Baffling body illusions

Confuse your body with eight illusions to experiment with your sense of 'proprioception'.

a girl in school uniform is tryin to solve a maze by looking at its reflection in the mirror
Mirror maze illusion, Image credit: The Royal Institution

Aims

Make a series of body illusions.

ExpeRiment with your own body and sense.

Learn how our senses need to work together.

About this activity

Alex and the pupils of Ben Jonson Primary School experiment with their sense of proprioception: our awareness of our body. By doing eight different illusions that trick your understanding of your own body, they learn how their senses work, and how they can be confused by conflicting information. In the process, they learn how our sense combine to create the full perception we have of the world. 

Remember, everyone responds differently to these illusions. Some people won’t feel the effects of some activities, and that’s why it’s good to try as many as possible. As you do them, think about why they might work better on some people than others. 

The Royal Institution is closed 19 March

The Ri is closed this week on Tuesday 19 March.