Twenty Thousand Hertz cover image

Twenty Thousand Hertz

Seeing Sounds, Tasting Names: The world of synesthesia

Jan 13, 2021
31:05

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Synesthesia is a neurological condition where one sensory experience gets combined with another, resulting in unique sensory connections.
  • Synesthesia has been linked to enhanced creativity and memory abilities, and may have provided an adaptive advantage in prehistoric times.

Deep dives

Synesthesia: How Senses Merge and Connect

Synesthesia is a neurological condition in which individuals experience a merging of their senses. This can manifest as seeing colors when hearing sounds, feeling physical sensations when tasting food, or even associating certain shapes or textures with numbers and letters. Synesthesia is more common than previously thought, with studies suggesting that as many as 1 in 25 people have some form of it. While scientists used to dismiss synesthesia as implausible, advances in brain imaging have proven its existence and led to a reevaluation of our understanding of how the brain is organized.

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts

Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.
App store bannerPlay store banner