NeuroscienceOctober 5, 2019
I Heard It Before, So It Must Be True
Repeated exposure to implausible statements makes them feel less so
Stories by Susana Martinez-Conde
Susana Martinez-Conde is a professor of ophthalmology, neurology, and physiology and pharmacology at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn, N.Y. She is author of the Prisma Prize–winning Sleights of Mind, along with Stephen Macknik and Sandra Blakeslee, and of Champions of Illusion, along with Stephen Macknik.
NeuroscienceSeptember 21, 2019
No, Women Can’t Multitask Either
Recent research finds zero support for the stereotype that they do so better than men
BehaviorAugust 20, 2019
When a Still Life Comes Alive
This artist’s paintings walk among us
NeuroscienceAugust 9, 2019
The Illusion of Safety
Eye surgery could cause you to misjudge distances while driving
BehaviorJune 27, 2019
Are Our Minds Just Our Brains?
A debate on minds, matter and mechanism
BehaviorMay 20, 2019
The Illusionists on the Playground
What folk illusions reveal about children’s perception and cognition
NeuroscienceApril 22, 2019
You’ve Got a Blind Spot at Nighttime
Recent research explains why you’ve never noticed before
BehaviorApril 2, 2019
Remembering the Great Tomsoni
Johnny Thompson’s magical insights informed neuroscience
CognitionMarch 1, 2019
The Art of Playing Dead
The trick fools only predators that know dead prey is yucky
BehaviorFebruary 22, 2019
Hey, You Looking at Me?
How to trick audiences into thinking you’re staring them in the eye
BehaviorDecember 14, 2018
The Turn of the Screw, with a New Twist
A retelling of Henry James’s ambiguous masterpiece winks at illusion science
BehaviorNovember 21, 2018
You Can't Say "Happy Thanksgiving" in Dothraki
The man who invented the language explains why
BehaviorNovember 16, 2018
How to Trick Yourself into Improving Your Performance
People do better if they think they’re multitasking—even if they’re not.
BehaviorOctober 19, 2018
You Won't Believe Your Eyes
What the best illusions of 2018 reveal about the human mind
BehaviorOctober 12, 2018
Vote for the Best Illusion of the Year!
Worldwide voting starts on Tuesday at 10am EST
CognitionSeptember 29, 2018
Play It Again, Sam
Why repeated sounds are music to our ears
CognitionSeptember 14, 2018
People Like You More Than You Know
All it takes is a little conversation
CognitionSeptember 7, 2018
What Lucid Dreams Look Like
Eye tracking reveals the answer
CognitionAugust 22, 2018
Illusions as Painkillers: the Analgesic Value of Resizing Illusions in Knee Osteoarthritis
A new study reports that illusory stretching and shrinking reduces knee pain
BehaviorAugust 10, 2018
Makeup Makes Older Faces Look Younger, and Younger Faces Look Older
Middle-aged faces look younger with makeup on, 20-year old faces look older with makeup and 30-year old faces look their real age with or without makeup
CognitionAugust 3, 2018
How Prey Animals' Prior Experiences Make Them Gullible to Masquerading Predators
Ghost mantises use their prey’s cognitive processes against them
NeuroscienceJuly 12, 2018
Smaller Plates Don't Make Meals Look Bigger When You're Hungry
The Delboeuf illusion won’t help you trick yourself into eating smaller portions when you feel hungry
BehaviorJune 20, 2018
Call for Illusion Submissions: The World's Annual Best Illusion of the Year Contest
Contestants are invited to submit one-minute videos featuring novel illusions of all sensory modalities (visual, auditory, etcetera) and/or cognitive nature. The top three winners will receive: $3,000 for first place, $2,000 for second place and $1,000 for third place
BehaviorJune 1, 2018
Inspired to Believe: The Connection between Inspirational Experiences and Belief in God
The more people feel inspired in their daily lives, the more strongly they believe in God, new research shows