"Magic hat" for awakening talents
There is a theory that each of us is a genius in his own way. Scientists at the University of Sydney, working under the leadership of Professor Allan Snyder, are working on creating a "magic hat" that will allow this theory to be put into practice and open the hidden potential of their brain to those who wish.
Resembling a hairnet, the magic hat uses magnetic pulses to change the nature of the brain's work, which ensures outstanding results during testing. Wearing it for a few minutes improves artistic abilities and the ability to see errors in the text. The authors believe that the improvement of the methodology will allow launching the production of caps to stimulate creativity in the absence of inspiration.
Scientists were inspired to conduct experiments by mentally retarded people who show extraordinary abilities in any limited area, such as the famous character of Dustin Hoffman in the film "Rain Man". Some of these people have incredible computing abilities or an "internal calendar" that allows them to almost instantly determine the day on which a particular date falls. Others surprise with a brilliant artistic talent or reproduce the most complex piece of music after a single listening.
About 10% of people with autism have such incredible abilities, and now scientists have demonstrated that everyone can become a talent for a while. To do this, they used a cap equipped with a magnetic coil that blocks the activity of the left hemisphere of the brain, which usually sees the bigger picture, suppressing the right hemisphere analyzing details.
In one experiment, volunteers were asked to draw a dog, horse, or face from memory before and after a 15-minute blockage of the left hemisphere. 4 out of 11 participants had much more natural images after wearing a magic hat. In the second experiment, two participants found previously missed errors in the text, and in the third test, the device improved the ability to quickly estimate the number of dots on the screen. However, all the observed effects disappeared within an hour.
The technique, known as transcranial magnetic stimulation, has previously demonstrated its effectiveness for the treatment of depression and schizophrenia. The mechanisms of action of this technique are not completely clear, but careful direction of magnetic impulses allows you to stimulate passive or suppress hyperactive areas of the brain.
In this work, the researchers turned off the part of the brain that processes ideas in general, thus providing subconscious processing of details. They believe that the results of the experiments indicate that we all have hidden talents unknown to ourselves. The ultimate goal of their work is to create a "magic hat" that will allow people to fully use their inherent talents.
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru / based on the materials of Gmail – The "thinking cap" that could unlock your inner genius and boost creativity
06.10.2008