From Jeremy Joubert
Carolyn Drake and Mari Reiss Jones theorised that the world is perceived in
pulses, rather than a steady stream
(4 August, p 32). If this theory is valid,
it could explain how the world seems to slow down during moments of intense
danger. Perhaps in response to extreme stress, the brain is able to increase the
frequency at which it samples its environment, thus creating a slow-motion
effect in the same way that increasing the number of frames per second in a cine
camera does.
It may also explain why some people are better than others at sports
requiring eye-hand coordination. Top players like Pat Rafter and Lance Klusener
may have a naturally faster sampling rate, allowing them to track a fast-moving
ball better than others. If this is the case, it would be interesting to see if
there is some way of training this ability.
Brisbane, Queensland
