Making Sense - How the Brain Works and Physical Processes - Lecture 1

Explore the fascinating world of human perception in this 57-minute Christmas Lecture from The Royal Institution, where renowned neurobiologist Colin Blakemore examines how the brain processes sensory information and translates it into our understanding of the physical world. Discover the fundamental role that sense organs play as biological instruments of detection and measurement, and learn why without our senses we would be completely helpless despite our intelligence and motivation. Delve into the evolutionary development of the nervous system, from primitive cellular sensitivity to the complex perceptual abilities that define human experience, while understanding how philosophers like Plato, Descartes, and Berkeley, along with physicists such as Newton and Helmholtz, have shaped our comprehension of sensory perception. Examine the limitations of human senses and recognize that our perceptual world represents only a fraction of what exists in nature, as other animals possess remarkable sensory capabilities that create entirely different perceptual realities we can never directly experience. Gain insights into the collaborative relationship between sense organs and the brain in creating the "magic of perception," and understand how each species lives within its own unique sensory world perfectly adapted to its survival needs.