As a motivational speaker, I often use magic to illustrate the key points in my speeches. Why? Well, firstly, magic is a lot more fun than PowerPoint. Secondly, magic has gained some serious credibility as scientists have begun studying magicians to learn more about how the brain works. (This research is based on the notion that, if the ladies don’t dig your “science nerd vibe,” try card tricks!) Continue reading
Have you ever seen falling water come to a stop in mid-air? How about water flowing UP a waterfall? If you haven’t, then please watch this amazing video created by Youtube user “brusspup.” This is one of those incredible illusions that leaves observers gaping in wonder and completely lays bare the stark limitations of human perception. Continue reading
Summer, winter, autumn, spring
Oh what changes the seasons bring!
From falling leaves to an icy sting
To a sudden shift in the songs we sing
We all know the common saying: “For everything there is a season.” A season to laugh, a season to cry… and apparently a season to listen to certain types of music. At least that’s what the findings of two studies conducted by Pettijohn, Williams and Carter (2010) seem to suggest. Both studies, conducted in the United States, were designed to examine how seasonal conditions influence music preferences in a sample of male and female college students. Continue reading
Journalist and memory expert Joshua Foer talks about an ancient technique called the memory palace and claims that anyone can improve their memory through the application of this and other cognitive tactics.
Building on the work of Daniel Simons’ original “Door Study,” Derren Brown pushes the envelop on change blindness, attention and perception.
