Summary: A new study highlights the stark differences in how men and women perceive safety while walking at night. Through an innovative use of heat maps generated by participants’ focus…
Category: Visual Neuroscience
Eating with Your Eyes and Gut? How Your Brain Decides When to Eat
Summary: The science of eating behavior goes beyond hunger cues; it involves sensory stimuli, internal signals, and the gut-brain connection. External cues like food packaging and advertisements influence our eating…
Enhancing Motor Learning with Visual-Motor Illusions
Summary: Researchers found that visual aids creating illusions of movement, like screens showing a hand’s motion, can enhance motor performance and early-stage motor learning. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy revealed distinct brain…
Upside Down World: Unique View Offers Clues to Face Recognition
Summary: Claudio’s unique head orientation—rotated nearly 180 degrees—allowed researchers to explore the evolutionary and experiential factors in face recognition. While most people struggle to recognize inverted faces, Claudio’s distinct vantage…
Jersey Numbers and Perception: How Numbers Impact Our View of Athlete Physique
Summary: A new study confirms that football wide receivers wearing jersey numbers between 10 and 19 are perceived as slimmer than those wearing 80-89, even with identical body sizes. This…
Omega Fatty Acids Improve Vision in Preterm Babies
Summary: A novel study reveals that preterm babies given a supplement of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids show significantly better visual function by age two and a half. Conducted between…
Pupil Size Regulated by Orexin, Not Stress Hormones
Summary: Researchers have discovered that the neurotransmitter orexin, not the stress hormone noradrenaline, regulates pupil size, challenging prior understanding. Orexin neurons affect pupil size in response to emotional states and…
Eyeing Fear: Neurons That Drive Visual Aversion Uncovered
Summary: Scientists have unearthed a cluster of neurons, which control our urge to avert our gaze from frightening situations. The team studied fruit fly brains and found these neurons release…
Revisiting the Invisible Gorilla: Fast-Moving Unexpected Objects Capture Attention
Summary: A study challenges the long-held belief that our ability to spot unexpected objects is compromised when focused on a separate task. The team showed that individuals are surprisingly good…
Cracking the Code of VR Sickness: Why Some Experience Motion Sickness While Gaming and Others Don’t
Summary: The way our senses adjust while playing virtual reality (VR) games affects the severity of cybersickness experienced. Researchers measured how participants perceived the orientation of vertical lines before and…
