Time perception
To understand the neural mechanisms of time perception, we combine psychophysical, behavioral, and computational approaches to address the relationship between the timing of perception and the timing of neural signals. We are currently engaged in experiments that explore temporal encoding, time warping, manipulations of the perception of causality, time perception in schizophrenia, and time perception in high-adrenaline situations. We use this data to explore how neural signals processed by different brain regions come together for a temporally unified picture of the world.
- For more about our time research, see coverage by Popular Science magazine, Los Angeles Times, Discovery Channel, PBS, BBC radio, or Discover Magazine. For extra credit in the time domain, do all six at once.
For a popular-science essay that lays out the mysteries of time perception, see my essay Brain Time (published in What's Next? Dispatches on the Future of Science. M. Brockman, Ed).
For a more detailed explanation of the how and why of our scientific approach, see our experimental questions.
From the Blog
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Discussing dreaming with Henry Rollins
I spent an evening speaking at the Rubin Museum in NYC with punk rock legend, writer, and spoken word artist Henry Rollins. We discussed the origin, meaning, neuroscience, and bizarreness of dreams.
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Love Italo Calvino? Me too. Listen to a BBC Radio documentary.
I hosted a BBC radio documentary to explore the imagination of one of Italy's foremost writers, Italo Calvino.
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After school shootings: Why mental illness matters
School shootings spark debate ranging from gun control to bulletproof windows. But the most fruitful approach may be to prioritize our discussion of mental illness.
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Brain Time
The days of thinking of time as a river—evenly flowing, always advancing—are over. Time perception, just like vision, is a construction of the brain.
