Precisely how many senses we have depends on how we define them, and it’s far from an exact science. For example, the number could be as small as three if we count physical categories of incoming information (mechanical, chemical and light), or it could run to hundreds or thousands if we count types of receptors in the human body.

Sensory expert John Henshaw of the University of Tulsa, Oklahoma, thinks we may have nine senses, adding balance, temperature, pain and proprioception (awareness of the position and action of the parts of our body) to Aristotle’s original list of sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch.

While quantifying the senses is interesting, scientists are more interested in recreating them. This could lead to robots with enhanced human-like sensory capabilities and to more sensitive prostheses, among other technological advances.

Proprioception is popularly known as our sixth sense. Simply put, it allows us to keep track of where our body...