What would it be like to have a “Spidey sense”? Or simply get an echolocation radar sense like any superhero? According to U.C. Berkeley neuroscientist Dr. Bradley Voytek, human beings may be able to use mega senses that aren’t developed yet.
How we get the super abilities
There are mega senses that human beings can develop, according to U.C. Berkeley neuroscientist Dr. Voytek. He said humans have always had access to them. Voytek explains the human mind has unimaginable powers. We are able to hear and see with membranes in our brain. There is not a basic degree of sensitivity in our brain although the cellular processes work with and without our conscious awareness.
Abilities according to Voytek
According to Voytek, our abilities are remarkable. The upper and lower thresholds are much farther away than we realize. Human beings are able to see two photons in the retina. That is the lowest a human can see. As such, it would be possible, in theory, to see a candle flame from miles away, provided the right landscape and weather conditions.
A human should be able to focus and hear the random movement of atoms in particle theory, called Brownian motion, although it is commonly considered to be from 20 Hz to 20,000 kHz.
As few as 30 molecules of something could be smelt by a human. That is another great thing.
Nobody using the ’super senses’
Too much attention is needed to use mega sense which is why human beings do not use them, according to Voytek. The amount of focus required is daunting for a lot of people. There are some tests on the physical limits of human senses. Other senses have to be ignored while doing the test though. Consciously tuning out stimuli from other abilities can raise focused abilities to what some would call super-human acuity. It is important to focus on perception. The longer we focus, the more 3-D images could be created.
Examples around
The abilities can become much better whenever you lose one or two abilities. Ben Underwood and Terry Garrett are examples. They are both blind. Underwood is able to get around however he likes with echolocation as a teenager. He can even roller blade and skateboard. Like a dolphin or bat, Underwood makes a clicking sound that enables his ears and brain to work together to create a Daredevil-like sonar sense. Both Garrett and Underwood are able to use sound to play video games also.
Dr. Voytek and other scientists will not give up until they have developed the understanding they need of the brain and the brain’s senses. We will continue to move forward until we know exactly how to acquire these super human senses.
Articles cited
CBS News
cbsnews.com/stories/2006/07/19/earlyshow/main1817689.shtml
Oscillatory Thoughts
blog.ketyov.com/2011/05/we-are-all-inattentive-superheroes.html
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brownian_motion
Wired
wired.com/gamelife/2011/04/blind-gamer-plays-zelda-by-ear/
Ben Underwood has overcome his blindness without surgery
youtube.com/watch?v=G1QaCeosUmw
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