human perception library

 

Human Perception deals with the way the mind perceives the stimuli around you. Learn how your senses function and help you recognize your environment.

Featured Article:  Have scientists found a way to read your mind?

A study published in February 2007 shows that through brain scans and corresponding computer software, researchers are able to read people's intentions with great accuracy. Find out how they did it and what it means for the future of "private thoughts." See more »

Are stupid people happier?

Are stupid people happier?

Ignorance is bliss. But what if you're more than just unaware? If you are dumb as a doornail, flat-out foolish or dim-witted, are you happier than the genius next door?

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Can a person remember being born?

Can a person remember being born?

You may vaguely remember scratching your chicken pox at the age of 3, but do you remember the moment your body burst into the world? Most likely not.

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Can brain damage lead to extraordinary art?

Can brain damage lead to extraordinary art?

You might classify yourself as right-brained or left-brained, depending on whether you tend toward logic or creativity. But what if a brain tumor changed it all, and one day you left your medical studies and devoted your days to art?

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Can I take a drug to wipe out one particular memory?

Can I take a drug to wipe out one particular memory?

Researchers at New York University's LeDoux Laboratory have successfully deleted a single, targeted fear memory using drug therapy in rats. Their results show that the removal of one memory from a rat's brain did not affect other memories there.

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Can people feel the pain of others?

Can people feel the pain of others?

Is there any truth behind the idea of sympathy pains? Mirror-touch synesthesia causes people to feel touches and pains that others experience.

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Do men and women have different brains?

Do men and women have different brains?

Do gender differences go beyond our reproductive organs? Popular culture would have you believe that men are from Mars, while women call Venus their planet of birth. Is it possible to finish the argument of nature versus nurture?

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Fact or Fiction: Brain Myths

Fact or Fiction: Brain Myths

The brain is one of the most amazing organs in the human body, but it's also one of the most mysterious. Think you can separate fact from fiction? Take this quiz on brain myths and find out.

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Have scientists found a way to read your mind?

Have scientists found a way to read your mind?

A study published in February 2007 shows that through brain scans and corresponding computer software, researchers are able to read people's intentions with great accuracy. Find out how they did it and what it means for the future of "private thoughts."

See more »
How accurate is our mental image of ourselves?

How accurate is our mental image of ourselves?

Think about how you would describe yourself to a stranger. Would you emphasize your keen sense of humor or physical features you're fond of? Or would you spend more time on supposed "trouble spots"? Your answer largely depends on your mental picture.

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How Albert Einstein's Brain Worked

How Albert Einstein's Brain Worked

E=mc2. The theory of relativity. An understanding of the speed of light. The idea that led to the completion of the atomic bomb. These ideas all came from one man's brain: Albert Einstein's.

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How Brainwashing Works

How Brainwashing Works

In psychology, the study of brainwashing, often referred to as thought reform, falls into the sphere of "social influence." Is brainwashing a system that produces similar results across cultures and personality types, or does it hinge primarily on th

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How Colorblindness Works

How Colorblindness Works

Roses are red, violets are blue -- well, bluish. The sky is blue, too. Grass is green. These are things that most of us know for a fact and don't question. But what if you were colorblind? What would you see? Is life one long black-and-white movie?

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How Flavor Tripping Works

How Flavor Tripping Works

It might be called flavor tripping, but there are no drugs involved. People pop a berry known as miracle fruit and marvel as sweet becomes sour and savory becomes sweet. What is this magical berry? How does this "miracle" happen?

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How Food Cravings Work

How Food Cravings Work

As you surf the Web, your mind is distracted by the thought of warm cookies floating in cold milk. Will this craving ever subside, or do you need chocolaty satisfaction ASAP?

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How Geniuses Work

How Geniuses Work

Spotting a genius is pretty easy -- without a doubt, Einstein, Newton and Mozart all qualify. But exactly what makes a person a genius is harder to puzzle out.

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How Smell Works

How Smell Works

Smell is a basic sense, but scientists are still exploring how it works. Why are researchers, developers and even government agencies so curious about smell? What makes a seemingly simple sense so tantalizing?

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How Taste Works

How Taste Works

Taste might seem like the simplest sense. But we know much less about taste than we do about sight and hearing. Why is taste so mysterious? And what on earth is umami?

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Is emotional intelligence a better indicator of brain health than IQ?

Is emotional intelligence a better indicator of brain health than IQ?

There are people who are smart, and there are people who are people-smart. The guy you want in your think tank isn’t necessarily the same person you want at your birthday party. But can emotional intelligence say more about your brain than IQ can?

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Is morality located in the brain?

Is morality located in the brain?

We talk about morals in relation to raising children, voting for political candidates and criticizing people who don't see eye-to-eye with us. But is morality even a choice? Or is it all in your head?

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The Ultimate Genius Quiz

The Ultimate Genius Quiz

Geniuses are valued because they're the ones who push human progress in great and sudden bursts. Without geniuses, we'd likely still be living in caves. If you think you're a genius now, we bet you won't when you finish this quiz.

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