TITLE
New York: An Optical Illusion at the Marathon:
The Waterfall Effect
DESCRIPTION
From the article:
VIDEO TO WATCH
“Test yourself with this video. The waterfall effect is a subtle optical illusion that sometimes happens to marathon fans. After someone cheers for runners for a long time, stationary objects may appear to move.”
This is also known as a motion effect optical illusion.
SOURCE
New York Times, October 31, 2015, by Hagar and Simons
LINK TO RESOURCE
http://www.nytimes.com/video/sports/100000004010457/do-you-experience-the-waterfall-effect.html?emc=edit_th_20151101&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=38200791
(shortened URL) http://tinyurl.com/nvgturt
CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
•What is an optical illusion?
•After viewing the video, have students discuss their experience?
•What is the historical background to this illusion?
(see this Wikipedia explanation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_aftereffect)
•Listen to the explanation in the video: explain the neurological event in terms of the anatomy (rods and cones as well as movement perception).
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