HUNDREDS of adults have been learning about the complexities of the human mind in the latest in a series of 18+ learning events at the National Media Museum.

On Thursday the museum held another free Lates event, held after normal museum opening hours and strictly for adults.

The events have been running for just over a year, with one every three months, and the latest one looked at the science around brains.

Hundreds of people came to the lively event, part of the Festival of Learning, to listen to talks about the mind, take part in workshops on how the brain can play tricks on us, and mini experiments held throughout the museum.

Some of the most popular events included a demonstration of a dissection of a sheep’s brain, craft sessions where visitors could make their own brain “hats” and a chance to see “The Dress” - a piece of clothing that took the world by storm when it went viral online.

Recent Lates events have focused on forensic science and sound and vision.

The brains event on Thursday was headlined by comedy act Punk Science, who took part in an interactive performance where they played tricks on the audience’s collective brain with an optical illusion show.

There were demonstrations spread over three floors of the museum, with scientists from the University of Bradford among those taking part.

Last year’s internet sensation, “The Dress” split the nation after a photograph of the garment baffled people who were unable to agree if it was a blue and black dress or a white and gold one. Professor of Visual Perception Marina Bloj from Bradford University had a version of the dress at the event, and explained the detailed scientific reasons behind why people saw it in different colours in the photo. She said it was the photo of the dress, not the dress itself, that led to the dress going viral. She said: “The confusion would have never occurred if it was not for the special colours present in the photograph.”

One of the most unusual sights at the evening was a preying mantis wearing specially made 3D glasses, part of a study to see if insects have the same perception of 3D imagery as humans.

Medical visualisation company iGene also give a sneak preview of the world’s only non-invasive digital autopsy technology before it is launched at the university’s Life Science department.

Nutritionist Liz Cooper was serving up samples of food, such as broccoli bhajis and sweet potato brownies, which are known to improve cognitive health, and explaining their benefits.

Those who weren’t too squeamish got to see members of Leeds Teaching Hospital’s neurosurgery department dissect samples from a sheep’s brain.

Allowing visitors to make a piece of art with their minds, The Frozen Music Collective held an interactive, digital arts project where visitors’ brain activity controls an audio-visual projection.

Sahdia Parveen, a research fellow at the University of Bradford tested people’s knowledge of dementia and spoke of the issues that arise when parts of the brain fail.

Visitors also get to look round the museum exhibits during the three hours events.

The next event, taking place in September, will be themed around Faces.