PRODUCTIONS: EXTRA-SENSORY PERCEPTIONS

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Carlo & Lodovico Prola

Ditta Prola

26'

SD

They teach us at school that there are five senses through which we perceive the outside world. This may be true for us humans, but not at all for many other living beings. Let’s find out why.
Animal behaviour helps us demolish some common beliefs: for example, we believe that we ”see” with our eyes and “hear” with our ears...well, bats demonstrate otherwise. Eyes can’t help us perceive the outside world when in the dark. But bats, even if they are almost blind, can move with great ease in the dark. Their flying is fast and precise. The secret is in their big ears, similar to parabolic antennae. Their sophisticated navigation system is based on the emission of ultrasounds which travel thru the air and bounce off any object they encounter, then returning to the base. We realize that most of our highly advanced technology is not the result of an original idea!
For example, the rattlesnake should get a patent for its infrared glasses. In fact, these reptiles have special sense organs in the front of their snout called foveas which can detect the heat and infrared radiation emitted by their tiny prey. Thanks to this stunning sixth sense they can sense the presence of their victims even in the dark.
Marine turtles, instead, invented the GPS. These reptiles are capable of perceiving the variations in the terrestrial magnetic field, and to use them to orient themselves during their endless migrations in the ocean. In conclusion, we will learn that many animals, even some we erroneously consider primitive, have an extraordinary ability to perceive a reality, which is unknown to humans.