Inattentional blindness: Moon-walking Gorilla in the Brain

Have you ever wondered why you usually miss glaring bloopers in major motion pictures? If you are like most people, you probably believe that just because your eyes are open, you are seeing. So why do we sometimes fail to see things that are right in front of our eyes?

The reality is that attention plays a major role in visual perception. One of the primary reasons why you fail to notice these mistakes in films and television programs is a psychological phenomenon known as inattentional blindness. When your attention is focused on one demanding task, such as paying attention to the main character in a movie, you might not notice unexpected things entering your visual field.

Hacking The Brain With Electricity — Don’t Try This At Home

by Amy Standen (Re-post from NPR)

It’s the latest craze for people who want to improve their mental performance — zapping the brain with electricity to make it sharper and more focused. It’s called “brain hacking,” and some people are experimenting with it at home.

The idea’s not completely crazy. Small jolts of electricity targeted at specific areas of the brain are used to treat diseases like epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease.