Shadows and Illusions
The way we detect shape and depth from shading reveals some primeval rules that govern how we see the world
Stories by Vilayanur S. Ramachandran
Reflections on the Mind
Experiments with a simple mirror setup can reveal much about the workings of the brain
The Ghost Hand Illusion
Spooky fun with afterimages
Reading between the Lines: How We See Hidden Objects
When an object is partially hidden, the brain deftly reconstructs it as a visual whole
Extreme Function: Why Our Brains Respond So Intensely to Exaggerated Characteristics
How quirks of perception drive the evolution of species
Hey, Is That Me over There?
And other real-life tales from the bizarre realm of out-of-body experience
Aristotle's Error
Using aftereffects to probe visual function reveals how the eye and brain handle colors and contours
A Moving Experience: Illusions That Trick the Brain
How the eyes can see movement where it does not exist
Illusions: The Mona Lisa and Abraham Lincoln
What do the famous portrait and the former U.S. president have in common?
Two Eyes, Two Views: Your Brain and Depth Perception
Insights into the nuances of depth perception provided by our two eyes' slightly different views of the world
Seeing in Stereo: Illusions of Depth
Binocular vision gives us depth perception—and enables us to play some tricks
A Moving Experience
How the eyes can see movement where it does not exist
It's All Done with Mirrors
Reflections on the familiar and yet deeply enigmatic nature of the looking glass
Paradoxical Perceptions
How does the brain sort out contradictory images?
The Neurology of Aesthetics
How visual-processing systems shape our feelings about what we see
Sizing Things Up
When you hoist two items of equal weight, your brain may be doing some heavy lifting
Right Side Up
Studies of perception show the importance of being upright
Mind the Gap
The brain, like nature, abhors a vacuum
The Phantom Hand
The feeling of being touched on a fake hand illuminates how the brain makes assumptions about the world
Stability of the Visual World
When your eyes scan a room, why doesn't the world appear to bounce like the real image on your retina?
