Scott Fraser studies how humans remember crimes -- and bear witness to them. In this powerful talk, which focuses on a deadly shooting at sunset, he suggests that even close-up eyewitnesses to a crime can create "memories" they could not have seen. Why? Because the brain abhors a vacuum. Editor's note: In the original version of this talk, Scott Fraser misspoke about available footage of Two World Trade Center (Tower 2). The misstatement has been edited out for clarity.

Scott Fraser: Why eyewitnesses get it wrong

Why eyewitnesses get it wrong

Eyewitness identifications, pivotal in convictions, often falter due to the brain's habit of filling memory gaps with speculation.

A dramatic reenactment under the same nocturnal conditions revealed the unreliability of eyewitness testimony in a murder case.

Francisco Carrillo's exoneration, after 20 years for a crime he didn't commit, underscores the fallibility of human memory in justice.