Perspective

### Cold Open

"We all have a unique point of view. No one else sees the world exactly like you do. But have you ever stopped to wonder, is your perspective really a true representation of reality? Or is your reality actually being created by your brain? To get a better look, we're in Las Vegas.. Your brain is constantly taking in, analyzing and interpreting the visual stimuli that enters your eyes. That's why roughly one-third of your brain is dedicated to processing vision. But with so much data to crunch, are you really getting an accurate portrayal of the world around you? Because it's not just what you see, but how you see it, that affects your perception of reality. The word for that, is perspective. The slightest shift in perspective, can change everything. All too often, it's the simple illusions of light and shadow that warp your brain's perspective of reality. "

## Games

### Game #1: The Box

Your brain is roughly the same size as the box shown, which seems illogical. But what's the deceiving look?

Result: Eric was able to put all of the boxes inside of each other and vice versa.

So: What you don't see is what creates the temporary disconnect between what's real and what's impossible, no matter what your eyes tell you.

### Game #2: The Camels

This looks like a bunch of camels, right?

Result: Yep, but it's actually the shadows.

So: Your brain has tendency to assume that you see most things from one angle: Eye level. Which is why you might have noticed the camels a half-second later once we zoomed in to so your brain gives you a better view. This is called mental rotation.

### Game #3: The Holes

How many bumps and craters do you see?

Result: You probably saw the same amount as everyone else.

We're going to flip it upside down.

Result: Now you probably see the opposite.

Why: It has to do with the sun. Over hundreds and thousands of years of human evolution, people used the sun to determine time of day, and because shadows are created by the light's direction to your brain, the shading on the bottom, if dark, it's going to be a bump because the darker shading is a shadow cast by a light source , meaning it's a bump. if the darker shading on top, light isn't hitting it, signaling to your brain that's it a crater. Distance, depth and height are important to your brain to enhance your perspective.

### Game #4: The Lines

Which line is longer?

Result: Even if you know it's a trick question, it just seems like the vertical line is longer.

Why: If you look in the room around you, you're taking in a lot of info at eye level, but not a lot on the floor or the ceiling because we are so used to widescreen and not height screen. So we are much better at estimating width and depth. But there's a good reason for that. If you can't see what's in front of you, we would be worse off.

### Game #5: Tipsy Vows

Using special goggles, what happens when their perspective is shifted off a wedding couple 30 degrees to the right.

Result: They fail to do anything right, we shifted their perspective, so it's expected.

But it's time to try again after 10 minutes.

Result: They can get a kiss right, because their brains adapted to the goggles.

So: Your brain will do whatever it takes to make sense of the world around you, using neuroplasticty.

But what happens when we put the final toast without the goggles.

Result: It was a disaster due to the fact that being adapted to the goggles, he was now having the problem in reverse.

How: Your brain places a huge emphasis on depth perception and few other functions can rewire so quickly and interacting with your physical environment is a top priority for survival.

### Game #6: Magic

Your brain is constantly making assumptions. The circle is 2D, and the cube is 3D.

Result: They flipped the perspectives.

So: Your brain will assume that light hitting the retina in a pattern suggesting 3D will assume 3D. But when it turns 2D, it takes your brain a bit to let go of the old idea.

### Game #7: Hear the Dots

How many times do the dots change speed?

Result: Like most people, you probably said at least once. But they're only changing in your brain.

#### Brain Booster:

Neurons can transmit signals at 268 miles per hour. Is that...

A. Faster than the speed of light

B. As fast as a Cheetah

C. 10 times faster than the fastest human.

The correct answer is C. a Neuron would lap Usain Bolt 9 times in the 100-meter dash.

Why: The Superior Colluicus, in charge of matching sounds to visual info. But while images may control sound, but the opposite is also true.

### Game #8: Off to the Races

There are three flashes. Which two flashes in between is longer?

Result: You probably said the second flash, but it's exactly the same time for both.

Why: Distance can change your perception of time, which may cause your brain to overestimate. Your brain assumes a car will go from A to B in a certain amount of time. If something travels farther, it must take more time, to your brain at least.

### Game #9: The Final Test

Put your perspective skills to the test.

Result: You'll have to figure it out.

### Trivia

* This episode holds the record for most games played in a single 20-minute episode(The Jason Silva Era)

## List of Experts

* Jim Coan
* Marco Tempest(Illusionist)
* Eric Leclerc(Illusionist)