Perception Facts

Optical illusions occur when what the eyes see conflicts with what the brain expects.

Philosophers at Oxford have proposed that future biotechnology could theoretically alter a prisoner's perception of time, making them experience a 1,000-year sentence in just eight hours—raising profound ethical questions about punishment.

Some people can taste words - a rare phenomenon called lexical-gustatory synesthesia, where hearing or reading certain words triggers unique flavors in their mouths.

The mantis shrimp has 16 types of color receptors compared to humans' 3, but despite this they're actually terrible at distinguishing between similar shades. Scientists believe they use colors more like a barcode scanner than a camera.