How Fast Can We Really Read? New Research Reveals Our Brains Process Text in a Blink

Recent studies by NYU researchers show that our brains can quickly grasp the structure of short sentences flashed on a screen, detecting basic linguistic patterns in just 130-150 milliseconds—about the time it takes to blink. The findings suggest that the brain processes written language similarly to visual scenes, allowing us to instinctively understand rapid digital messages, despite grammatical errors or nonsensical content. This challenges traditional word-by-word language processing models, revealing a remarkable capacity for rapid language comprehension.