Richard Wiseman's Blog, page 12

New lion-mouse illusion

DB sent me this great illusion, with an upside down lion becoming a mouse! I hadn’t seen it before – enjoy!

Time to play agony aunt!

Time for a fun little experiment.  Imagine that you are an agony aunt and someone sends you the following problem…..

“My sister was going out with someone for 10 years. Then they split up, and she found a new guy online within a couple of months. She claims to be madly in love with him and says he’s very romantic, but I took an instant dislike to him. It’s difficult to say what it is, but I just find him creepy.”

What would you say?  Please…

1) Feel free to post your advice in the comments section below

2) Read other peoples’ comments – if you think the advice is good, press the ‘thumbs up’ button

Let’s see who can come up with the best advice!

Take part in a quick survey on sleep and willpower!

I have just launched a new survey on the relationship between sleep and willpower, and would love as many people as possible to take part.  It only takes about a minute, and all you have to do is clip the link here (I think there is an issue for some iPad users, but we are working to fix that – everyone else will be fine!). Many thanks. Much appreciated.

10 bets you will always win!

Hi there, I have just posted a new Quirkology video containing another 10 bets you will always win.  What’s your favourite?

What do your fingers say about you?

I am going to be posting quite a few videos onto my In59Seconds channel very soon.  Here is the first one, describing a simple test supported by about 500 research papers (see here). So, what do your fingers say about you?

 

Answer to the Friday Puzzle…

Soon Friday I set this puzzle…

The day before yesterday Edward was 17.  Next year he will be 20.  How can that be the case?

If you have not tried to answer it, have a go now.  For everyone else the answer is after the break.

This sentence was made on 1st January.  Edward’s birthday is the 31st December.  He was 17 the day before yesterday.  He was 18 yesterday.  He will be 19 this year, and 20 next year!

I have produced an ebook containing 101 of the previous Friday Puzzles! It is called PUZZLED and is available for the Kindle (UK here and USA here) and on the iBookstore (UK here in the USA here). You can try 101 of the puzzles for free here.

It’s the Friday Puzzle!

If you are visiting the Edinburgh Festival over the weekend, I shall be presenting the last three performances of my new interactive psychology-based show Experimental. Details here, and there is a little video about the show below…

So here is this weeks puzzle.

The day before yesterday Edward was 17.  Next year he will be 20.  How can that be the case?

I have produced an ebook containing 101 of the previous Friday Puzzles! It is called PUZZLED and is available for the Kindle (UK here and USA here) and on the iBookstore (UK here in the USA here). You can try 101 of the puzzles for free here.

Answer to the Friday Puzzle…

On Friday I posted this puzzle….

When the day after tomorrow is yesterday, today will be as far from Sunday as today was from Sunday when the day before yesterday is tomorrow.  What day is today?

If you have not tried to solve it, have a go now.  For everyone else the answer is after the break.

Today is Sunday!

I have produced an ebook containing 101 of the previous Friday Puzzles! It is called PUZZLED and is available for the Kindle (UK here and USA here) and on the iBookstore (UK here in the USA here). You can try 101 of the puzzles for free here.

It’s the Friday Puzzle!

Sorry that this post is somewhat later than usual.  I have been a tad busy.  So, if you are visiting the Edinburgh Festival, I shall be presenting the premiere of my new interactive psychology-based show Experimental. Details here, and there is a little video about the show below…

So here is this weeks puzzle.

When the day after tomorrow is yesterday, today will be as far from Sunday as today was from Sunday when the day before yesterday is tomorrow.  What day is today?

I have produced an ebook containing 101 of the previous Friday Puzzles! It is called PUZZLED and is available for the Kindle (UK here and USA here) and on the iBookstore (UK here in the USA here). You can try 101 of the puzzles for free here.

Answer to the Friday Puzzle….

If you are up at the Edinburgh Festival, I shall be talking about the strange science of sleep and dreaming on August 14th.  Do come along, much fun will be had. Details here.

On Friday I posted this puzzle.  Two cyclists are racing around a circular track.  Jon can race around the track in 6 minutes and Eric can race round in 4 minutes.  They start the race on opposite sides of the track.  How many minutes will it take before Eric overtakes Jon?

If you have not tried to solve it, have a go now.  For everyone else the answer is after the break.

12 minutes – but how did you solve it?

I have produced an ebook containing 101 of the previous Friday Puzzles! It is called PUZZLED and is available for the Kindle (UK here and USA here) and on the iBookstore (UK here in the USA here). You can try 101 of the puzzles for free here.