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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#467886" vlink="#96607D" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>Dear Illusion Enthusiasts,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>Worldwide voting for the 20<sup>th</sup></span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'> <b><a href="https://illusionoftheyear.com/">Best Illusion of the Year Contest</a></b> <b>will start on Monday, October 19<sup>th</sup>, and remain open until Friday, October 24<sup>th</sup></b>. The 1<sup>st</sup> place winner will receive $3,000, the 2<sup>nd</sup> place winner $2,000, and the 3<sup>rd</sup> place winner $1,000.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>We're excited to share the mind-bending illusions from our incredible finalists with you! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>The Top 10 Finalists, selected from dozens of entries from countries all around the world, will be publicly revealed at voting time. Anybody with an internet connection (that means YOU!) can <b>vote to pick the Top 3 Winners from the Top 10 Finalists. <o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>The Neural Correlate Society thanks our 2025 <b>Platinum Sponsor, the</b> <b><a href="https://www.museumofillusions.com/">Museum of Illusions</a></b>, for their generous support of the Best Illusion of the Year Contest.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>On behalf of the Executive Board of the Neural Correlate Society:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>Jose-Manuel Alonso, Stephen Macknik, Susana Martinez-Conde, Luis Martinez, Xoana Troncoso, Peter Tse<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'>---------------------------------------<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'>Susana Martinez-Conde, PhD<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'>Author, <a href="x-msg://2/championsofillusionbook.com"><span style='color:#0563C1'>Champions of Illusion</span></a> and <a href="https://nam01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Furldefense.proofpoint.com%2Fv2%2Furl%3Fu%3Dhttp-3A__www.sleightsofmind.com_%26d%3DDwMFAg%26c%3DslrrB7dE8n7gBJbeO0g-IQ%26r%3Dg2Yp4_ao3SNvpe_N-aKotUCw6Uk5ZCFaHS4yfmcUC-E%26m%3DDXCSOfrVF8RiRxxw222LzMlWLE4w8bjHlyBdQlqW200%26s%3DaQcZQB18cQC5Y4VSmK5FveDMw6uaM1M0c4k-USm-F3M%26e%3D&data=02%7C01%7CSusana.Martinez-Conde%40downstate.edu%7C4ff6b6d84e27499b34c008d75c80fbf9%7C22670793760f482993153e427c362e69%7C0%7C0%7C637079581374295223&sdata=F4vAf25dt%2Bt3qUndttBZhmVY6kQswHANcGtY%2FdNxDUo%3D&reserved=0"><span style='color:#0563C1'>Sleights of Mind</span></a><br>Professor of Ophthalmology, Neurology, and Physiology & Pharmacology<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'>Director, Laboratory of Integrative Neuroscience<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'>2014 <i>Society for Neuroscience</i>’s Science Educator Award<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'>2014 Empire Innovator Scholar <br>State University of New York (SUNY)<br>Downstate Health Sciences University<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'>450 Clarkson Ave, Brooklyn NY 11203, USA<br>Email: <a href="mailto:smart@neuralcorrelate.com" target="_blank"><span style='color:#0563C1'>smart@neuralcorrelate.com</span></a><br>Phone: <a href="tel:%2B1%20718-270-4520" target="_blank"><span style='color:#0563C1'>+1 718-270-4520</span></a><br><a href="https://nam01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Furldefense.proofpoint.com%2Fv2%2Furl%3Fu%3Dhttp-3A__smc.neuralcorrelate.com%26d%3DDwMFAg%26c%3DslrrB7dE8n7gBJbeO0g-IQ%26r%3Dg2Yp4_ao3SNvpe_N-aKotUCw6Uk5ZCFaHS4yfmcUC-E%26m%3DDXCSOfrVF8RiRxxw222LzMlWLE4w8bjHlyBdQlqW200%26s%3DKATdyZA41wbtJjQw0aQ-muILTCtWazvhDIkKlt_7RFc%26e%3D&data=02%7C01%7CSusana.Martinez-Conde%40downstate.edu%7C4ff6b6d84e27499b34c008d75c80fbf9%7C22670793760f482993153e427c362e69%7C0%7C0%7C637079581374295223&sdata=kUseYHHgKR%2B6fvIACCmFFUChup93nVdjjHp1Jqum3KM%3D&reserved=0" target="_blank"><span style='color:#0563C1'>http://smc.neuralcorrelate.com</span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>