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Dec 1, 2010

Humans Can Only Walk In Circles and We Don't Know Why

Humans can't walk in straight lines. If there's no fixed point of reference, we just walk in circles and inevitably get lost. Nobody knows why, but researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics have confirmed it in several experiments.

If you walk, drive or sail blindfolded, in the middle of the fog or at night, with no stars in sight, you will not be able to keep a straight line. No matter how hard you try, you will end going in circles because, for some mysterious reason, humans have a tendency to lean to one side more than the other. Some people speculate that this is because one side of the brain is the dominating one. Others point out that the reason may be purely mechanical, because one of our legs is always sightly shorter than the other. But, according to the results of the study, these are not the causes for this unique behavior. At least, there's not one single explanation and it may be a combination of many.

Whatever it is, don't get into a dark forest without a compass—screw the GPS.

29 comments:

Shimizu said...

lol thats interesting, actually

Vapor said...

I didn't know that one leg is always shorter than the other.

SuciƓ Sanchez said...

Good advice.

Das Auto! said...

i walk in a square.

Anonymous said...

I've actually heard about this before.
Because there were a group of people stranded in a car during a snow storm, and the guy got out to try to get help, but it was completely white so he couldn't see anything, so he eventually just ended up walking in circles, and eventually died. Sad.

Willow said...

Sound slike getting lost in a forest....

Major Mack said...

I'm lost! save me!

stm said...

this is why i don't walk.

Krichevskoy said...

haha!
now i know why i wasnt going anywere

Anonymous said...

Wow, that's really cool.

SimsGuy said...

Shit, I can get lost in a round room, much less a forest.

me said...

I walk in trapezoids.

Anonymous said...

thats wild, never knew that

SpringyB said...

I actually saw a video on this just this morning. Strange.

Fred said...

This logic is infallible.

Pancho Martinez said...

damn trip out on that, im going to have to try that out.

honkhonkpt said...

Hmm never heard of this. Kind of strange.

Unknown said...

I tried this out by closing my eyes. It's actually true.

royevans said...

because you spend me right round baby right round like a record baby round round right round.

The Game Store Guy said...

Huh. Fascinating bit of news. It's possible that it is somehow related to something innately territorial from before cognitive reasoning?

Aaron said...

This is an awesome thing to write about! I think it is because really a straight line rarely exists in nature. Every "line" is a circle if you carry it out far enough. I think it's just geometric principles such as lines not being applicable to organic matter.

Sam said...

Think it has something to do with us using our sight the most of all our senses. If i'm not mistaken sight is the main source of engaging the world for human beings

JRam said...

You know, I have never actually heard about a study like this. This is fascinating and seems true. Are there animals who can keep walking straight when blind?

poorfags said...

Really ete opening.

Pawawanpi said...

I always lean to my left. But this was quite an interesting tid-bit to learn about.
I looked through your blog and saw lots of interesting stuff. I'll be following you from now on. ^^

Diego said...

Mhh, never come to think of it

Interesting

Christie Klein said...

I think it has something to do with the tides and the flow of liquid in the body.

Smatchimo said...

In the movie Sahara, i think they talk about this. has something to do with your stride and how your dominate foot effects it. maybe?

bubba said...

i like this post!!!