New exhibit at Science North highlights the science of illusion

Science North’s new exhibit, Phenomena, warps reality with more than 20 hands-on illusions. Lyndsay Aelick has the details.

Science North in Sudbury has unveiled its newest exhibit, PHENOMENA. The exhibit, which runs until April 30, explores the science of illusion, where things are not as they appear.

“It is highly interactive, which we know our visitors love,” said Science North CEO Ashley Larose.

“It’s a little bit different than exhibits that we brought here in the past And so we wanted to give our visitors not just something that would get their minds going, but their bodies, too.”

Larose said the PHENOMENA is very much a hands-on experience for visitors.

“They’re going to get to experience all kinds of different illusions, and we hope that it ignites their curiosity for the rest of their visit at Science North,” she said.

A demonstration of what the exhibit offers can be found in a photo (shown below), the centre released showing an apparently giant Larose standing beside several smaller and smaller guests.

It’s one of 20 illusions featured in the exhibit.

“It’s talking about how your perception may be fooled by these different exhibits and explains how that works,” said Science North bluecoat Bruce Doran.

The exhibit explores “how your brain works in order to interpret certain data that your eyes, ears and other senses may be sending you.”

Open just in time for Family Day on Feb. 16, as well as March Break, the centre is expecting tens of thousands of visitors between now and April 30.

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