See what I'm saying : the extraordinary powers of our five senses /
Lawrence D. Rosenblum.
- 1st ed.
- New York, NY : W. W. Norton, c2010.
- xvi, 350 p. : ill. ; 25 cm.
Includes bibliographical references (p. [297]-329) and index.
Hearing. The sounds of silence ; Perfect pitches, beeping pitches -- Smelling. You smell like dog ; Like Marvin Gaye for your nose -- Tasting. Cold leftovers with a fine North Dakota cabernet -- Touching. Rubber hands and rubber brains ; Touching speech and feeling rainbows -- Seeing. Facing the uncanny valley ; The highest form of flattery -- Multisensory perception. See what I'm saying ; All of the above.
University of California psychologist and researcher Lawrence D. Rosenblum explores the astonishing abilities of the five senses, abilities few of us even know we have. Drawing on groundbreaking insights into the brain's neuroplasticity and integrative powers, including findings from his own research, Rosenblum examines how the brain uses the subtlest information to apprehend the world. A blind person, for example, can "see" through batlike echolocation; wine connoisseurs can actually taste the vintage of an obscure wine; pheromones can signal a lover's compatibility; and an undetected odor can influence our behavior. Rosenblum takes us from the "beep" baseball fields where blind players swing at buzzing balls to a pitch-black restaurant where diners experience taste without the aid of sight, not only illuminating the science behind our sensory powers but also demonstrating how increased awareness of these abilities can actually enhance how we use them.--From publisher description.