Virtual reality (often shortened to VR) is a computer-generated environment that feels like you're actually inside it. When you put on a VR headset, special screens right in front of your eyes and headphones over your ears replace what you normally see and hear with a digital world. Turn your head left, and the virtual world turns with you. Reach out your hand with a VR controller, and you might grab a virtual object or open a virtual door.

The technology tricks your brain into feeling present somewhere you're not. You might find yourself standing on a mountaintop, exploring ancient ruins, or floating in space, all while actually standing in your living room. Some VR systems even include haptic gloves that vibrate or resist your movements, making virtual objects feel more real.

Virtual reality has practical uses beyond entertainment. Surgeons practice complex operations in VR before performing them on real patients. Architects walk through buildings they've designed before construction begins. Students take virtual field trips to places they couldn't otherwise visit.

Good VR makes you forget, at least for a moment, that you're wearing a headset.