Like Video Games, Your Brain Has a Physics Engine That Simulates the World

Picture this: you're standing in front of a pile of glistening avocados at a grocery store. You snatch one up, put it in your cart, and wheel off dreaming of nachos and guacamole -- a completely effortless interaction. Now ask yourself: how did you know which avocados you could pick up without toppling the entire pile? Not so simple, huh? To answer the question, neuroscientists are taking a hint from game developers. Much like physical...