A journey into the human multi-sensory world. In this episode, Barry Smith explores Touch - the sense that connects us with reality.

For thousands of years people thought we had 5 senses, now it's believed we have up to 33. In this new series, philosopher Barry Smith and sound artist Nick Ryan take us into the extraordinary world of sensory perception.

We trust touch to give us an accurate picture of the real world - feeling is believing. But touch is not one sense, it is many, rolled into one. Pain, temperature, a tap on the shoulder, a caress on the arm; all of these require separate detectors on our bodies, and are routed differently to the brain.

Philosopher Barry Smith guides us through our experience of touch, and though the strange condition of mirror-touch synesthesia explores the sensory roots of empathy.

Producer: Becca Bryers. Show less