Your Brain: Perception and Control

Are we really in control of our own minds? Research suggests our sense of control may be far more fragile – and far stranger – than we imagine. From moments when the body seems to act without us, to the eerie ways our brains can warp what we think we’ve heard, scientists are uncovering a picture of the mind that’s anything but straightforward. And beneath it all lies a surprising discovery: the brain is less an observer of reality than a prediction engine, forever guessing what comes next.To watch the full film, visit https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/series/your-brain/ Learn more about NOVA and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Feb 17, 2026

What this episode covers

Are we really in control of our own minds? Research suggests our sense of control may be far more fragile – and far stranger – than we imagine. From moments when the body seems to act without us, to the eerie ways our brains can warp what we think we’ve heard, scientists are uncovering a picture of the mind that’s anything but straightforward. And beneath it all lies a surprising discovery: the brain is less an observer of reality than a prediction engine, forever guessing what comes next. To watch the full film, visit https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/series/your-brain/ Learn more about NOVA and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

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