Why some people can "hear" silent images

The answer, for many of us, is a resounding yes (even if that sound exists only in our own heads). For proof of this, look no further than the”noisy GIF” that went viral on Twitter last December, showing a metal pylon playing jump rope with its buddies. Every time the pylon landed and the image shook, viewers reported hearing an audible thud, even though the GIF was totally silent.

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The phenomenon, Live Science reported at the time, was like a mild form of synesthesia — a sort of cross-wiring of the senses that, in extreme cases, allows people to taste sounds or hear colors. But while less than 4 percent of the population is estimated to be affected with synesthesia to this degree, far more of us are susceptible to “hearing” what we see in little, everyday ways.

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