Humans can learn mind-blowing ‘sixth sense’: study

For the blind, better navigation might be just a click of the tongue away.

A study from Durham University, published in the Public Library of Science Journal One, examined how individuals with vision loss can use echolocation — a type of sonar used by animals in nature, where they emit a sound that bounces off objects — to get around. 

The study involved blind and sighted participants between the ages of 21 and 79, who were taught to click their tongues as a way of taking in their surroundings. Over the course of 10 weeks, the individuals took part in 20, two-to-three hour-long “click echolocation” training sessions outside the lab. 

During that time, they learned how to make the clicking noise with their tongue, and use the sounds to help them navigate through various mazes with tricky layouts, including corridors with sharp intersections and zig-zags. They also figured out how to identify the size and orientation of objects and surfaces in their paths, all following the echos from their mouth clicks.

During the final weeks, participants tested their skills in new mazes. Researchers observed fewer collisions compared to the beginning of the training, despite participants being asked to move through unfamiliar environments. 

Researchers noted that echolocators can be taught to “see” their surroundings by tapping into visual parts of the brain, noting that the skill can be developed well into adulthood and even old age. Indeed, blind individuals up to age 79 were able to learn the echolocation skill with ease. Older individuals had no more collisions than their younger counterparts, though youngsters did finish the maze faster, according to ScienceAlert.

Three months after the study was over, blind participants confirmed that they were still using echolocation techniques, and 10 out of 12 of them said the skill improved their independence and overall wellbeing. 

As the authors noted: “Training led to remarkable behavioral changes for all participants.”