That Which You Can’t See: The Curious Case of Aphantasia

Ever had that moment when a tune plays that you know but can’t place? It’s been the backdrop of countless TV shows. That boat is Herb Alpert’s 'A Taste of Honey.'

Years ago, I used similar music for a dessert show on the Food Network. The feedback? We got emails accusing us of using pornography music for a food show. Go figure.

Imagine being asked to picture an apple and seeing only black. That was Sarah Shomstein’s revelation—she realized she had aphantasia, a lack of a 'mind’s eye.' About 1% to 4% of people have it.

Aphantasia isn’t a disorder but a different way of experiencing the world, likely due to brain connection differences. While people with aphantasia can dream and recognize objects, they can’t voluntarily create mental images. It’s a spectrum, with hyperphantasia at the other end, where imagery is vivid.

Adam Zeman, who coined "aphantasia," started studying it when a patient lost his ability to visualize post-surgery. Researchers are now delving deeper into this phenomenon, exploring the mysteries of imagination.

Here