Are our minds playing tricks on us all the time? Click this link to watch an animated video that explains what perception and hallucination have in common.
Category Archives: Perception and Reality
Why time feels so weird in 2020
Check out this link to try out some cool interactive perception tests that demonstrate how our sense of time can be distorted.
Can Language Influence Our Perception of Reality?
Learn about research into how and why people from different linguistic backgrounds might remember the same event in different ways.
“Reality” is constructed by your brain. Here’s what that means, and why it matters.
How do we know what is real? This article includes some striking visual illusions and explains how they serve as a good reminder that our perception of reality is not always accurate.
Why do people fall for misinformation?
Being misled, whether purposefully or accidentally, can leave a bitter taste in your mouth. Watch the video to learn more about your tongue’s taste receptors, and learn how to avoid being misinformed and misled.
Makeup Artist Transforms Her Face Into Mind-Bending Optical Illusions
Mimi Choi’s makeup skills will make you question reality. Many may consider makeup an art form, and Choi reinforces that notion. Check out her trippy designs here.
How to Think Like an Optimist and Stay Positive
Can you trick yourself into being positive? One researcher thinks so! Read about her strategies here.
How Mirages Work
Have you ever been in a car on a hot day and seen water on the road far away, only to find that there’s nothing there? If so, you’ve seen a trick of the light called a mirage. This article explains what causes mirages and the different types you might see.
Extraordinary Artist Stephen Wiltshire Sees Cities Once, Draws Detailed Panoramas From Memory
Artist Stephen Wiltshire is know around the world for his detailed panoramas of cities drawn from memory. Read this article to find out how his autism may help him focus his brain to produce such extraordinarily detailed works. Then click on the link to view a slideshow of his drawings.
Dual Axis Illusion named the Best Illusion of 2019
Optical illusions are fun to look at, but did you know there’s an annual competition for creating new illusions? Check out a recent winner.
An “invisibility cloak” prototype material by Hyperstealth Biotechnology
Watch the video to see a real-life invisibility cloak! Thanks to innovative technology, humans are one step closer to achieving invisibility, which can have practical and military applications.
The Science of Optical Illusions
Have you ever seen an optical illusion? Read this article to explore some amazing optical illusions, and find out what they can reveal about how our brains work.
Woman On Street Attacked By Giant Snail, It Seems
The artist Julian Beever uses perspective to create amazing sidewalk art that looks three-dimensional—as long as you look at it from the right angle.
Magnified photos expose the secret beauty of sand grains
Dr. Gary Greenberg uses high-quality microscopes to magnify and photograph grains of sand from beaches all over the world. Read this brief article to learn more. Make sure to click the link to view his spectacular images.
Animation basics: The optical illusion of motion
This video explains how a human characteristic called ‘persistence of vision’ is the key to motion in animation.
What color is Tuesday? Exploring synesthesia
What would you do if music made you see colors or numbers had a taste? Synesthesia occurs when two senses are combined. Watch a video about this amazing neurological trait.
People With Negative Self-Image Experience Setbacks More Frequently
Self-esteem can greatly impact aspects of our lives, for better or worse. A positive self-esteem is critical to avoiding setbacks and building ourselves up. Gain insight into why this occurs and learn how to make a positive change.
Five tricks of the senses
Tongues can smell, sight can make us hear what isn’t there, and color can influence taste?! Read the article to learn more about how our five senses can be influenced by outside sources.
The ‘Canali’ and the First Martians
In 1894, Percival Lowell looked through his telescope and believed he saw canals on Mars. He thought they were proof of intelligent life on that planet. But were they really canals? Read about what Lowell actually saw and the effect of his theory on people’s imaginations.
Imagination Can Change What We Hear and See
The “power of the imagination” often seems an exaggerated term. However, according to a recent study in the field of neuroscience, the mind is capable of sending sensory signals that can seem quite real. Read on to find out more about this twist of perception.