← All stories
Science

Time-delay experiment can make cause-and-effect feel reversed, David Eagleman says

StarTalk Radio · How The Brain Perceives Time, with David Eagleman · August 31, 2026
Time-delay experiment can make cause-and-effect feel reversed, David Eagleman says
StarTalk Radio
StarTalk Radio
How The Brain Perceives Time, with David Eagleman
"So, after you've gotten used to this 200 millcond delay, I remove it. So, now you hit the button and the light flashes and you say, "Whoa, I didn't do that. It flashed before I hit the button.""
David Eagleman describes an experiment where a button press triggers a flash, while researchers gradually increase the delay between action and flash until participants adapt and perceive it as instant. He says that when the delay is then removed, participants can report that the flash happened before the button press, illustrating how the brain recalibrates timing rather than simply reporting event order.
From this episode
StarTalk Radio
StarTalk Radio

How The Brain Perceives Time, with David Eagleman

September 1, 2026 · 1h 4m · 5 Egleze moments
Read episode summary and key points →

More moments from this episode

ScienceDavid Eagleman argues dreaming keeps the visual cortex active in darknessPsychologyDavid Eagleman argues schizophrenia may involve disrupted time perceptionScienceDavid Eagleman says post-9/11 study found ‘flashbulb’ memories driftScienceDavid Eagleman says fear doesn’t create ‘slow-motion’ perception but can make memories feel longer afterwards
More stories More from StarTalk Radio