New research suggests that many congenitally deaf people possess two types of extraordinary sight: Expanded peripheral vision and the ability to detect motion imperceptible to the hearing.

For example, when people with normal hearing stand at a clock's center and stare at the 12, they probably can see the 10 and 2. But those with congenital deafness typically can also detect the 9 and 3, says Stephen Lomber, an associate professor and researcher with the Centre for Brain and Mind at the University of Western Ontario.

Also, deaf people recognize when an object that appears stationary to those with hearing is actually moving very slowly.