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“La parte del cerebro que predice el futuro”

The SPECS group’s paper that came out in Proc. R. Soc. B just before Christmas, which proposed that fast, reactive motor actions result from the ability of the brain to simulate the future, was featured in El Mundo this week.

How perception shapes our actions

Last Saturday, another “Classico” saw Messi and Ronaldo display their other-worldly skills and ball control. At the heart of their performance stands the amazing ability to control their bodies in anticipation of the movements of their team members, opponents – and especially the football.

These anticipatory motor actions are essential for sport, but also underlie our everyday behavior, from walking or grasping to riding a bicycle or typing on a keyboard. But how exactly are these actions controlled?