THIS mind-boggling optical illusion can make users dizzy if they stare at it for too long.
The image, also known as Pinna’s Intertwinging illusion, was created by Baingio Pinna of the University of Sassari in Italy.
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What is Pinna’s intertwining illusion?
In Pinna’s optical illusion, users can see several circles made of smaller yellow and black squares.
As they stare at the visual, the circles seem to spiral and intersect.
But in fact they are an ordered series of circles that do not touch at all.
What’s up with this illusion?
Like many others, this illusion works by using color and shape to deceive the human mind.
The placement of the squares, which alternate in color from circle to circle, creates a contrast that makes your brain think they are intersecting.
It also creates an illusory motion effect that makes your mind feel like the circles are spinning.
One optical illusion expert explains: “The scale and spacing of the squares are just right to get that alignment, and as a result, the effect amplifies the inward-turning, spiraling effect because of the orientation of the squares.”
“The fringes together create an effect a bit like disruptive waves. The illusion appears to be a cumbersome process that is usually extremely effective at filtering out key information about edges and their orientation in the field of view.”
“To a much greater extent than we realize, we infer global configurations from what we see only in the central, foveal region of the visual field. That seems to be the case with impossible three-dimensional shapes as well.”
Other similar illusions are those of Akiyoshi Kitaoka, a psychology professor in Kyoto, Japan.
One of his most famous illusions, the Rotating Snakes, consists of circular snakes that seem to spin spontaneously in your peripheral vision.
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However, when you focus on one circle, the rotation seems to stop.
This is probably caused by unconscious rapid eye movements and blinking, per The Watcher.