Psychedelics typically distort perception, but 5-MeO-DMT appears to sharpen it in some cases. In May and June 2026, at the Qualia Research Institute’s retreat in Tepoztlán, Mexico, I experienced a near-complete cancellation of the Ebbinghaus illusion—where two identical orange circles appear different sizes due to surrounding grey circles. Discovered by Hermann Ebbinghaus in 1850–1909 and popularized by Edward B. Titchener in 1901, this illusion varies in strength between individuals. Using an app built with GPT-5.6 Sol, I measured my susceptibility, finding the right circle appeared 10–20% larger.
Over eight weeks, QRI researchers—including physicists, mathematicians, and philosophers—studied jhanas and 5-MeO-DMT, a short-acting psychedelic legal in Mexico. Effects last 10–20 minutes when vaporized, as oral ingestion breaks it down rapidly. Dosing occurred in ~3.4 mg increments.
Unlike LSD or psilocybin, 5-MeO-DMT primarily activates 5-HT1a receptors rather than 5-HT2a, producing minimal visuals but intense mental effects. This distinction makes it uniquely abstract. Visual illusions reveal active construction in perception; studying their changes under psychedelics may uncover mathematical principles behind consciousness.
Source: Hacker News · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing