December 2007 PMID 18074019

Does time really slow down during a frightening event?

Chess Stetson, Matthew P Fiesta, David M Eagleman

Mentions

113
Peak: 2 in Jun 2020
across 7 sources since Jun 2019

Extended reach

457,205
potential audience

Total likes

4,287

Video views

205,785

Mentions per month

Jun 2019 – Nov 2025

Where it's discussed

  • News63 articles
  • Blogs28 articles
  • X / Twitter12 posts
  • YouTube4 videos
  • Facebook3 posts
  • Reddit2 posts
  • Bluesky1 posts

AI synopsis

What people are saying

The discussions highlight curiosity about how perceptions of time are influenced by memory rather than real-time changes, with examples such as references to experiments involving free fall and visual cue limitations. The tone varies from scientific queries to casual remarks, demonstrating both interest and engagement, while acknowledging the study's potential to influence understanding of human perception.

AgreementModerate agreement

Most discussions acknowledge the study's conclusion that perception of time slowing is about memory, showing general agreement with the article's findings.

InterestHigh interest

Many posts express curiosity and enthusiasm about understanding time perception, indicating high interest in the topic.

EngagementModerate engagement

Some discussions delve into how visual cues and experimental details challenge or support the findings, showing moderate engagement.

ImpactModerate impact

Participants seem to recognize that this research clarifies common misconceptions, suggesting a modest but meaningful impact on understanding perception and memory.

Abstract in brief

  • Observers often feel like time slows down during frightening events, but it's unclear whether this is due to actual changes in perception or just how memories are recalled.
  • The study measured visual perception during a controlled free fall and found no evidence that time perception actually sped up, even though participants later thought the fall lasted longer than it did.
  • The results suggest that the feeling of time slowing is more about how we remember events rather than how we perceive them in the moment, with memory encoding playing a key role in the perceived duration.]

Top posts

Most liked on X and Bluesky
HaguraN
@nhagura · X

イーグルマンといえば、https://t.co/y2wF3ewkKF と https://t.co/sNsCdS510x あとはバンジージャンプのこれ! https://t.co/YRFr1ThXiV 時間知覚や因果のメカニズムをちゃんと真面目に考えた研究とそのクールな実験デザインの数々、学生の頃からとても影響を受けた、憧れの研究者の一人でした。 https://t.co/yYessrGKUa

May 25, 2022 · 7 likes · 660 followers View post →
堀田秀吾@明治大学法学部教授(法と言語と心理と脳科学)
@syugo_h · X

事故の瞬間はスローモンションのように感じたという話はよく聞くが、どうやらそれは気のせいで、実際には回想するときにゆっくりに感じているだけらしい。 https://t.co/J7nYo6IUEm

Aug 6, 2022 · 6 likes · 2,958 followers View post →
IainC
@1a1nC · X

@davepl1968 @OfficialPCMR Not exctly true, current research suggests we can't process visual cues less than 13ms duration (about 1/75th of a second) We do remember things vividly when scared/excited but not at higher framerates. We threw people off buildings to test this! https://t.co/w1B41uBRtL

Apr 2, 2024 · 5 likes · 30 followers View post →
David White
@davidwhitephd · X

@SBMost @profajbarnier @UNSW Yes and once that agreement is executed I think the next step is to decide which are the riskiest cognitive experiments we can video you replicating ... this for starters? https://t.co/3YOlCUfJ0X

Jun 25, 2020 · 3 likes · 862 followers View post →
Vivien M Bourse
@VivienMarmelat · X

How long does 1 min last? 60 seconds yes, you're so smart! But how does YOUR brain make this estimation? How accurate is it? Does it change with age, or in threatening situations? Come check out my new video to find out! (English subtitles available) https://t.co/teoGMCCTiN

Jun 14, 2021 · 2 likes · 629 followers View post →
delysis
@delysis · X

@liminal_warmth https://t.co/a01Pzroqx5

Apr 1, 2021 · 1 like · 427 followers View post →

All mentions

Phitrader 1.618 ɸ
@MDPhitrader · X

@StuartHameroff https://t.co/HxaFLA6rtv.

Jan 11, 2025 · 626 followers View post →
Gabriel Belmar
@elareadebroca.bsky.social · Bluesky

Gabriela, Orozco-Calderón. (2018). El cerebro y la percepción del tiempo. Stetson C, Fiesta MP, Eagleman DM (2007) Does Time Really Slow Down during a Frightening Event? PLoS ONE 2(12): e1295. Vargas, E., & Espinoza, R. (2013). Tiempo y edad biológica. Arbor, 189(760), a022-a022.

Dec 4, 2024 · 1 share View post →
IainC
@1a1nC · X

@davepl1968 @OfficialPCMR Not exctly true, current research suggests we can't process visual cues less than 13ms duration (about 1/75th of a second) We do remember things vividly when scared/excited but not at higher framerates. We threw people off buildings to test this! https://t.co/w1B41uBRtL

Apr 2, 2024 · 5 likes · 30 followers View post →
b-korb.bsky.social
@bruckorb · X

@OurShallowState @MuellerSheWrote I got curious to see if I could find it again: https://t.co/ST31Hy9R3Z

May 19, 2023 · 455 followers View post →
堀田秀吾@明治大学法学部教授(法と言語と心理と脳科学)
@syugo_h · X

事故の瞬間はスローモンションのように感じたという話はよく聞くが、どうやらそれは気のせいで、実際には回想するときにゆっくりに感じているだけらしい。 https://t.co/J7nYo6IUEm

Aug 6, 2022 · 6 likes · 2,958 followers View post →
HaguraN
@nhagura · X

イーグルマンといえば、https://t.co/y2wF3ewkKF と https://t.co/sNsCdS510x あとはバンジージャンプのこれ! https://t.co/YRFr1ThXiV 時間知覚や因果のメカニズムをちゃんと真面目に考えた研究とそのクールな実験デザインの数々、学生の頃からとても影響を受けた、憧れの研究者の一人でした。 https://t.co/yYessrGKUa

May 25, 2022 · 7 likes · 660 followers View post →
Estigma
@EstigmaLyon · X

Apr 6, 2022 · 255 followers View post →
Vivien M Bourse
@VivienMarmelat · X

How long does 1 min last? 60 seconds yes, you're so smart! But how does YOUR brain make this estimation? How accurate is it? Does it change with age, or in threatening situations? Come check out my new video to find out! (English subtitles available) https://t.co/teoGMCCTiN

Jun 14, 2021 · 2 likes · 629 followers View post →
delysis
@delysis · X

@liminal_warmth https://t.co/a01Pzroqx5

Apr 1, 2021 · 1 like · 427 followers View post →
David White
@davidwhitephd · X

@SBMost @profajbarnier @UNSW Yes and once that agreement is executed I think the next step is to decide which are the riskiest cognitive experiments we can video you replicating ... this for starters? https://t.co/3YOlCUfJ0X

Jun 25, 2020 · 3 likes · 862 followers View post →
Hannah Fry
@FryRsquared · X

@moczilla @BBC6Music Yup - here's the one where they chucked them off a tower: https://t.co/6yoD6VO4n7

Jun 16, 2020 · 239,520 followers View post →
Ilan Musk(and I cannot stress this enough)at
@IlanMuskat · X

@berkun Was this the one? It sort of seems like it's addressing the other extreme. https://t.co/EuDvzU7JwH

Sep 5, 2019 · 709 followers View post →
Alexandra Freeman
@alex_freeman · X

@m000sh @AdamRutherford @FryRsquared @_RobBushnell One thing I always reckoned would be cool with conductors... You know the lovely famous Eagleman experiment on perceptions of time during terror (https://t.co/iq1VceXQLU)? One of the problems was in freefall the screen they were asked to look at was jiggling...

Jun 5, 2019 · 4,289 followers View post →