be programmed to represent different commands, allowing paralysed people to move around on their own and operate a PC. Awesome!

But why the tongue?

According to Maysam Ghovanloo, associate professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology’s School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, the tongue was the perfect muscle because it’s connected directly to the brain and therefore won’t be affected by a spinal cord injury. Plus, the tongue can be moved around quickly and accurately, without requiring too much concentration or effort.

Wanna test your tongue?

How fast and accurate is your mouth muscle? To find out, try saying these tongue-twisters as fast and as many times as you can …

• Unique, New York, Unique, New York.
• He threw three free throws.
• Which wristwatch is a Swiss wristwatch?

  Zena Weber from Khanyisa Education Centre

  Simone Schoeman form Merensky High

Mpumalanga:

  Jacques Louw from Hoerskool Ermelo

  Nok’Phiwa Mokoena from Steelcrest High

Gauteng:

  Celeste Ngobeni from Loreto Convent

  Kgomotso Adams from Pretoria Girls High

  Kay-Leigh Sussman from Beaulieu College

  Cormari Nel from Hoerskool Linden

  Trisha Paulsen from Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy

Free State:

  Ruchel Kuhn from Hoerskool Sand du Plessis

North West:

  Reneilwe Taunyane from Klerksdorp Technical High

Eastern Cape:

  Saadiyah Mayet from Collegiate Girl’s High

  Anda Gxolo from Cambridge High

  Storm Currin from Stirling High

Kwazulu-Natal:

  Daniele Bolton from Danville Park Girls High

  Romancia Chinsamy from Northlands Girls High

  Andrea Baijnath from Heather Secondary

Northern Cape:

  Yeshara Packirisamy from Kimberley Girls High

  Alyssa Eckhard from Hoerskool Upington

Western Cape:

  Devin Joubert from Fairmont High

  Jaundre Klopper from Hoerskool Hugenote

  Lisa Combrink from Hoer Meisies Bloemhof

  Dylan Hectar from Edgemead High

  Aaliyah Bhagaloo from Edgmead High

  Miles Ritchie from Camps Bay High

  Shannon Pincus from Herzlia

  Kiyan van Rensburg from Camps Bay High

  Won-Sun Mgengeni from Norman Henshilwood

Check this out!

According to studies led by Helen Fisher, an anthropologist at Rutgers University in New Jersery, and one of the leading experts on the biological basis of love, have revealed that the brain’s “in love” phase is a unique and well-defined period of time, and there are a couple of telltale signs that you’re in it.

So, when you meet someone special, the central dopamine – a chemical involved in attention and focus – level in your brain surges, this results in you thinking your guy/girl is super special and there is no one like them.

A spike in central norepinephrine, a chemical associated with increased memory in the presence of new stimuli will then lead you to believe that your loved one is absolutely perfect and overlook any negative traits there may be.

You know what happens next, you can’t wait to be with that person, you spend every waking (and sleeping) moment thinking about him/her and dream about your future and the names of your kids. This can all be explained by…yep you guessed it, science!

You can read the rest of the article here.