[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:10.17,0:00:11.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Have you ever noticed
Dialogue: 0,0:00:11.17,0:00:12.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,how the full moon looks bigger
Dialogue: 0,0:00:12.57,0:00:14.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when it's near the horizon
Dialogue: 0,0:00:14.04,0:00:15.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,than when it's high over head?
Dialogue: 0,0:00:15.98,0:00:17.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If so, you're not alone.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:17.53,0:00:19.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,People have wondered about this strange effect
Dialogue: 0,0:00:19.73,0:00:21.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,since ancient times,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:21.10,0:00:23.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and surprisingly, we still don't have
Dialogue: 0,0:00:23.60,0:00:24.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a great explanation,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:24.32,0:00:26.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but that's not for lack of trying.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:26.36,0:00:28.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Some of the greatest minds in history -
Dialogue: 0,0:00:28.63,0:00:29.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Aristotle,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:29.40,0:00:30.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Ptolemy,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:30.08,0:00:30.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Da Vinci,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:30.82,0:00:31.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Decartes
Dialogue: 0,0:00:31.56,0:00:33.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,- have all wrestled with this problem
Dialogue: 0,0:00:33.29,0:00:36.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and failed to generate an adequate explanation.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:36.64,0:00:38.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One of the first ideas suggested
Dialogue: 0,0:00:38.32,0:00:40.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was that the image of the moon in the sky
Dialogue: 0,0:00:40.43,0:00:42.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,really is bigger near the horizon.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:42.80,0:00:45.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Perhaps the Earth's atmosphere acts like a giant lens,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:45.73,0:00:48.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,magnifying the moon as it rises and sets.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:48.34,0:00:50.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But this explanation doesn't cut it.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:50.68,0:00:52.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If anything, the refraction of the atmosphere
Dialogue: 0,0:00:52.82,0:00:55.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,would make the moon look slightly smaller.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:55.10,0:00:56.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Plus, if you actually measure
Dialogue: 0,0:00:56.56,0:00:57.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the size of the visible moon
Dialogue: 0,0:00:57.93,0:00:59.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,at different positions,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:59.94,0:01:00.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it doesn't change at all.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:00.59,0:01:02.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But then, why does it still seem bigger
Dialogue: 0,0:01:02.44,0:01:03.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,when it's rising?
Dialogue: 0,0:01:03.82,0:01:06.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This must be some kind of optical illusion.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:06.14,0:01:08.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The question is, which one?
Dialogue: 0,0:01:08.21,0:01:11.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One explanation is the Ebbinghaus Illusion,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:11.11,0:01:13.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where two identical objects look different
Dialogue: 0,0:01:13.33,0:01:14.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because of the relative size
Dialogue: 0,0:01:14.80,0:01:17.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of the objects they're surrounded by.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:17.10,0:01:21.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Here the two center circles are actually the same size.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:21.30,0:01:23.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Maybe the moon looks bigger near the horizon
Dialogue: 0,0:01:23.32,0:01:25.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because it's next to tiny trees,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:25.21,0:01:25.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,houses,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:25.84,0:01:27.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and towers in the distance.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:27.68,0:01:29.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But when the moon is higher up,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:29.14,0:01:31.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's surrounded by the vast darkness of the night sky
Dialogue: 0,0:01:31.65,0:01:34.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and looks tiny by comparison.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:34.13,0:01:37.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Another possibility is the famous Ponzo Illusion.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:37.10,0:01:39.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If you've ever tried to draw in perspective,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:39.52,0:01:41.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you know that the closer something is to the horizon,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:41.86,0:01:43.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the smaller you should draw it.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:43.82,0:01:46.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Our brain compensates automatically for this
Dialogue: 0,0:01:46.59,0:01:48.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,by perceiving objects near the horizon
Dialogue: 0,0:01:48.71,0:01:50.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as larger than they actually appear.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:50.88,0:01:52.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The two yellow lines in this drawing
Dialogue: 0,0:01:52.79,0:01:53.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,are the same size,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:53.90,0:01:55.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but the upper one seems bigger
Dialogue: 0,0:01:55.57,0:01:57.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because we interpret it as receding
Dialogue: 0,0:01:57.41,0:01:59.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,farther into the horizon.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:59.04,0:02:01.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, between Ponzo and Ebbinghaus,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:01.38,0:02:02.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it seems like we've solved the mystery
Dialogue: 0,0:02:02.91,0:02:03.100,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of the moon illusion,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:03.100,0:02:06.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but, unfortunately, there are a few details
Dialogue: 0,0:02:06.38,0:02:08.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that complicate things.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:08.38,0:02:11.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For one thing, if this was just the Ebbinghaus effect,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:11.35,0:02:12.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then we would expect the moon illusion
Dialogue: 0,0:02:12.88,0:02:16.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to disappear for pilots flying high above the clouds
Dialogue: 0,0:02:16.11,0:02:18.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,since there wouldn't be any other smaller objects
Dialogue: 0,0:02:18.07,0:02:19.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,near the horizon.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:19.60,0:02:22.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But in fact, pilots and sailors out on the ocean
Dialogue: 0,0:02:22.60,0:02:24.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,still claim to see the moon illusion.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:24.82,0:02:27.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,On the other hand, if it's just our brain's autocorrecting
Dialogue: 0,0:02:27.52,0:02:29.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the size of objects near the horizon,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:29.66,0:02:31.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then we'd expect the moon illusion
Dialogue: 0,0:02:31.20,0:02:33.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to be visible inside a planetarium,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:33.49,0:02:34.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where the whole sky,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:34.45,0:02:35.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,including the horizon,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:35.62,0:02:38.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is displayed on a spherical dome overhead.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:38.79,0:02:40.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Studies have shown, though,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:40.43,0:02:42.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that this is not the case.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:42.14,0:02:43.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,To make matters worse,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:43.26,0:02:45.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it seems the moon illusion disappears entirely
Dialogue: 0,0:02:45.93,0:02:47.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,if you just bend over
Dialogue: 0,0:02:47.01,0:02:49.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and look at the moon between your legs.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:49.07,0:02:51.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, this is just getting ridiculous!
Dialogue: 0,0:02:52.47,0:02:54.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One of the most promising explanations today
Dialogue: 0,0:02:54.55,0:02:57.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is known as Convergence Micropsia.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:57.38,0:02:59.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Our brains judge the distance to objects
Dialogue: 0,0:02:59.57,0:03:01.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and their apparent size
Dialogue: 0,0:03:01.11,0:03:03.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,by the focus of our eyes.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:03.06,0:03:04.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When looking at the horizon,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:04.53,0:03:06.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,your eyes focus far off into the distance
Dialogue: 0,0:03:06.86,0:03:09.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so your brain knows you're looking far away.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:09.20,0:03:11.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The moon appears a certain size.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:11.18,0:03:12.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Your brain thinks it's far away,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:12.86,0:03:13.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which it is,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:13.70,0:03:16.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so you naturally conclude the moon must be big.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:16.58,0:03:18.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But when looking up at the night sky,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:18.62,0:03:20.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,there's nothing for your eyes to focus on,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:20.50,0:03:22.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so they default to their rest focus,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:22.34,0:03:25.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which is a point just a few meters away.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:25.26,0:03:27.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now your brain thinks the moon is much closer
Dialogue: 0,0:03:27.18,0:03:28.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,than it really is,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:28.34,0:03:29.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so you naturally conclude
Dialogue: 0,0:03:29.43,0:03:32.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the moon's not as big as you thought it was.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:32.17,0:03:33.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Rather than explain why the moon
Dialogue: 0,0:03:33.81,0:03:35.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,looks so big near the horizon,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:35.64,0:03:37.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Convergence Microspia explains
Dialogue: 0,0:03:37.43,0:03:40.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,why the moon looks so small when overhead.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:40.31,0:03:42.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Still not satisfied?
Dialogue: 0,0:03:42.12,0:03:44.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, frankly, neither are many scientists,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:44.85,0:03:47.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so the debate over the moon illusion still rages on
Dialogue: 0,0:03:47.84,0:03:50.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and may continue as long as we still see it
Dialogue: 0,0:03:50.35,0:03:51.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in the night sky.