Identical Twins See a World of Color, But Not the Same One

Identical twins Helen Besgrove and Kirsty Neal share a rare neurological condition called synaesthesia. For them, sounds, tastes, and even personalities have color and texture. Synaesthesia causes a blending of the senses. The twins' experiences are visually similar, yet the details differ. Helen describes the taste of chardonnay as "swirls of custardy oil." Kirsty perceives the same wine as "fuzzy or blobby." They also see personalities as colored auras. Helen sees their best friend's personality as brown. Kirsty sees it as yellow and blue with a brown stripe. The condition is innate. "We don’t know any different," they say. For them, this colorful perception is simply a normal part of being.