When Life Flashes Before Your Eyes
“A few moments ago, I was strapped into a harness and winched 150 feet into the air. Four massive steel girders support my weight, and I can see that I’m the highest object around for miles. I am about to become the fastest-moving man in science, and I can barely keep my breakfast down.
This contraption is called the Suspended Catch Air Device, but the folks at the Zero Gravity Thrill Amusement Park in Dallas prefer the more colloquial “Nothin’ But Net.” That’s because when the operator releases my rope, I will fall, untethered, until I plop into a modified circus net. The terrifying free fall will last less than three seconds, but to me it will feel much longer. And in this experiment, that is exactly the point.
The study of how the brain perceives the passage of time is no longer just the work of philosophers. In the past few decades, medical scanners and computers have improved such that scientists can monitor the brain’s activity millisecond by millisecond. Sorting out how the brain handles time-related information could reveal the cause of several mental illnesses. But some basic information still eludes researchers, in particular an explanation for “time dilation,” the notion that time seems to slow during life-threatening situations. My impending fall is the latest in a series of experiments designed by David Eagleman, a neuroscientist at Baylor College of Medicine, to crack this nut.
Attached to my wrist is a perceptual chronometer, basically two LED screens, each blinking random digits between 1 and 9. Before I was hoisted up here, the chronometer was set so that the numbers alternate just fast enough that I cannot read them. If Eagleman is correct, and the brain’s perception of time slows down during disaster, then I should see the numbers on the chronometer flicker in a readable slow-mo, sort of like how characters in The Matrix films see bullets. That is, if I can keep my eyes open.
n recent years, scientists have learned that the circadian rhythms that control our 24-hour sleep/wake cycle are governed by a cluster of 10,000 brain cells called the suprachiasmatic nucleus. Sorting out what happens moment to moment is the focus of Eagleman’s work, and his Baylor-based Laboratory for Perception and Action is one of the only facilities dedicated to running experiments that produce hard data on how we perceive time.
Eagleman began his career researching vision, and in 2000 he became interested in the flash-lag effect, an optical illusion that scientists had never satisfactorily explained. On a computer screen, a blue doughnut-like ring circles a fixed point. Every so often, the ring’s hole turns white for a split second. Sometimes, the white center and the blue ring, which has continued on its path, appear to overlap. After running dozens of students through this test, Eagleman posited that it might be a temporal illusion, and that it tricks the brain, not the eyes. In addition to interpreting the white flash, the brain is also predicting where the blue ring should be a few milliseconds in the future, and that is being lumped in with the experience that reaches your consciousness. This was the first evidence that our perception of time is not an exact representation of what is occurring in the moment we consider to be the present.”
Read more at PopSci.com
Belfast
Belfast was just wonderful, thank you any of you who came along and packed out the Waterfront Hall with astonishing noise and energy. The response from the house was astonishing, and seeing everyone leaping to their feet in such a huge open hall was really fantastic. Thank you.
We visited the Giant’s Causeway, which, though I’m sure it’s just obligatory school trip territory to the locals, was a lovely afternoon trip. I realised the image I had carried around in my head of the Causeway since primary school was quite, quite different from the real thing. We had lunch at the Bushmills Inn (the whole of Bushmills smells of its famous malt) and headed back for the show.
The shows were very good, but on the third night my voice suddenly became worryingly absent. Two late nights with friends, a change in weather and a long run of shows had taken their toll, and I had to perform the last night with a more controlled tone than normal. This is a huge worry when this happens: keeping the voice strong is always the priority. If it goes, we have to pull shows, which is terrible.
Therefore I was not able to go out for signing on the last night, and unfortunately this will have to be the case for the next few nights until my voice is back to normal. It’s straight back to the hotel and into bed, rest as much as possible and then not speaking during the day. Steam, water, honey and lemon fill my wordless days until the shows. So a thousand apologies to anyone hoping to catch me after the shows: I am whisked away quickly, so please don’t waste your time waiting at the stage door for now thinking I’m still in there.
Hopefully things will be back to normal after a few days. I’ve also had to cancel meetings and interviews until this period passes.
Dublin tonight was huge fun: we were only the third show to appear in the brand new Grand Canal Theatre. Its a fantastic place. From the stage you can here each of the 2160 people as if they were sat right around you. The Dublin audience is different from those of Belfast: rowdier, funnier and very present. They were huge fun and a well-placed shout from one audience member had me and the backstage crew cracking up. So thank you for tonight, Dubliners. Looking forward to the next two.
Apologies again for not being able to come out and sign afterwards. Will let you know how that goes.
Meanwhile I must try to enjoy Dublin in silence…
x
‘Animal Hypnotist’ Is Britain’s First ‘Rabbit Whisperer’
“An animal hypnotist claims to be the country’s first ‘rabbit whisperer’, treating pets’ behavioural problems.
Cliff Penrose, 60, uses a special technique to put rabbits into a trance – leaving them flat on their backs with their legs in the air.
He is able to hypnotise then animals by applying pressure and massaging certain parts of the body, including the belly which relaxes them.
Mr Penrose then ‘bows’ to the rabbit by lowering his head so it does not feel threatened before shutting its eyelids leaving it in a trance.
He regularly hypnotises rabbits before they go to the vet so they can be treated and examined more easily.
But he also treats ‘problem’ rabbits with behavioural issues and can make them less aggressive after putting them in a trance.
The grandfather-of-two from St Austell, Cornwall, said the hypnotised rabbits often live longer as a result of being de-stressed.
He said: ‘You can tell when a rabbit is under because his back legs completely relax. The creature is unable to move, in a trance like state, sometimes for up to ten minutes.’”
Read more at The Telegraph
James Randi Speaks Homeopathy Week 2010
James Randi has a few thoughts on the upcoming Homeopathy Awareness week and wants to share them with you.
Croatian teenager wakes from coma speaking fluent German
“The girl, from the southern town of Knin, had only just started studying German at school and had been reading German books and watching German TV to become better, but was by no means fluent, according to her parents.
Since waking up from her 24 hourcoma however, she has been unable to speak Croatian, but is able to communicate perfectly in German.
Doctors at Split’s KB Hospital claim that the case is so unusual, various experts have examined the girl as they try to find out what triggered the change.
Hospital director Dujomir Marasovic said: “You never know when recovering from such a trauma how the brain will react. Obviously we have some theories although at the moment we are limited in what we can say because we have to respect the privacy of the patient.”
Psychiatric expert Dr Mijo Milas added: “In earlier times this would have been referred to as a miracle, we prefer to think that there must be a logical explanation – its just that we haven’t found it yet.
“There are references to cases where people who have been seriously ill and perhaps in a coma have woken up being able to speak other languages – sometimes even the Biblical languages such as that spoken in old Babylon or Egypt – at the moment though any speculation would remain just that – speculation – so it’s better to continue tests until we actually know something.”"
Read more at The Telegraph
Appalling
(Picture by local artist)
Heartfelt letter received by our own Phillis yesterday, regarding my portrait of Bush Jnr. above. Brilliant.
Dear Mr. Brown
The disrespect you show for the highest office of the land in the United States of America is reprehensible and the lowest, cheapest form of denigration imaginable. How disgusting that you would choose to interpret the former President of the United States in such a way.
Absolutely appalling!
I was very impressed by the caricatures of other famous people, too bad you are so immature. No matter what my politics are, I would never treat the present President in such a way, regardless of whether I agree with his beliefs or not.
Signed,
Susan Abernethy
The Most Colourful Tree On Earth
“The Rainbow Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus deglupta) or Mindanao Gum is the only species of Eucalyptus tree found in the northern hemisphere. As if that weren’t extraordinary enough, the up to 70-m tall tree also shines in the colours of the rainbow: its bark can take on a yellow, green, orange and even purple shading!
The unusual phenomenon is caused by patches of bark shedding at different times. The different colours are therefore indicators of the age of the bark: Freshly shed outer bark will reveal the bright green inner bark. This darkens over time and changes from blue to purple and then reaches orange and maroon tones.”
Read more at Environmental Graffiti
Penn & Teller in London!
(Picture by local artist)
Advance warning. You heard it here first. Do not, repeat DO NOT miss out on this one. They very rarely come to London, and they’re the best magic show in the world. Penn & Teller - the eternally cool bad-boys of magic – are rocking the Hammersmith Apollo from 14-17 July. Just a few nights, and it will pack right out. I saw it in Vegas a few years ago with Andy and Coops and we found ourselves gasping out loud and utterly mesmerised. It’s ingenious, funny, heartbreaking and provocative, and if there was ever a must-see in the world of magic, this is it.
The link is here – tickets go on sale on Friday.
Get in there quick, and if you find it sold out, keep trying for returns.
Dx
Does Handling Cash Have Painkilling Effects?
“Handling a wad of cash may be as good at killing pain than ibuprofen or aspirin, a new study suggests. Researchers at the University of Minnesota carried out a series of studies which revealed those who counted money before taking part in an experiment where they were subjected to low levels of pain felt less discomfort than those who did not.
Its thought that fondling notes and coins helps ward off pain by boosting feelings of self-worth and self-sufficiency. Previous studies have shown those with a greater sense of self-worth may be more likely to withstand pain. Britain spends at least £500 million a year on over-the-counter painkilling pills and the figure is increasing every year.”
Read more at The Telegraph
American Professor Pushes For ‘UFO Studies’ Degree
“The studying of UFOs and other unexplained phenomena from space should be a legitimate university subject, an American professor, Philip Haseley, has claimed. The New York anthropology professor said the subject should be part of the mainstream as a serious ‘area of study’. The Niagara County Community College, a state university in New York, lecturer said due to the high amount of sightings every year, it should follow that students should be able to investigate phenomenon.
“(A sighting) happens to millions of people (around the world),” he said. “It’s about time we looked into this as a worthy area of study. “It’s important that the whole subject be brought out in the open and investigated.” Prof Haseley, who is also head of the Western New York Mutual UFO Network, an organisation that is focused on UFO research, said there were up to 50 UFO sightings are reported every month across region.
He said the group investigated the sightings in a ‘scientific manner’ using field investigation, radar, astronomy and meteorology. ‘To say we are UFO believers basically implies we are taking this on faith, and that’s not the case. There’s plenty of evidence,’ he said.
Read more at The Telegraph
