Anyone who has ever been to a magician’s show has had a moment where they wonder if what they’re seeing is real. Many times, what is truly occurring is simply an optical illusion. While sometimes found in nature, optical illusions are more often the domain of sleight-of-hand or “sorcery” experts, used to amaze crowds and earn applause. How, then, would scientists be able to use these same tricks in any meaningful way?

Through optimal integration, your brain analyzes the sensory information around it and then relays the most sensical of it, which is why the hand-flipping sensation occurred in every participant. Your eyes are telling you that your hand is in the right position, but proprioception is telling you that it isn’t, so your brain sorts through the information and expresses the most reliable information it can. This is because vision is a much more precise sense than proprioception.

The researchers are continuing their study by using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) “to further uncover how the brain calculates and integrates the vast inputs it receives from all the senses.” The tool allows the scientists to see which areas of the brain are in use when participants are performing different tasks. This research could eventually lead to new treatments for those who have suffered from brain injuries or even the loss of a limb.