News Neuroscience

Imagination is not just replaying what we see and hear

Conjuring a nonspecific scene or sound pings brain networks that respond to more than one sense

A man stands outdoors with his eyes closed, as if focusing on a mental image.

Mental imagery involves both auditory and visual elements.

Liubomyr Vorona/iStock/Getty Images Plus

By Nora Bradford

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If you were to imagine a waterfall, a misty cascade into an azure pool surrounded by towering trees might come to mind.