Even when Photoshop can create false or impossible images, we still tend to trust what we see in photos as real. But not only can we not trust the veracity of photos now—images have been manipulated for aesthetic and political effect since the dawn of photography.
Being fooled by optical illusions may be fun, but the reason why they work is serious. The same mental mechanisms that allow us to be tricked today may have saved our ancestors’ lives.
If you can’t trust your own memory, what can you trust? Researchers have discovered a way to change how mice view a location by creating a false memory of it in targeted neurons.
James Watson and Francis Crick were awarded the Nobel Prize for their discovery of the structure of DNA. One key to this discovery was a photograph taken using a revolutionary technique by the English scientist Rosalind Franklin. Explore this site to learn how Franklin made this stunning photograph and why she didn’t receive the credit she was due during her lifetime.
The astrophysicist and educator Neil deGrasse Tyson, host of the television series Cosmos, wants us to view the earth with a “cosmic perspective.” Find out what that means in this 60 Minutes interview.
Sometimes, we only see what we want to see. For the influential astronomer Percival Lowell, this meant seeing signs of advanced civilization in Mars’s ancient water channels. In spite of evidence to the contrary, Lowell’s vision of an inhabited neighbor in our solar system inspired years of speculation.
The power suddenly goes out, and you’re left in a dark room; how do you find your way? You might at first think you’re helpless, but your other senses quickly spring into action to compensate for your temporary loss of sight. Here’s a peek at the science behind this ability.
Every astronaut learns a great deal about the Earth and its place in the cosmos before going into space. But once they see the Earth from space, everything changes. Watch this short film to learn why.
Using dead reckoning, a pilot, sailor, or hiker can navigate without relying on GPS. In this opinion piece, one pilot contrasts methods of wayfinding and reflects on what pilots’ preferences mean about how they view life.
An amazing new surgical technique is restoring some people’s lost eyesight in a surprising way—by implanting the blind person’s own tooth into the damaged eye.
You may not be an art expert, but you can tell when the perspective in a drawing or painting is wrong: the work may look off-balance or childish. Here’s a look at the techniques artists use to get the perspective right.
This NASA site provides an overview and links about ongoing work on the James Webb Space Telescope, expected to be able to view the universe’s early development starting in 2018.
Humans aren’t the only ones fooled by optical illusions. Learn how the zebra’s black and white stripes protect it by confusing the vision of predators large and small.
People often refuse to see facts that disprove a common belief. This excerpt from the book You Are Now Less Dumb by David McRaney examines why we stick to easily-disproved ideas and how we can get smarter about what we see and think.
In a hallucination, what is unreal seems real—whether a brief impression or a complete and lifelike scene. Ben Thomas discusses renowned neurologist Oliver Sacks’s book titled Hallucinations in this article.
If you were walking in the park, talking on a cell phone, you’d notice a clown riding by on a unicycle, right? The surprising answer is, not necessarily. On this multimedia page, award-winning science reporter Alix Spiegel explores the phenomenon of inattentional blindness, in which we miss seeing something obvious but unexpected.
By using technology similar to that found in smart phones and video games, scientists might soon be able to create glasses that will improve sight for the visually impaired.
Have you ever wondered whether night vision goggles really work? They do—find out how in this informative article.
