New results prove a larger motion covers a smaller one

[Pete McCabe]

Scientists at Harvard have several videos that demonstrate a visual effect called "silencing"

In the first video you see a number of dots in a roughly doughnut shaped pattern. The dots change color, which is very obvious. But when the pattern rotates, the movement of the dots greatly diminishes (i.e. "silences") our ability to perceive the color changes. This same movements silences changes in object brightness, shape, and size.

We all mostly already knew this, but it's always interesting to discover that this is effectively a hardwired part of the system.

[Bob Coyne]

That's really cool. Thanks for posting it!

[Tom Stone]

New results prove a larger motion covers a smaller one

It doesn't prove that the motion has to be larger, to cover a motion that has to be smaller. Just that one motion can cover another.
Because, as Tommy Wonder noted, a small motion can cover a large.

[Jonathan Townsend]

Impressive demonstrations. Thanks for posting that.

I'd go with that serving as evidence in favor of the hypothesis that some large motivated actions can help conceal some visible discrepancies.

[Michael Kamen]

Worth noting that it only works when the focus is on a small point in the center. Easy to eliminate the effect by avoiding that central focus.

[Jonathan Townsend]

So that flashing LED tie clip with a rabbit over a playing card tie is back "in"?