Hearing the Light: Skipping Pylons and the Strange Sound of Silent Motion

Can you hear through your eyes? When the viral ‘jumping pylon’ gif hit the internet recently, many people discovered they could ‘hear’ juddering or thudding sensations evoked by moving images.

Neuroscientist Elliot Freeman has had a head start researching this ‘visual-ear’ phenomenon, having experienced it most of his life. He will present his latest findings from internet surveys, brain stimulation experiments and neuroimaging, which reveal what kinds of people have a ‘visual ear’, and what their brains might be doing.

Dr Freeman is a Senior Lecturer and researcher in perceptual neuroscience at City, University of London, and has authored numerous articles on individual differences in perception. His work has featured in New Scientist, Guardian, Le Monde, Canada National Post, and New York Times.