The most powerful illusions in the world. Cube and two identical cups
11/15/2016 11/16/2016 by Vlad
An optical illusion is an impression of a visible object or phenomenon that does not correspond to reality, i.e. optical illusion vision. Translated from Latin, the word “illusion” means “error, delusion.” This suggests that illusions have long been interpreted as some kind of malfunction in the visual system. Many researchers have been studying the causes of their occurrence. Some visual illusions have long had a scientific explanation, others have not yet found an explanation.
Don't take optical illusions seriously, trying to understand and solve them, it's just how our vision works. So human brain processes visible light reflected from pictures.
Unusual shapes and combinations of these pictures make it possible to achieve a deceptive perception, as a result of which it seems that the object is moving, changing color, or an additional picture appears.
There are a huge variety of optical illusions, but we tried to collect the most interesting, crazy and incredible ones for you. Be careful: some of them can cause tearing, nausea and disorientation.
12 black dots
For starters, one of the most talked about illusions on the internet is the 12 black dots. The trick is that you can't see them at the same time. A scientific explanation for this phenomenon was discovered by the German physiologist Ludimar Hermann in 1870. The human eye stops seeing full picture due to lateral inhibition in the retina.
Impossible figures
At one time, this genre of graphics became so widespread that it even received its own name - impossibilism. Each of these figures seems quite real on paper, but simply cannot exist in the physical world.
Impossible trident
Classic blivet- perhaps the most bright representative optical drawings from the category " impossible figures" No matter how you try, you will not be able to determine where the middle prong originates.
Another shining example– impossible Penrose triangle.
It is in the form of the so-called "endless staircase".
And "impossible elephant" Roger Shepard.
Ames room
Issues of optical illusions interested Adelbert Ames Jr. early childhood. After becoming an ophthalmologist, he continued his research into depth perception, which resulted in the famous Ames Room.
How does the Ames room work?
In a nutshell, the effect of Ames's room can be conveyed as follows: it seems that in the left and right corners of its back wall there are two people - a dwarf and a giant. Of course, this is an optical trick, and in fact these people are of quite normal height. In reality, the room has an elongated trapezoidal shape, but due to false perspective it appears rectangular to us. The left corner is farther away from the visitors’ view than the right, and therefore the person standing there seems so small.
Movement Illusions
This category of optical tricks is of greatest interest to psychologists. Most of them are based on the subtleties of color combinations, the brightness of objects and their repetition. All these tricks mislead our peripheral vision, as a result of which the perception mechanism gets confused, the retina captures the image intermittently, spasmodically, and the brain activates the areas of the cortex responsible for recognizing movement.
floating star
It's hard to believe that this picture is not an animated GIF, but an ordinary optical illusion. The drawing has been created Japanese artist Kaya Nao in 2012. A pronounced illusion of movement is achieved due to the opposite direction of the patterns in the center and along the edges.
There are quite a few similar illusions of movement, that is, static images that appear to be moving. For example, famous rotating circle.
Moving arrows
Rays from the center
Striped spirals
Moving figures
These figures move at the same speed, but our vision tells us otherwise. In the first gif, four figures move simultaneously while they are adjacent to each other. After separation, the illusion arises that they are moving along black and white stripes independently of each other.
After the zebra disappears in the second picture, you can verify that the movement of the yellow and blue rectangles is synchronized.
Changeling illusions
The most numerous and fun genre of illusion drawings is based on changing the direction of looking at a graphic object. The most simple drawings- the flippers just need to be turned 180 or 90 degrees.
Horse or frog
Nurse or old woman
Beauty or Ugly
Cute girls?
Flip the image
Girl/old woman
One of the most popular dual images was published in 1915 in the cartoon magazine Puck. The caption to the drawing read: “My wife and mother-in-law.”
The most famous optical illusions: old woman girl and vase profiles
Old people/Mexicans
Elderly married couple or Mexicans singing with a guitar? Most of first he sees old people, and only then their eyebrows turn into sombreros, and their eyes into faces. The authorship belongs to the Mexican artist Octavio Ocampo, who created many illusion pictures of a similar nature.
Lovers/dolphins
Surprisingly, the interpretation of this psychological illusion depends on the person’s age. As a rule, children see dolphins frolicking in the water - their brains, not yet familiar with sexual relationships and their symbols, simply do not isolate two lovers in this composition. Older people, on the contrary, see the couple first, and only then the dolphins.
The list of such dual pictures can be continued endlessly:
Does this cat go down or up the stairs?
Which way is the window open?
You can change direction just by thinking about it.
Illusions of color and contrast
Unfortunately, human eye imperfect, and in our assessments of what we see we (without noticing it ourselves) often rely on the color environment and brightness of the background of the object. This leads to some very interesting optical illusions.
Gray squares
Optical illusions of colors are one of the most popular types optical illusion. Yes, squares A and B are painted the same color.
This trick is possible due to the way our brain works. A shadow without sharp boundaries falls on square B. Thanks to the darker "surrounding" and the smooth shadow gradient, it appears to be significantly darker than square A.
Green spiral
There are only three colors in this photo: pink, orange and green.
The blue color here is just an optical illusion
Don't believe me? This is what you get when you replace pink and orange with black.
Without a distracting background, you can see that the spiral is completely green
Is the dress white and gold or blue and black?
However, illusions based on color perception are not uncommon. Take, for example, the white-gold or black-and-blue dress that conquered the Internet in 2015. What color was this mysterious dress really, and why? different people Did you perceive it differently?
The explanation of the dress phenomenon is very simple: as in the case of gray squares, everything depends on the imperfect chromatic adaptation of our visual organs. As you know, the human retina consists of two types of receptors: rods and cones. Rods capture light better, while cones capture color better. Each person has a different ratio of cones to rods, so the determination of the color and shape of an object is slightly different depending on the dominance of one or another type of receptor.
Those who saw the dress in white and gold noticed the brightly lit the background and decided that the dress was in the shade, which means White color should be darker than usual. If the dress seemed blue-black to you, it means that your eye first of all paid attention to the main color of the dress, which in this photo actually has blue tint. Then your brain judged that the golden hue was black, lighter due to the sun's rays directed at the dress and Bad quality photo.
In reality the dress was blue with black lace.
Here's another photo that baffled millions of users who couldn't decide whether it was a wall in front of them or a lake.
Wall or lake? (correct answer is wall)
Optical illusions on video
Ballerina
This crazy optical illusion is misleading: it is difficult to determine which leg of the figure is the supporting leg and, as a result, to understand in which direction the ballerina is rotating. Even if you succeed, while watching the video the supporting leg may “change” and the girl seems to begin to rotate in the other direction.
If you were able to easily fix the direction of the ballerina’s movement, this indicates a rational, practical mindset of your mind. If the ballerina rotates in different sides, this means that you have a wild, not always consistent imagination. Contrary to popular belief, this does not affect the dominance of the right or left hemisphere.
Monster faces
If you look at the cross in the center for a long time, your peripheral vision will frighteningly distort the faces of celebrities.
Optical illusions in design
An optical illusion can be a spectacular help for those who want to add zest to their home. Very often “impossible figures” are used in design.
It seemed that impossible triangle doomed to remain just an illusion on paper. But no - a design studio from Valencia immortalized it in the form of a spectacular minimalist vase.
Bookshelf, inspired by the impossible trident. The author is Norwegian designer Bjorn Blikstad.
Here is a shelving unit inspired by one of the most famous optical illusions – parallel lines by Johann Zellner. All the shelves are parallel to each other - otherwise what would be the use of such a cabinet - but even those who purchased such a rack a long time ago find it difficult to get rid of the impression of slanted lines.
The creators were inspired by the same example. Zellner rug».
Of interest to lovers of unusual things is a chair designed by Chris Duffy. It appears to rest solely on its front legs. But if you risk sitting on it, you will understand that the shadow cast by the chair is its main support.
The coolest optical illusions! They will help your brain switch gears and take your mind off things a bit, but be careful: as we know, overdosing on medication can be dangerous!
Simply collected here incredible collection modern optical illusion pictures, with which you will spend time enjoying the tricks and sensations produced by your brain.
Optical illusion- an impression of a visible object or phenomenon that does not correspond to reality, i.e. optical illusion. Translated from Latin, the word “illusion” means “error, delusion.” This suggests that illusions have long been interpreted as some kind of malfunction in the visual system. Many researchers have been studying the causes of their occurrence.
Be careful!
Some illusions can cause tearing, headaches and disorientation in space.
Pulsating poster
At whatever point in the picture you focus your gaze, the picture never stops moving for a second.
Kaleidoscope
An illusion of movement based on the work of Akiyoshi Kitaoka, a professor of psychology at the University (Ritsumeikan) in Tokyo, world famous for his many illusions of movement.
Eye?
A shot from photographer Liamm, who was filming a foam sink but soon realized it was an eye staring back at him.
Four circles
Be careful! This optical illusion can cause headaches lasting up to two hours.
Ferris wheel
Which direction does the wheel spin?
Invisible chair
The optical effect, which gives the viewer a false impression of the location of the seat, is due to the original design of the chair, invented by the French studio Ibride.
Hypnosis
Stare without blinking at the middle of the image for 20 seconds, and then move your gaze to someone’s face or just a wall.
flying cube
What looks like a real cube floating in the air is actually a drawing on a stick.
The Birth of Animation
User brusspup creates animated images by overlaying finished drawing black mesh parallel lines. Before our eyes, static objects begin to move.
Look at the cross in the center
Peripheral vision turns beautiful faces into monsters.
Ordering squares
The four white lines appear to be moving randomly. But once you put images of squares on them, everything becomes quite natural.
Volumetric Rubik's Cube
The drawing looks so realistic that there is no doubt that this is a real object. Twisting the piece of paper, it becomes obvious that this is just a deliberately distorted image.
Same or different?
How can two cigarettes be different and the same size at the same time?
This is not animation
This is not an animated gif. This is an ordinary picture, all elements of which are absolutely motionless. It is your perception that is playing with you. Hold your gaze for a few seconds at one point, and the picture will stop moving.
Aren't you tired? Then…
Brain explosion! Optical illusions on the verge of madness!
Endless chocolate
If you cut a chocolate bar 5 by 5 and rearrange all the pieces in the order shown, then out of nowhere an extra piece of chocolate will appear. Our readers have figured out the secret.
Black and white or color
If you look closely at a point in the center of a black and white image for 15 seconds, the picture takes on color.
Impossible elephant
Drawing by Roger Shepard.
Illusion of color
Without looking up, look at the cross and you will see how the purple spots turn green. And then they disappear completely.
Black and white illusion
Look at the four dots in the center of the picture for thirty seconds, then move your gaze to the ceiling and blink. What did you see?
Interior illusion
Chessboard squares
Are squares A and B of the chessboard different colors? The Illusion of Color Perception Published by a Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Institute of Technology Edward H. Adelson in 1995.
And here is this incredible project designers David Stanfield and Al Boardman. They created web spaces where they invited all their creative colleagues to take part in supporting the project, which was called “9 squares”. As planned, each designer should imagine a 350 pixel square with an animation lasting 3 seconds, using only 4 colors. When finished, the work is combined into 3x3 squares. To the surprise of David and El, their project attracted many like-minded people, regularly adding to the “9 squares” collection.
Incredible optical illusions!
An optical illusion is an impression of a visible object or phenomenon that does not correspond to reality, that is, an optical illusion. Some visual illusions have long had a scientific explanation, others still remain a mystery.
Optical illusions: optical illusion
The information collected by our eyes is in some way inconsistent with the source. Optical illusions can cause serious headaches. Therefore, such things need to be treated with caution.
There are three main types of illusions:
1. Literal optical illusions
These optical illusions are considered the simplest. They are characterized by a difference in the image (that is, the perception of the image) and the actual tangible objects that make up the picture.
A literal optical illusion makes us see completely different objects or figures from those shown in the pictures.
2. Physiological optical illusions
These illusions affect the eyes and brain through overstimulation. certain type(brightness, color, size, position, tilt, movement).
3. Cognitive optical illusions
These illusions are the result of our brain's misperceptions and unconscious inferences.
We continue to collect the coolest optical illusions. be careful: some of them can cause tearing, nausea and disorientation.
So, each of the following optical illusions can blow our minds
Do you see three pretty girls?
Now let's flip the image
Our brain rarely encounters upside-down images, so it cannot notice distortions in them
Illusion 13 people
Initially we see 12 people here, but after moving, another one appears, the 13th
Which way is the window open?
You can change direction just by thinking about it
Distortion of perception of movement
These blocks do not move one after another - their speed is the same
Fill color
Look at the black dot in the center. Keep looking at it as the picture changes.
Did you see a color photo? Now take your eyes away from the point.
Contrast simulation
The squares on the left side seem to be darker than the squares on the right
However, they are actually the same color
Ames room
Room irregular shape, used to create a three-dimensional optical illusion, was designed by American ophthalmologist Albert Ames in 1934
Dynamic brightness gradient
Slowly move your eyes closer to the screen and the “light” in the middle will become brighter
Move it back and it will become weak again.
Vanishing points
Focus your gaze on the green dot in the middle
Over time yellow dots will disappear one after another. In fact, they remain in place, it's just that static frames disappear from our consciousness if they are surrounded by constantly changing images.
Four Circles Illusion
None of them actually intersect
Droste effect
Droste effect - looping recursive image
Illusion of perception
The color of the stripe in the center is actually uniform and the same along the entire length
moving poster
Roll your mouse wheel up and down and you will see the poster “moving”
Selective perception
There are two photos here, and there is one difference between them
Try to find it, and once you notice the difference, it will be impossible not to see it.
Optical illusions: pictures
Which of these faces belongs to a woman and which to a man?...
Wrong... The pictures show the same face
Is this the same picture? Yes.
There is NO lake in the picture
Tilt your head and look closely at the image
This is not a bird
The picture shows a painted female figure
This floor is flat
These two monsters are the same size
The orange dots in both pictures are the same size
How many legs does an elephant have?
Are you sure of what you see?
What a wonderful picture of cars!
Or are they toy cars?
, but the illusions presented here are special.All these illusions in different time participated in a competition for the best illusion of the year, and were included in the list of the most interesting.
Below you will find some more very interesting optical illusions that can trick your brain.
Optical illusions or optical illusions
10. Colored bubbles
In this optical illusion, you can see colors that aren't actually on the screen. Colored targets are replaced by ordinary colorless circles (bubbles). Although the bubbles are not colorless, they will appear colored when you look at the picture for a long time, especially if you look at the central part of it.
The most interesting thing is that you will see each bubble painted in a certain color. Its color depends on the size of the bubble. Each bubble is painted in the color of that part of the target that matches the size of the bubble.
9. Here’s another similar illusion: coloring the pictures
Look at the black dot in the center of the picture for 20 seconds. You will see how simple drawings are painted in pale red and Blue colour. These illusory colors are called "afterimages". What’s interesting is that the colors in which the figures are painted change.
8. A mesh that can restore its integrity
In the image you can see the grid, which is a little "broken" at the edges. If you look at the picture for about 20 seconds, you will see an absolutely intact mesh, without any defects. This illusion demonstrates the brain's preference for seeing ordinary, familiar patterns and patterns.
7. Control panels
Two identical rectangles become lighter and darker at the same time, but in some cases one appears to become lighter at the same time that the other becomes darker.
It's all about the gaps, between the blinking rectangles and two other rectangles that are on the left and right side each of the blinking rectangles.
This is what it looks like (watch the blinking details while looking at the center of the image):
6. Dynamic brightness gradient
To notice the effect, you should sit at a comfortable distance from the picture and begin to approach the monitor towards the center of the image. You will notice that the closer you get to the image on the monitor, the more of it is blown out.
Here are some more examples of this illusion:
Optical illusion (video)
5. Day, WhenraincollapsedonLowry(The Day it Rained on Lowry)
This painting English artist Lowry "Returning from Work." On it we see an industrial area and figures that seem to be moving, but are not going anywhere. In fact, the movement of people in the picture is an illusion.
It is worth noting that the movement of the crowd is most clearly visible to those people who are accustomed to often walking in crowds.
It is worth noting that in this illusion it seems to you that people are walking, since another version of it was added to the picture, a darkened one, in which the figures are slightly displaced. When both pictures appear alternately, it creates the illusion that people are moving.
4. Autokinetic illusion
In the world of optical illusions, the terms "autokinetic illusion" or "illusory movement" are used to describe movement in a picture in which everything is static and the viewer is aware of it. This a new version autokinetic illusion, in which the object in the picture does not just move, but expands. This illusion is created thanks to parallel pointed (needle-shaped) lines.
3. Snow behind the blinds
This illusion is very simple, and at the same time it can impress anyone. It appears that the speed of falling snowflakes increases when the blinds are slightly closed. Once the blinds are removed, the snowflakes fall slower.
Optical illusion (picture)
2. Illusion of panels ( CofferIllusion) – how many circles do you see?
At first glance, you will either not see any circles, or you will only see 4. Basically, you will only notice rectangular patterns that resemble wooden doors(panels).
However, there are 16 circles in this picture. It is worth noting that this illusion is a variation of the paintings of Gianni Sarcone, who is known for his works in the pop art style ( abstract art, based on the optical effect).
1. Movement with the power of thought
Which direction is the movement in the picture? Up or down? Or maybe left or right? In fact, the movement only happens in your head.
At the very beginning there are 5 pictures that move up and down, but then all the other pictures appear in a random order, but you will continue to see movement.
To make sure that the movement is in your head, just look at the pictures and think “right to left, right to left”, after that you can think “up and down, up and down” and the picture will move the way you want.
Here are a few more illusions that can blow your mind
Crazy Circle
The spheres inside the circle appear to move in a circle. In fact, each sphere moves in a straight line (along the diameter of the circle).
This is just one example of how looking at something in more detail can reveal a hidden image.
The beautiful star that moves smoothly in the picture is actually static. Nothing is moving in this picture, all the movement is happening in your head.
Are you looking at this chair from the front or the back?
Both moving objects are the same size.
Big Monster Illusion
This popular illusion can be found in many psychology textbooks. Two monsters seem different sizes, however, they are both exactly the same in every way. Your brain automatically corrects images it perceives as distant. By doing so, it compensates for the fact that the images are larger than they should be.
It's time to do some eye exercises, have fun and stretch your imagination! In this collection you will find bright and unpredictable pictures and very interesting puzzles for those who like to double-check everything in person. The same drawing may contain several subjects at once, and some images may seem “alive.” Don't worry, this is completely normal.
25. Is this a vase or human faces?
There are two in front of you different plots in one picture at the same time. Some people see a bowl or a figurine, while others see people looking at each other. It's all about perception and focus. Switching from one plot to another is a good exercise for the eyes.
24. Bring the image first closer to your face, and then back
Photo: Nevit Dilmen
It may seem to you that the ball becomes voluminous and even takes on color. Be careful, they say that if you look at this drawing for too long, you may get a headache.
23. Wriggling figures 
Photo: Wikipedia
At first, you may think that the columns and rows of white and green polygons are writhing, like a flag or waves. But if you hold a ruler up to the screen, you will realize that all the figures are located in strict order and in a straight line, both vertically and horizontally. In the picture, all angles are equal to either 90 degrees or 45. Don’t believe your eyes, as they say.
22. Moving circles
Photo: Cmglee
For some, a simple glance is enough to immediately notice the movement, while others will have to wait a little. But sooner or later you will definitely feel that the circles in this picture are rotating. In fact, this is an ordinary picture, and not an animation at all, but ours has a hard time coping with such a set of colors and shapes at the same time, and it’s easier for him to decide that something is rotating on the screen.
21. Red lines on a colored background
Photo: Wikipedia
The red lines in the picture appear to be curved, but it is easy to prove otherwise with a simple ruler or even a piece of paper. In fact, this optical illusion is achieved using an intricate pattern in the background.
20. Black tops or bottoms of bars
Photo: Wikipedia
Of course, the black edges are the tops of the drawn bricks. Although wait... No, that’s not true! Or so? It’s not easy to figure it out, although the picture doesn’t change at all, unlike our perception.
19. Optical plug
Photo: Wikipedia
This drawing is a little reminiscent of the picture from point 23, only now there is also a giant fork. Although if you look closely, it may turn out to be something completely different...
18. Yellow lines
Photo: Wikipedia
Believe it or not, but in the image there are 2 yellow lines of exactly the same length. The deceptive prospect of black bars can be confusing, but we advise you to take up the ruler again.
17. Spinning Circles
Photo: Fibonacci
If you look strictly at the black dot in the center of the picture and do not move your head, circles around it will begin to rotate. Try it!
16. Moving squiggles
Photo: PublicDomainPictures.net
This psychedelic painting- a real mystery for our brain. To peripheral vision, it always seems that some kind of movement is happening around the edges. No matter how hard you try, the squiggles will still move somewhere nearby, and not where you are looking.
15. Gray stripe
Photo: Dodek
It probably seems to you that the stripe in the center changes its color from one end to the other, as if someone’s shadow is falling on it. In fact, the center line is one, and the easiest way to check this is with 2 sheets of paper. Cover the top and bottom of the drawing and you'll see what it's all about. The only thing that changes in this image is the background color.
14. Black shadows
Photo: Wikipedia
Fascinating picture! It either dazzles your eyes or makes you dizzy, so don’t look at the screen for too long.
13. Fluttering pattern
Photo: Aaron Fulkerson / flickr
It feels like the wind is blowing across the surface of the field... But no, this is definitely not a GIF. Although it’s hard to believe if you look at the image, moving your gaze from one point to another. If you look strictly in the center, the picture should gradually freeze or at least slow down.
12. Triangles and lines 
Photo: Wikipedia
These rows of stuck triangles appear uneven, as if they were spaced diagonally. In fact, they are still drawn parallel to each other. Is there a line?
11. Cow
Photo: John McCrone
Yes, it's a cow. Seeing it is not so easy, and sometimes it takes a little time, but if you look closely, you will definitely see not only random lines and spots, but also an animal. Do you see?
10. Drowning floor
Photo: markldiaz/flickr
It may seem as if the center of the picture is drowning or being pulled in by something. In fact, all the squares are the same size and shape, they are located evenly and do not float anywhere. The illusion of distortion is created by white dots along the edges of some squares.
9. Old woman or young girl?
Photo: Wikipedia
And this is a very old, almost classic, optical illusion. Everyone manages to solve the picture differently. Someone persistently sees a young girl with beautiful cheekbones, and someone immediately catches the eye of the old woman’s huge nose. But if you try, you can see them both. It turns out?
8. Blackheads
Photo: Wikipedia
This optical illusion gives the impression that small black dots are constantly moving in the painting. When you look at different parts of the drawing, they either appear at the intersection of lines or disappear. How many points can you see at the same time? It's very difficult to calculate!
7. Green whirlwind
Photo: Fiestoforo
If you look at this picture long enough, it may seem as if you are being sucked into a vortex funnel! But this is a regular flat image, not a GIF. It's all about optical illusion and our brain. Again.
6. More spinning circles
Photo: markldiaz/flickr
Here's another absolutely stunning variation on a static image. Due to the complex colors and shapes of the details of the design, it seems that the circles are rotating, but in reality this is not the case.
5. Poggendorff illusion
Photo: Fibonacci
Here is a classic optical illusion, named after the German physicist I. K. Poggendorf. The answer lies in the location of the black line. If you look at the left side of the picture, it seems that the blue line should be a continuation of the black one, but on the right side of the picture you can see that it is the red stripe that completes it.
4. Blue flowers
Photo: Nevit Dilmen
Another optical illusion that will seem like a gif to you. If you look at this drawing long enough, the flowers will begin to spin.
3. The Orbison Illusion
Photo: Wikipedia
This is another very old optical illusion, drawn by the American psychologist Orbison back in the 30s of the 20th century. The red diamond in the center is actually a perfect square, but because of the background blue lines it appears to be slightly twisted or rotated.
1. Zöllner optical illusion
Photo: Fibonacci
Here is another classical example geometric illusion, in which long diagonal lines appear to point in different directions. In fact, they are parallel to each other, but short strokes across the lines confuse our brain and create a sense of perspective. Astrophysicist Zöllner drew this illusion back in 1860!
