article_snippet.sent: Penguins lost three of the five basic vertebrate tastes - sweet, bitter and the savoury, meaty taste known as umami - more than 20 million years ago and never regained Penguins, researchers have found.
article_snippet.sent: Researchers say researchers were lost after cold Antarctic temperatures interfered with taste perception.
article_snippet.sent: Because penguins are fish eaters, the loss of the umami taste is especially perplexing, said study leader Dr Jianzhi 'George' Zhang, a professor in the U-M Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.
article_snippet.sent: Dr Zhang suspects the sensory changes are tied to ancient climate-cooling events in Antarctica, where penguins originated.