That’s right, this is not a spiral. If you check this illusion (from Sean Michael Ragan at Make) with your finger or mouse, you’ll find that it’s a series of concentric circles.
Also, if you move the picture around on the screen, it will appear to spiral.
h/t: Matthew Cobb
So this is what it means to be concentrically out of control.
Stoopid brain. Stupid eyes. Ze Frank says it well.
Squinting does the trick. I’m a big fan of squinting in general.
Me too. Softening one’s gaze can improve perspective.
Especially when looking in the mirror:-)
Yeh, yeh! 😉 I always say that there’s a reason why our eyesight diminishes as we age. Great to know that I’m not all that wrinkly. 🙂
Yes, squinting works. Then the black squares form (very steep) spirals.
If you squint really hard they do.
Cecí n’est pas un engoulevent –> ©
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Cecí n’est pas un sous-marin!
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Cecí n’est pas un sandweech!
This video collects many illusions of this kind (broadly). Turn down the volume, though.
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Where’s M.C. Escher when you need him?
Still climbing that endless stairway to nowhere.
I guess I’ll be the pedant who points out that the black and white spokes are spirals (probably Fibonacci spirals), and presumably that’s what triggers the illusion of a blue spiral.
Yeah, if you trace them out semi-radially, those do spiral. Them Fibonacci spirals are messing with us.
Thank you for pointing that out!
I think you’re absolutely right!
Concentric within spirals though our brain tries to force us to see the blue rings as curving in to a spiral that really is there, just not blue.
An Intelligent Designer would have created eyes and a brain that see this as it is, n’est–ce pas?