929: David Eagleman | Exploring the Brain's Inner Cosmos

Forms

David Eagleman explains the fascinating phenomenon of synesthesia, where senses blend in unique ways. He shares that around 3% of the population experiences this, with common forms including associating letters with colors or sounds with tastes 1. Each synesthete has a unique experience, often unaware that others perceive the world differently until they encounter information about synesthesia 2.

For example, you remember the dress, blue and white, green and black, whatever. It just so happened that when my wife looked at it, she said, this is dumb. What do you see here? And I happened to see the opposite color she did.

--- David Eagleman

This blending of senses is not a hallucination but a consistent, self-evident truth for those who experience it.

   

Insights

David also delves into the genetic basis of synesthesia, suggesting it may involve multiple genes leading to cross-wiring in the brain. His lab has been studying family trees where synesthesia is prevalent to uncover these genetic links 3. He proposes that synesthesia might explain why some people claim to hear sounds when observing the Northern Lights, despite no measurable noise 4.

My lab has been looking for the genetics for this for a long time. So we've collected up these massive family trees where synesthesia runs through the tree, and we're still working on this.

--- David Eagleman

This hypothesis highlights the diverse ways in which human perception can vary.