Hi there, it's Alison Partial.
I'm an associate editor covering Mind and Brain at Scientific American.
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You've probably been in this situation.
You just had a big lunch or a tall carbonated drink,
and out of nowhere, a burp rises in your throat, unbidden.
It's so magnificent you can taste it.
If you're someone's annoying brother,
you've probably summoned a burp and unleashed it on your sibling's face at least once.
But Paras Dhamma can't relate to any of that.
Because I can't burp.
And for as long as I can remember, I could never burp.
It may sound silly, but it leads to all kinds of discomfort.
So my whole chest and stomach, it becomes heavy.