I love living in the future.

[theweaselking]

Scientists discover how optical illusions work. All of them.

The short version: It takes a tenth of a second for images to get from your retina to the processing centres of your brain. People have known this for decades, but we still see things in real time.

The new theory says that what we're seeing isn't what's there, it's what our brain projects will be there in a tenth of a second - our brain is processing predictively, showing us it's best guess for the future. And that's why optical illusions can fool it, by confusing it into predicting a future that then doesn't happen.

Comments

[psyco-path.livejournal.com]

My brain is AWESOME.

I'm going to perfect time travel by putting a plastic bag over my head.

[zastrazzi.livejournal.com]

Drycleaning bag or grocery bag?

[psyco-path.livejournal.com]

Grocery bag because you can't see through them.

I'm traveling through time at the speed of TIME!

[gilmoure.livejournal.com]

I'm going coach; using a garbage bag.

[zastrazzi.livejournal.com]

Would you like a free upgrade to a recycling bag? They're a lovely shade of transparent blue!

[elffin.livejournal.com]

The short, short version:
"All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world."

[demiurgent.livejournal.com]

Actually, this helps to explain morning clumsiness too. I'd think that when we first got up and our brains are still fogged, our brains wouldn't yet have enough information on our surroundings to do that kind of cognitive prediction yet -- especially if we're not entirely awake. So, we smack into things, almost trip, have at best a hazy view and memory....

Well, it's a thought, anyway.

[jagash.livejournal.com]

That is bloody astounding and makes perfect sense. Cool.

[laurewyrm.livejournal.com]

Does that mean that people that can't see some of the trick optical illusions have faster brains? Or that their brains just don't care enough to try to predict?