TED Talks Daily Can you picture things in your mind? I can't | Alex Rosenthal
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Jan 13, 2026 Imagine a scene, but for some, like Alex Rosenthal, there's nothing to visualize. He dives into aphantasia, a condition where one cannot form mental images, highlighting how our minds can perceive reality in vastly different ways. Alex explores the spectrum of mental imagery and discusses how aphantasia influences cognition, memory, and creativity. He emphasizes neurodiversity, arguing that diverse minds drive innovation and productivity in the workplace. Ultimately, he finds joy in collaboration, celebrating the unique strengths that differing cognitive styles bring to creative projects.
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Visualization Exercise That Reveals Aphantasia
- Alex Rosenthal asked listeners to visualize a rocket crash and an alien knocking on a hatch as an exercise.
- He then revealed he sees nothing, illustrating his personal experience with aphantasia.
Mind's Eye Is A Spectrum
- Alex Rosenthal explains the mind's eye exists on a spectrum from aphantasia to hyperphantasia.
- He notes roughly 2–4% have aphantasia and 3–6% have hyperphantasia, with most people in between.
Aphantasia Alters Memory And Reading
- Aphantasia changes how people read and remember, favoring conceptual over visual processing.
- Rosenthal cannot picture his daughter's face and says out-of-sight things are often out of mind.