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'Can anyone hear that picture?' | 'Can anyone hear that picture?' |
(about 4 hours later) | |
US scientists have discovered people who can "hear" what they see. | US scientists have discovered people who can "hear" what they see. |
The rare form of synaesthesia - a condition where senses intermingle - came to light after a student reported "hearing sounds" from a screensaver. | The rare form of synaesthesia - a condition where senses intermingle - came to light after a student reported "hearing sounds" from a screensaver. |
Researchers at the California Institute of Technology then found three more people with the same condition, New Scientist magazine reported. | Researchers at the California Institute of Technology then found three more people with the same condition, New Scientist magazine reported. |
Those affected performed better in tests of recognising visual patterns than those without the condition. | Those affected performed better in tests of recognising visual patterns than those without the condition. |
A more common form of the condition is being able to perceive numbers or letters as colours. | A more common form of the condition is being able to perceive numbers or letters as colours. |
It's common to find people who have it the other way round - so they see colour when they hear music Dr Julia Simner, Edinburgh University | It's common to find people who have it the other way round - so they see colour when they hear music Dr Julia Simner, Edinburgh University |
Several artists have been linked with the condition, including David Hockney who is able to see colour when listening to music. | Several artists have been linked with the condition, including David Hockney who is able to see colour when listening to music. |
Dr Melissa Saenz discovered the phenomenon when a group of students were being shown around her lab and one asked if anyone else could hear a pattern of moving dots on a computer screen. | Dr Melissa Saenz discovered the phenomenon when a group of students were being shown around her lab and one asked if anyone else could hear a pattern of moving dots on a computer screen. |
When she questioned him further she realised he matched the criteria for synaesthesia - he had experienced it all his life and it happened with lots of different moving images. | When she questioned him further she realised he matched the criteria for synaesthesia - he had experienced it all his life and it happened with lots of different moving images. |
By sending the moving dots image to hundreds of other volunteers, she found three others who could also hear sounds, such as tapping, whirring or whooshing, when watching it. | By sending the moving dots image to hundreds of other volunteers, she found three others who could also hear sounds, such as tapping, whirring or whooshing, when watching it. |
Tests | Tests |
To double check they did have synaesthesia she tested their ability to recognise a series of visual patterns. | To double check they did have synaesthesia she tested their ability to recognise a series of visual patterns. |
They either heard a pair of series of beeps or watched a pair of a series of flashes and had to say whether they matched. | They either heard a pair of series of beeps or watched a pair of a series of flashes and had to say whether they matched. |
Both groups were accurate 85% of the time when they heard the pattern, the results published in Current Biology show. | |
Can you hear these dots? | Can you hear these dots? |
But when watching it, the individuals with synaesthesia remained 85% accurate while the others dropped to only 55% accuracy. | But when watching it, the individuals with synaesthesia remained 85% accurate while the others dropped to only 55% accuracy. |
Dr Saenz said: "I was surprised to realise this particular form had not been reported before and I wanted to see how common it was. | Dr Saenz said: "I was surprised to realise this particular form had not been reported before and I wanted to see how common it was. |
"The goal of the study was to objectively determine if the sound perception was real." | "The goal of the study was to objectively determine if the sound perception was real." |
Dr Julia Simner, who researches synaesthesia at the University of Edinburgh said some forms of the condition were more common than others. | Dr Julia Simner, who researches synaesthesia at the University of Edinburgh said some forms of the condition were more common than others. |
"It's common to find people who have it the other way round - so they see colour when they hear music. | "It's common to find people who have it the other way round - so they see colour when they hear music. |
"The very nice thing about this paper is they have been able to document a kind which we knew was out there but for which we only had hazy knowledge." | "The very nice thing about this paper is they have been able to document a kind which we knew was out there but for which we only had hazy knowledge." |