Thursday, April 7, 2011

Shoe Thrower Helps Neuroscience



When President Bush ducked shoes thrown at him, Prime Minister Maliki, standing right beside, barely flinched. This confirmed a theory that we have a dual vision system - human brains "see" things far before the eyes.

President Bush ducked because his brain’s action pathway labeled the trajectory of the shoe as a threat well before his perception pathway began to track its flight. Maliki's brain, however, realized the shoe wasn’t headed his way - so he didn't duck.

The findings have implications for sports, among other things.

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