A story, a work of art, a face, a designed object -- how do we tell that something is beautiful?  And why does it matter so much to us? Designer Richard Seymour explores our response to beauty and the surprising power of objects that exhibit it.

How beauty feels

Beauty is felt before it is understood, triggering an immediate physical response that bypasses rational thought. Even a simple object, like a plastic bag that purifies water, can become breathtaking when its purpose is revealed. Emotional reactions to beauty mix pleasure, poignancy, and even sadness, creating a complex tapestry of feeling. The first split-second impression shapes what we find beautiful, long before our brains catch up.