Michael Bach (vision scientist)
Michael Bach (born April 10, 1950) is a German scientist who has done research into ophthalmology, clinical electroencephalography, clinical electroretinography, visual acuity testing, and visual perception. Bach created a website, "Optical Illusions & Visual Phenomena", that received over two million hits a day in 2005. Life and work. Bach was born in Berlin on 10 April 1950. In 1956 he moved with his family to Dortmund, where he attended school. From 1970 to 1972, Bach completed an undergraduate degree in physics at Ruhr University Bochum, then moved to the University of Freiburg, where he studied for a  Master degree in physics. In 1975, he began a part-time position running an electronics workshop in the Department of Psychology, then began as a full-time research assistant in the Department of Neurology in 1978. Bach was awarded his Masters in physics in 1977 and his PhD, also in physics, in 1981 on the visual system. In 1981 he moved into a full-time position in the Department of Ophthalmology, rising to Professor in 1998, and being appointed as Head of Section Visual Function / Electrophysiology, University Eye Hospital in 1999. After Bach's retirement in 2015 he became an  Emeritus Scientist, continuing his research. In 1996, Bach began his service to the International Society for Clinical Electrophysiology of Vision, establishing, with others, standards for clinical electroencephalography, electroretinography and electrooculography and becoming the society's president from 2004 to 2011. In 1975, Bach married Ulrike Röhling. They have three adult children and one grandchild. Research. Bach has conducted research in ophthalmology, electroretinography, and visual perception. One strand of his research has been to develop tests of visual acuity, using verbal responding or using brain activity. As of April 2021, Bach has published 356 scientific papers that have been cited 16602  times, giving him an h-index of 61. According to Neurotree, Bach has 16 academic children and 44 academic grandchildren. Illusions. Bach began his illusions web site as a hobby some time before 2005. He did not appreciate how popular the site was until he discovered that his internet service provider had suspended his account after it received more than one million hits per day. Bach upgraded his account and continued developing the site. As of April, 2021, Bach's site contained 143 illusions, most interactive, and all with Bach's clear explanations. The site and Bach have won plaudits  on the internet, in the news media, and in science journals. The site has also been used in scientific research into illusions.