OpinionOctober 31, 2022
At a Haunted House, Friends Heighten the Terror
Social scientists, using haunted houses to understand our experiences of fear, have learned that friends make things very scary
Stories by Susana Martinez-Conde
Susana Martinez-Conde is a professor of ophthalmology, neurology, and physiology and pharmacology at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn, N.Y. She is author of the Prisma Prize–winning Sleights of Mind, along with Stephen Macknik and Sandra Blakeslee, and of Champions of Illusion, along with Stephen Macknik.
CognitionMay 1, 2022
The Phantom Queen
Her majesty’s invisibility cloak is a matter of perspective
CognitionFebruary 10, 2022
Here Be Dragons
A gaming cartographer discovers an uncharted perceptual realm
CognitionDecember 16, 2021
The Allure of Mirages
Our centuries-long fascination with optical phenomena
PsychologyOctober 26, 2021
The Twisted Paths of Perception
These patterned pavements make pedestrians watch their step
ArtsSeptember 1, 2021
No Shrinking Violet
How Impressionist painters made an unusual color all the rage
CognitionJuly 1, 2021
It’s All in the Mix
A new form of color blending produces surprising palettes
CultureMay 1, 2021
The Ups and Downs of an Impossible Staircase
A 3-D reimagining of a classic illusion reveals new depths
CultureFebruary 25, 2021
Looking Glass? Look Again
This illusion turns empty frames into mirrors
CultureDecember 17, 2020
Out of the Woods
Using natural timbers to make the impossible tangible
CultureOctober 8, 2020
Perplexing Perspectives
Conflicting viewpoints coexist at the crossroads of math and art
CognitionSeptember 1, 2020
Unveiling the Illusion
How Giovanni Strazza rejected reality to make marble lifelike
CognitionJune 11, 2020
Wrong-Headed Arrows
This illusion takes the right of way with your perspective
BehaviorMay 31, 2020
Happy-Go-Lucky in the Time of COVID-19
New research highlights the risks of unrealistic optimism during the coronavirus pandemic
CognitionMay 24, 2020
The Boredom Paradox
Why lockdown feels less tedious than you feared
BehaviorMay 13, 2020
Immersive Violence
Virtual reality could help domestic batterers identify with victims
CognitionMay 1, 2020
Eyebomb Your Brain
How googly eyes hack your visual circuits
BehaviorMarch 4, 2020
Your Kids Are Heavier Than You Think
New research ties parents’ misperceptions of their offspring’s weight to childhood obesity
BehaviorDecember 13, 2019
Congratulations to the Winners of the Best Illusion of the Year Contest!
These mind tricks will make you reconsider what is real
CognitionDecember 12, 2019
A Pair of Crocs to Match the Dress
New research casts light on viral illusions
BehaviorDecember 11, 2019
Vote Now for the Best Illusion of the Year!
The Top 10 mind-boggling videos competing for first prize
BehaviorNovember 27, 2019
The Dark Side of Gratitude
Why saying ‘thanks’ can be detrimental
CognitionNovember 12, 2019
Lions See These Illusions the Same Way You Do
And then they rip them to shreds
CognitionOctober 10, 2019
Chasing Rainbows
Black-and-white photos turn into Technicolor