Do You See What I See?

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Horizon, 2011-2012 Episode 1 of 15

Duration: 1 hour

Roses are red, violets are blue but according to the latest understanding these colours are really an illusion. One that you create yourself.

Horizon reveals a surprising truth about how we all see the world. You may think a rose is red, the sky is blue and the grass is green, but it now seems that the colours you see may not always be the same as the colours I see. Your age, sex and even mood can affect how you experience colours.

Scientists have unlocked the hidden power that colours can have over your life - how red can make you a winner, how blue makes time speed up, and more.

More episodes

See all episodes from Horizon

  • Can red make you a winner?

    Can red make you a winner?

    Do the colours we see and wear have any affect on our lives – or are they just personal choices with no real result?

    The evidence is starting to emerge that the colour red can make you into a winner – certainly in sport.

    Although football fans will cite their own stories about which colour strip can help their team win, scientists Russell Hill and Iain Greenlees are investigating this question.

    There is evidence gathered from the 2004 Olympics - from the sport of Taekwondo - that wearing red in sport can make you a winner.

  • Himba tribe from Northern Namibia

    Himba tribe from Northern Namibia

    One of the strangest areas of research is how the language you speak can affect how you experience colour. Horizon travels to meet the Himba tribe from Northern Namibia. They have only five words for colour. Their world of colour seems very different to the one we are familiar with.

  • TV BLOG: Do you see the same colours as me?

    TV BLOG: Do you see the same colours as me?

    Horizon director and producer Sophie Robinson on the surprising results from the colour experiments in the programme: "One experiment found that women who are made to feel more psychologically powerful and in control were more sensitive to spotting changes in colour illumination."

    Read and comment on Sophie's post on the BBC TV blog

Credits

Director
Sophie Robinson
Producer
Sophie Robinson

Broadcasts

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