A STUNNING new optical illusion is baffling the brains of Internet users around the world.
The psychedelic animation depicts a tropical scene where cars appear to be driving down a path lined with palm trees.
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The animation creates the illusion of movement using bold colors. You can see it through the video at the top of this page.
Clouds and birds seem to float in the sky while the color of the landscape rapidly changes between yellow, red and blue.
However, while the vehicles and birds appear to be moving, they are actually stationary.
The animation was shared on TikTok by user @Raybanxan on Monday. It has already racked up more than 13,000 views.
This is an example of illusory motion, also known as a motion illusion, in which a stationary image appears to be moving.
They work by tricking the brain into seeing movement through the use of contrasting colors, shapes, and positions.
Because our brain reads the change in light as movement, the lines appear to be moving.
In reality, they are completely static. A similar trick can be used to create the illusion of depth.
Interestingly, the trick relies on the viewer scanning the image with their eyes for the full effect.
If you keep your eye in the center of the image, the illusory movement slows down or even stops altogether.
A similar trick to break illusions can be accomplished by blinking rapidly while looking at a visual puzzle.
Optical illusions are often just for fun, but they also have real value to scientists.
Brain puzzles help researchers shed light on the inner workings of the mind and how it reacts to the environment.
Dr Gustav Kuhn, a psychologist and expert in human perception at Goldsmiths University in London, told The Sun earlier this month that illusions are important to our understanding of the brain.
“We tend to take perception for granted and rarely think about the hard work that underpins everyday tasks, like seeing a cup of coffee in front of us,” he said.
“Visual illusions highlight misperceptions and provide important information about the hidden neural processes that allow us to see the world around us.”
It follows the release of a spooky illusion earlier this month that made the viewer feel like they were falling into a black hole.
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A similar trick can be used to create the illusion of movement and depthCredit: Getty – Contributor
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Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: HIS Education