Short Wave

Why Illusions Are A Brain Feature, Not A Bug


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A grayscale ballerina who appears to be moving. A human who can fit in a doll box. A black-and-white prism that appears to change shape when viewed from three different directions. Those are the top winners of the 2024 Best Illusion of the Year Contest, open to illusion makers around the world and co-created by neuroscientist Susana Martinez-Conde. Today on the show, we get lost in the magic and science of visual illusions.

Have a neuroscience question? Email us at [email protected].

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