The
study asserts that human brains apply an algorithm known as a Kalman filter when tracking an
object's position, which helps the brain process less than
perfect visual signals, such as when
objects move to the periphery
of our visual field where acuity is low.
«Mercury is the
perfect test
object for these experiments because it is so sensitive to the gravitational effect and activity
of the Sun,» said Antonio Genova, the lead author
of the
study published in Nature Communications and a Massachusetts Institute
of Technology researcher working at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.