Synesthesia—seeing sounds, hearing colours: One of Lynne Malcolm's favourite programsSynesthesia—seeing sounds, hearing colours: One of Lynne Malcolm's favourite programs
All In The Mind
For some people the number six is red and music evokes a range of colours and shapes. Seeing sounds and hearing colours is one type of synesthesia—where the senses are crossed. Meet an 11-year-old girl who was surprised to find out that not everyone sees colourful auras around people, and who feels that numbers have colours and personalities.
50:38•13 Dec 2020
Seeing Sounds and Coloured Numbers: Inside Eliza’s Synaesthetic Mind
Episode Overview
- Synaesthesia links everyday triggers such as letters, numbers and sounds with consistent extra sensations like colours, shapes and even touch.
- Children like Eliza can experience auras around people, coloured and personality‑laden numbers, and vivid colour streams while listening to or playing music.
- Researchers suggest synaesthesia may lie on a broader spectrum of mental imagery, with aphantasia potentially at the opposite end.
- Synaesthesia can complicate schoolwork, especially maths, but tools such as colour‑matched calculators may reduce anxiety and improve understanding for some people.
- Studying synaesthesia highlights how subjective perception is for everyone, raising questions about how each person’s brain constructs reality.
“"I can't even imagine how it is to not see a sound. Even silence has a colour."”
What are the common struggles and victories in addiction recovery? Here, the focus shifts to a different kind of brain difference: synaesthesia, and how it reshapes one girl’s everyday life.
Former host Lynne Malcolm revisits one of her favourite All In The Mind programs, centring on Eliza, an 11‑year‑old who matter‑of‑factly says, "I can't even imagine how it is to not see a sound." For Eliza, numbers have colours and personalities, people have shimmering auras, and saxophone notes shoot past her head as streaks of yellow, blue and green.
Her mum, speech pathologist Rachel Watt, shares what it’s like trying to understand a child who quite literally sees the world differently. Artist Nina Norton adds another layer, explaining that "everything I hear, I see in shapes and colours," while Associate Professor Anina Rich from Macquarie University breaks down the science. She explains how synaesthesia links ordinary triggers like letters, numbers and sounds with "extraordinary responses", and how it may sit on a spectrum with conditions such as aphantasia.
Researcher Joshua Berger steps in with a practical twist: a colour‑matched calculator designed for people whose numbers are never just black on a white screen. For some synaesthetes, seeing their "right" colours suddenly makes maths feel less like anxiety and more like clarity. Along the way, the conversation raises big questions about how any of us can be sure we see the same thing as someone else.
Synaesthesia becomes a window into subjective perception, learning differences, and the subtle ways our brains shape reality. If you’re curious about how diverse minds work, or you support kids who experience the world in unusual ways, this episode might leave you wondering: how many other hidden colour‑coded worlds are passing you by every day?
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