Mark Changizi

Mark Changizi is an American theoretical cognitive scientist and author whose work explores the intersection of evolutionary biology, neuroscience, and human perception. As an evolutionary neurobiologist, Changizi investigates foundational questions about why humans think, feel, and see as they do. His research addresses topics such as color vision, visual illusions, the evolutionary reasons for forward-facing eyes, the shapes of letters, brain organization, limb and finger count in animals, and the structure of dictionaries. Changizi applies expertise in cognitive science, neurobiology, vision, optics, and language to these areas.

Changizi holds a Bachelor of Science degree in physics and mathematics from the University of Virginia and a doctorate in mathematics from the University of Maryland, College Park. He has held academic positions at institutions including Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, University College Cork, and Duke University. His scientific contributions include research on optical illusions, proposing that the human visual system compensates for neural delays by predicting future events, a concept that helps explain a range of perceptual illusions.

Changizi has authored several books, including "The Brain from 25,000 Feet," "The Vision Revolution," "Harnessed: How Language and Music Mimicked Nature and Transformed Ape to Man," and "Expressly Human: Decoding the Language of Emotion." "Harnessed" was recognized by New Scientist as one of the top ten science books. He also co-authored "On the Origin of Art" with Steven Pinker, Geoffrey Miller, and Brian Boyd, presenting his theory on the origins of art and language at MONA museum in Tasmania.

Changizi has served as director of human cognition at 2ai Labs and co-founded VINO Optics, a company that develops vein-enhancing glasses for medical professionals. He has published more than 30 scientific journal articles, with coverage in news outlets such as the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, USA Today, Time Magazine, Reuters, ABC News, Scientific American, Wired, and Discover Magazine. He has contributed science writing to Forbes, The Atlantic, and New Scientist.

Changizi frequently delivers keynote presentations at scientific conferences, art galleries, and museums, and has appeared on television programs including Discovery Channel's "Head Games" and National Geographic's "Brain Games." TED has featured his research on illusions, color vision, and pruney fingers. Through his work, Changizi offers insights into the evolutionary forces shaping human perception, language, and cognition.