Every beverage and other kinds of drinks, or foods that are eaten, have a specific taste to them.The indicators, such as litmus, turmeric, and China rose are naturally occurring and are dipped into the liquid to determine its sourness or bitterness.Chemically, acids are molecules that split apart in water releasing hydrogen ions, increasing the number of these ions.Chemically, bases are molecules that split when put in water and release hydroxide ions, but reducing the number of hydrogen ions.Litmus is made from organisms called lichens, which come from fungus and alga, and are found in the form of a paper strip or a solution used by chemists and other scientists.Both acids and bases were defined in 1887 by a chemist named Svante Arrhenius.