Optical illusions: Can you master them all?

It doesn’t stop turning!, Is the ball rolling, or is the floor moving?, These waves make me feel sick!, Do you see the pulsing black circles?, Look just outside the image., Can you focus on a gray dot?, Is this an image of vases, or two people in conversation?, Look at the image upside down—you’ll see!, Our brains just don’t like this one., Is this black shape growing larger?, Is this image 2 D or 3 D?, These lines never meet!, These stairs—how do they work?, Do you feel like you’re being watched?, Who is on the bottom? Who is on the top?, You think this is a normal fork? Look again!, Which of these orange circles is the largest? Neither one!, Yes—these circles are perfectly round!, Be careful not to fall in! Oh—this is a painting?

Optical illusions have fascinated both young and old for centuries. These illusions are produced when our eyes (and our brains) have difficulty interpreting reality. There are two distinct types of illusions: errors of assessment occur when we interpret an image incorrectly, whereas visual paradoxes cause us to question the real appearance of the image.

Some iconic, others more obscure, these drawings and illustrations will give your brain a good workout. Whether you prefer a trompe l’oeil or hidden figures, there’s an illusion for everyone!

It doesn’t stop turning!

It doesn’t stop turning!, Is the ball rolling, or is the floor moving?, These waves make me feel sick!, Do you see the pulsing black circles?, Look just outside the image., Can you focus on a gray dot?, Is this an image of vases, or two people in conversation?, Look at the image upside down—you’ll see!, Our brains just don’t like this one., Is this black shape growing larger?, Is this image 2 D or 3 D?, These lines never meet!, These stairs—how do they work?, Do you feel like you’re being watched?, Who is on the bottom? Who is on the top?, You think this is a normal fork? Look again!, Which of these orange circles is the largest? Neither one!, Yes—these circles are perfectly round!, Be careful not to fall in! Oh—this is a painting?

Where is the top and where is the bottom? Where does it start and where does it finish?

It doesn’t stop turning!, Is the ball rolling, or is the floor moving?, These waves make me feel sick!, Do you see the pulsing black circles?, Look just outside the image., Can you focus on a gray dot?, Is this an image of vases, or two people in conversation?, Look at the image upside down—you’ll see!, Our brains just don’t like this one., Is this black shape growing larger?, Is this image 2 D or 3 D?, These lines never meet!, These stairs—how do they work?, Do you feel like you’re being watched?, Who is on the bottom? Who is on the top?, You think this is a normal fork? Look again!, Which of these orange circles is the largest? Neither one!, Yes—these circles are perfectly round!, Be careful not to fall in! Oh—this is a painting?

Is the ball rolling, or is the floor moving?

It doesn’t stop turning!, Is the ball rolling, or is the floor moving?, These waves make me feel sick!, Do you see the pulsing black circles?, Look just outside the image., Can you focus on a gray dot?, Is this an image of vases, or two people in conversation?, Look at the image upside down—you’ll see!, Our brains just don’t like this one., Is this black shape growing larger?, Is this image 2 D or 3 D?, These lines never meet!, These stairs—how do they work?, Do you feel like you’re being watched?, Who is on the bottom? Who is on the top?, You think this is a normal fork? Look again!, Which of these orange circles is the largest? Neither one!, Yes—these circles are perfectly round!, Be careful not to fall in! Oh—this is a painting?

These waves make me feel sick!

It doesn’t stop turning!, Is the ball rolling, or is the floor moving?, These waves make me feel sick!, Do you see the pulsing black circles?, Look just outside the image., Can you focus on a gray dot?, Is this an image of vases, or two people in conversation?, Look at the image upside down—you’ll see!, Our brains just don’t like this one., Is this black shape growing larger?, Is this image 2 D or 3 D?, These lines never meet!, These stairs—how do they work?, Do you feel like you’re being watched?, Who is on the bottom? Who is on the top?, You think this is a normal fork? Look again!, Which of these orange circles is the largest? Neither one!, Yes—these circles are perfectly round!, Be careful not to fall in! Oh—this is a painting?

Do you see the pulsing black circles?

It doesn’t stop turning!, Is the ball rolling, or is the floor moving?, These waves make me feel sick!, Do you see the pulsing black circles?, Look just outside the image., Can you focus on a gray dot?, Is this an image of vases, or two people in conversation?, Look at the image upside down—you’ll see!, Our brains just don’t like this one., Is this black shape growing larger?, Is this image 2 D or 3 D?, These lines never meet!, These stairs—how do they work?, Do you feel like you’re being watched?, Who is on the bottom? Who is on the top?, You think this is a normal fork? Look again!, Which of these orange circles is the largest? Neither one!, Yes—these circles are perfectly round!, Be careful not to fall in! Oh—this is a painting?

Look just outside the image.

It doesn’t stop turning!, Is the ball rolling, or is the floor moving?, These waves make me feel sick!, Do you see the pulsing black circles?, Look just outside the image., Can you focus on a gray dot?, Is this an image of vases, or two people in conversation?, Look at the image upside down—you’ll see!, Our brains just don’t like this one., Is this black shape growing larger?, Is this image 2 D or 3 D?, These lines never meet!, These stairs—how do they work?, Do you feel like you’re being watched?, Who is on the bottom? Who is on the top?, You think this is a normal fork? Look again!, Which of these orange circles is the largest? Neither one!, Yes—these circles are perfectly round!, Be careful not to fall in! Oh—this is a painting?

See these horizontal lines? What if we told you they are all parallel?

It doesn’t stop turning!, Is the ball rolling, or is the floor moving?, These waves make me feel sick!, Do you see the pulsing black circles?, Look just outside the image., Can you focus on a gray dot?, Is this an image of vases, or two people in conversation?, Look at the image upside down—you’ll see!, Our brains just don’t like this one., Is this black shape growing larger?, Is this image 2 D or 3 D?, These lines never meet!, These stairs—how do they work?, Do you feel like you’re being watched?, Who is on the bottom? Who is on the top?, You think this is a normal fork? Look again!, Which of these orange circles is the largest? Neither one!, Yes—these circles are perfectly round!, Be careful not to fall in! Oh—this is a painting?

Would you believe us if we told you this is the same image, turned upside down?

It doesn’t stop turning!, Is the ball rolling, or is the floor moving?, These waves make me feel sick!, Do you see the pulsing black circles?, Look just outside the image., Can you focus on a gray dot?, Is this an image of vases, or two people in conversation?, Look at the image upside down—you’ll see!, Our brains just don’t like this one., Is this black shape growing larger?, Is this image 2 D or 3 D?, These lines never meet!, These stairs—how do they work?, Do you feel like you’re being watched?, Who is on the bottom? Who is on the top?, You think this is a normal fork? Look again!, Which of these orange circles is the largest? Neither one!, Yes—these circles are perfectly round!, Be careful not to fall in! Oh—this is a painting?

Can you focus on a gray dot?

It doesn’t stop turning!, Is the ball rolling, or is the floor moving?, These waves make me feel sick!, Do you see the pulsing black circles?, Look just outside the image., Can you focus on a gray dot?, Is this an image of vases, or two people in conversation?, Look at the image upside down—you’ll see!, Our brains just don’t like this one., Is this black shape growing larger?, Is this image 2 D or 3 D?, These lines never meet!, These stairs—how do they work?, Do you feel like you’re being watched?, Who is on the bottom? Who is on the top?, You think this is a normal fork? Look again!, Which of these orange circles is the largest? Neither one!, Yes—these circles are perfectly round!, Be careful not to fall in! Oh—this is a painting?

Is this an image of vases, or two people in conversation?

It doesn’t stop turning!, Is the ball rolling, or is the floor moving?, These waves make me feel sick!, Do you see the pulsing black circles?, Look just outside the image., Can you focus on a gray dot?, Is this an image of vases, or two people in conversation?, Look at the image upside down—you’ll see!, Our brains just don’t like this one., Is this black shape growing larger?, Is this image 2 D or 3 D?, These lines never meet!, These stairs—how do they work?, Do you feel like you’re being watched?, Who is on the bottom? Who is on the top?, You think this is a normal fork? Look again!, Which of these orange circles is the largest? Neither one!, Yes—these circles are perfectly round!, Be careful not to fall in! Oh—this is a painting?

Look at the image upside down—you’ll see!

It doesn’t stop turning!, Is the ball rolling, or is the floor moving?, These waves make me feel sick!, Do you see the pulsing black circles?, Look just outside the image., Can you focus on a gray dot?, Is this an image of vases, or two people in conversation?, Look at the image upside down—you’ll see!, Our brains just don’t like this one., Is this black shape growing larger?, Is this image 2 D or 3 D?, These lines never meet!, These stairs—how do they work?, Do you feel like you’re being watched?, Who is on the bottom? Who is on the top?, You think this is a normal fork? Look again!, Which of these orange circles is the largest? Neither one!, Yes—these circles are perfectly round!, Be careful not to fall in! Oh—this is a painting?

Our brains just don’t like this one.

It doesn’t stop turning!, Is the ball rolling, or is the floor moving?, These waves make me feel sick!, Do you see the pulsing black circles?, Look just outside the image., Can you focus on a gray dot?, Is this an image of vases, or two people in conversation?, Look at the image upside down—you’ll see!, Our brains just don’t like this one., Is this black shape growing larger?, Is this image 2 D or 3 D?, These lines never meet!, These stairs—how do they work?, Do you feel like you’re being watched?, Who is on the bottom? Who is on the top?, You think this is a normal fork? Look again!, Which of these orange circles is the largest? Neither one!, Yes—these circles are perfectly round!, Be careful not to fall in! Oh—this is a painting?

Which of these men is the tallest? Actually, they are all the same height!

It doesn’t stop turning!, Is the ball rolling, or is the floor moving?, These waves make me feel sick!, Do you see the pulsing black circles?, Look just outside the image., Can you focus on a gray dot?, Is this an image of vases, or two people in conversation?, Look at the image upside down—you’ll see!, Our brains just don’t like this one., Is this black shape growing larger?, Is this image 2 D or 3 D?, These lines never meet!, These stairs—how do they work?, Do you feel like you’re being watched?, Who is on the bottom? Who is on the top?, You think this is a normal fork? Look again!, Which of these orange circles is the largest? Neither one!, Yes—these circles are perfectly round!, Be careful not to fall in! Oh—this is a painting?

See a cylinder, a triangle, a sphere? Well, those things aren’t actually drawn.

It doesn’t stop turning!, Is the ball rolling, or is the floor moving?, These waves make me feel sick!, Do you see the pulsing black circles?, Look just outside the image., Can you focus on a gray dot?, Is this an image of vases, or two people in conversation?, Look at the image upside down—you’ll see!, Our brains just don’t like this one., Is this black shape growing larger?, Is this image 2 D or 3 D?, These lines never meet!, These stairs—how do they work?, Do you feel like you’re being watched?, Who is on the bottom? Who is on the top?, You think this is a normal fork? Look again!, Which of these orange circles is the largest? Neither one!, Yes—these circles are perfectly round!, Be careful not to fall in! Oh—this is a painting?

Is this black shape growing larger?

It doesn’t stop turning!, Is the ball rolling, or is the floor moving?, These waves make me feel sick!, Do you see the pulsing black circles?, Look just outside the image., Can you focus on a gray dot?, Is this an image of vases, or two people in conversation?, Look at the image upside down—you’ll see!, Our brains just don’t like this one., Is this black shape growing larger?, Is this image 2 D or 3 D?, These lines never meet!, These stairs—how do they work?, Do you feel like you’re being watched?, Who is on the bottom? Who is on the top?, You think this is a normal fork? Look again!, Which of these orange circles is the largest? Neither one!, Yes—these circles are perfectly round!, Be careful not to fall in! Oh—this is a painting?

Which of these lines is the longest? Neither! They are the same length.

It doesn’t stop turning!, Is the ball rolling, or is the floor moving?, These waves make me feel sick!, Do you see the pulsing black circles?, Look just outside the image., Can you focus on a gray dot?, Is this an image of vases, or two people in conversation?, Look at the image upside down—you’ll see!, Our brains just don’t like this one., Is this black shape growing larger?, Is this image 2 D or 3 D?, These lines never meet!, These stairs—how do they work?, Do you feel like you’re being watched?, Who is on the bottom? Who is on the top?, You think this is a normal fork? Look again!, Which of these orange circles is the largest? Neither one!, Yes—these circles are perfectly round!, Be careful not to fall in! Oh—this is a painting?

Is this image 2 D or 3 D?

It doesn’t stop turning!, Is the ball rolling, or is the floor moving?, These waves make me feel sick!, Do you see the pulsing black circles?, Look just outside the image., Can you focus on a gray dot?, Is this an image of vases, or two people in conversation?, Look at the image upside down—you’ll see!, Our brains just don’t like this one., Is this black shape growing larger?, Is this image 2 D or 3 D?, These lines never meet!, These stairs—how do they work?, Do you feel like you’re being watched?, Who is on the bottom? Who is on the top?, You think this is a normal fork? Look again!, Which of these orange circles is the largest? Neither one!, Yes—these circles are perfectly round!, Be careful not to fall in! Oh—this is a painting?

These lines never meet!

It doesn’t stop turning!, Is the ball rolling, or is the floor moving?, These waves make me feel sick!, Do you see the pulsing black circles?, Look just outside the image., Can you focus on a gray dot?, Is this an image of vases, or two people in conversation?, Look at the image upside down—you’ll see!, Our brains just don’t like this one., Is this black shape growing larger?, Is this image 2 D or 3 D?, These lines never meet!, These stairs—how do they work?, Do you feel like you’re being watched?, Who is on the bottom? Who is on the top?, You think this is a normal fork? Look again!, Which of these orange circles is the largest? Neither one!, Yes—these circles are perfectly round!, Be careful not to fall in! Oh—this is a painting?

These stairs—how do they work?

It doesn’t stop turning!, Is the ball rolling, or is the floor moving?, These waves make me feel sick!, Do you see the pulsing black circles?, Look just outside the image., Can you focus on a gray dot?, Is this an image of vases, or two people in conversation?, Look at the image upside down—you’ll see!, Our brains just don’t like this one., Is this black shape growing larger?, Is this image 2 D or 3 D?, These lines never meet!, These stairs—how do they work?, Do you feel like you’re being watched?, Who is on the bottom? Who is on the top?, You think this is a normal fork? Look again!, Which of these orange circles is the largest? Neither one!, Yes—these circles are perfectly round!, Be careful not to fall in! Oh—this is a painting?

Do you feel like you’re being watched?

It doesn’t stop turning!, Is the ball rolling, or is the floor moving?, These waves make me feel sick!, Do you see the pulsing black circles?, Look just outside the image., Can you focus on a gray dot?, Is this an image of vases, or two people in conversation?, Look at the image upside down—you’ll see!, Our brains just don’t like this one., Is this black shape growing larger?, Is this image 2 D or 3 D?, These lines never meet!, These stairs—how do they work?, Do you feel like you’re being watched?, Who is on the bottom? Who is on the top?, You think this is a normal fork? Look again!, Which of these orange circles is the largest? Neither one!, Yes—these circles are perfectly round!, Be careful not to fall in! Oh—this is a painting?

Who is on the bottom? Who is on the top?

It doesn’t stop turning!, Is the ball rolling, or is the floor moving?, These waves make me feel sick!, Do you see the pulsing black circles?, Look just outside the image., Can you focus on a gray dot?, Is this an image of vases, or two people in conversation?, Look at the image upside down—you’ll see!, Our brains just don’t like this one., Is this black shape growing larger?, Is this image 2 D or 3 D?, These lines never meet!, These stairs—how do they work?, Do you feel like you’re being watched?, Who is on the bottom? Who is on the top?, You think this is a normal fork? Look again!, Which of these orange circles is the largest? Neither one!, Yes—these circles are perfectly round!, Be careful not to fall in! Oh—this is a painting?

You think this is a normal fork? Look again!

It doesn’t stop turning!, Is the ball rolling, or is the floor moving?, These waves make me feel sick!, Do you see the pulsing black circles?, Look just outside the image., Can you focus on a gray dot?, Is this an image of vases, or two people in conversation?, Look at the image upside down—you’ll see!, Our brains just don’t like this one., Is this black shape growing larger?, Is this image 2 D or 3 D?, These lines never meet!, These stairs—how do they work?, Do you feel like you’re being watched?, Who is on the bottom? Who is on the top?, You think this is a normal fork? Look again!, Which of these orange circles is the largest? Neither one!, Yes—these circles are perfectly round!, Be careful not to fall in! Oh—this is a painting?

What if we told you the bar in the middle is only one color?

It doesn’t stop turning!, Is the ball rolling, or is the floor moving?, These waves make me feel sick!, Do you see the pulsing black circles?, Look just outside the image., Can you focus on a gray dot?, Is this an image of vases, or two people in conversation?, Look at the image upside down—you’ll see!, Our brains just don’t like this one., Is this black shape growing larger?, Is this image 2 D or 3 D?, These lines never meet!, These stairs—how do they work?, Do you feel like you’re being watched?, Who is on the bottom? Who is on the top?, You think this is a normal fork? Look again!, Which of these orange circles is the largest? Neither one!, Yes—these circles are perfectly round!, Be careful not to fall in! Oh—this is a painting?

Which of these orange circles is the largest? Neither one!

It doesn’t stop turning!, Is the ball rolling, or is the floor moving?, These waves make me feel sick!, Do you see the pulsing black circles?, Look just outside the image., Can you focus on a gray dot?, Is this an image of vases, or two people in conversation?, Look at the image upside down—you’ll see!, Our brains just don’t like this one., Is this black shape growing larger?, Is this image 2 D or 3 D?, These lines never meet!, These stairs—how do they work?, Do you feel like you’re being watched?, Who is on the bottom? Who is on the top?, You think this is a normal fork? Look again!, Which of these orange circles is the largest? Neither one!, Yes—these circles are perfectly round!, Be careful not to fall in! Oh—this is a painting?

Yes—these circles are perfectly round!

It doesn’t stop turning!, Is the ball rolling, or is the floor moving?, These waves make me feel sick!, Do you see the pulsing black circles?, Look just outside the image., Can you focus on a gray dot?, Is this an image of vases, or two people in conversation?, Look at the image upside down—you’ll see!, Our brains just don’t like this one., Is this black shape growing larger?, Is this image 2 D or 3 D?, These lines never meet!, These stairs—how do they work?, Do you feel like you’re being watched?, Who is on the bottom? Who is on the top?, You think this is a normal fork? Look again!, Which of these orange circles is the largest? Neither one!, Yes—these circles are perfectly round!, Be careful not to fall in! Oh—this is a painting?

Look at the black dot, then move closer and further away from the screen.

It doesn’t stop turning!, Is the ball rolling, or is the floor moving?, These waves make me feel sick!, Do you see the pulsing black circles?, Look just outside the image., Can you focus on a gray dot?, Is this an image of vases, or two people in conversation?, Look at the image upside down—you’ll see!, Our brains just don’t like this one., Is this black shape growing larger?, Is this image 2 D or 3 D?, These lines never meet!, These stairs—how do they work?, Do you feel like you’re being watched?, Who is on the bottom? Who is on the top?, You think this is a normal fork? Look again!, Which of these orange circles is the largest? Neither one!, Yes—these circles are perfectly round!, Be careful not to fall in! Oh—this is a painting?

Be careful not to fall in! Oh—this is a painting?

It doesn’t stop turning!, Is the ball rolling, or is the floor moving?, These waves make me feel sick!, Do you see the pulsing black circles?, Look just outside the image., Can you focus on a gray dot?, Is this an image of vases, or two people in conversation?, Look at the image upside down—you’ll see!, Our brains just don’t like this one., Is this black shape growing larger?, Is this image 2 D or 3 D?, These lines never meet!, These stairs—how do they work?, Do you feel like you’re being watched?, Who is on the bottom? Who is on the top?, You think this is a normal fork? Look again!, Which of these orange circles is the largest? Neither one!, Yes—these circles are perfectly round!, Be careful not to fall in! Oh—this is a painting?

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