Trying the world's smelliest fruit (Durian) in Taiwan | Lex Fridman and Jensen Huang
Lex Fridman and Jensen Huang try durian fruit in Taiwan, discovering that despite its notoriously foul smell, the fruit tastes surprisingly sweet and good. They discuss the paradoxical nature of durian as an acquired taste where the sensory experience of smell contradicts the pleasant taste.
Summary
In this video segment, Lex Fridman and Jensen Huang sample durian fruit during a visit to Taiwan. The duo are presented with different varieties of durian, including both regular and red varieties. As they taste the fruit, they experience the durian paradox firsthand—the fruit emits a strong, unpleasant odor that contrasts sharply with its sweet, pleasant flavor. Throughout the tasting, they react with a mix of humor and fascination to the sensory contradiction. Lex notes that his brain struggles to reconcile the terrible smell with the good taste, describing it as "nature playing a little trick." Jensen expresses enjoyment of durian, calling it his favorite. The conversation emphasizes that durian is an acquired taste, and they acknowledge the common perception that while it smells grotesque, the actual flavor is genuinely delicious. The segment captures their genuine reactions to this unusual and polarizing fruit.
Key Insights
- Jensen Huang expresses that durian is his favorite fruit and he loves it, indicating personal preference for the fruit despite its notorious smell
- Lex Fridman describes durian as having a grotesque smell but really good taste, emphasizing the stark sensory contradiction
- Lex notes that durian is an acquired taste, suggesting that appreciation for the fruit develops over time rather than being immediately intuitive
- Lex expresses confusion at the durian paradox, stating his brain cannot make sense of something that smells bad but tastes really good
- Lex characterizes the durian experience as nature playing a trick by creating a fruit with contradictory sensory properties
Topics
Transcript
[0:03] Lex. Thanks for the mark. Thank you guys. Away from the front of the car. >> Thank you. >> No problem. >> So good. The powder. Oh, sweet and sour together with the pear. Sweet and sour powder. [0:33] Oh, incredible. Have you had the red one? >> Mhm, not yet. Not yet. Not yet. Not yet. Thank you. Thank you. >> The powder. >> It smells good. >> Durian. [1:10] >> This is amazing. >> Oh, you should eat this. >> Mhm. What is it? >> We have a >> Yeah, what is it? What is it? >> Durian. Durian. >> Durian. Durian. >> Durian. [laughter] >> Yeah, my favorite. I love durian. I mean >> You'll love…
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