What You See Already Happened

Introduction

Have you ever thought about how when you see something, it’s like looking back in time? Even though it just happened, it’s already over by the time you see it. Let’s talk about how our eyes and brain work together to show us the world.

How We See Things

First, let’s talk about how we see. When you look at something, light bounces off it and goes into your eyes. Inside your eyes, this light is changed into messages that go to your brain. Your brain then tells you what you’re looking at. This all happens very fast.

When you see something, light bounces off it into your eyes, travels through the lens, and hits the retina at the back of your eye. There, it becomes electrical signals that your brain turns into images.

The Brain’s Delay

But, there’s a tiny wait before your brain can tell you what you see. It’s like when you watch something live on TV, and there’s a short wait before you see it. Your brain takes about 50 milliseconds to understand the messages from your eyes.

What This Means

So, what does this small wait mean? It means that everything we see has already happened by the time we know what it is. This might not seem like a big deal, but it’s interesting to think about how we’re always a little bit behind what’s happening.

Conclusion

To wrap up, our brains are amazing at showing us the world, but they need a little bit of time to do it. Because of this, everything we see has just turned into the past. Next time you look around, remember that you’re seeing things as they were, not as they are. What do you think about this? Tell us in the comments!