Stories by Vilayanur S. Ramachandran

The way we detect shape and depth from shading reveals some primeval rules that govern how we see the world

Experiments with a simple mirror setup can reveal much about the workings of the brain

Spooky fun with afterimages

When an object is partially hidden, the brain deftly reconstructs it as a visual whole

How quirks of perception drive the evolution of species

And other real-life tales from the bizarre realm of out-of-body experience

Using aftereffects to probe visual function reveals how the eye and brain handle colors and contours

How the eyes can see movement where it does not exist

What do the famous portrait and the former U.S. president have in common?

Insights into the nuances of depth perception provided by our two eyes' slightly different views of the world

Binocular vision gives us depth perception—and enables us to play some tricks

Reflections on the familiar and yet deeply enigmatic nature of the looking glass

How the eyes can see movement where it does not exist

Even when we consciously know two lines are the same length, why can't we help seeing them as different?

We have eyes, yet we do not see

How can an imaginary square look more real than a box with actual lines?

How visual-processing systems shape our feelings about what we see

Studies of perception show the importance of being upright

Camouflage in fish and other animals provides insights into visual perception

How the brain sees through the perceptual hurdles of tinted glass, shadows and all things transparent

How does the brain sort out contradictory images?

What do the Mona Lisa and Abraham Lincoln have in common?

The feeling of being touched on a fake hand illuminates how the brain makes assumptions about the world

Startling deceptions demonstrate how tactile information is processed in the brain