I am working on a new two-dimensional variant of the Müller-Lyer illusion… You may be surprised to know that the Müller-Lyer illusion isn’t only linear: it involves plane geometry too! In fig. A shown below, the ends of the blue and red collinear segments, arranged in a radial fashion around a central point, delimit two perfectly concentric circles. However, for most observers, they seem instead to define a large ovoid that circumscribes another one, slightly eccentric (Fig. B). This comes from the fact that the red segments seem to stretch towards the lower part of the figure, while the blue segments seem to stretch towards the upper part of the same. As you can see, in this variant comes also into play the “neon color spreading” effect. In fact, a bluish inner oval-like shape appears within the black arrow heads (Fig. A), though the background is uniformly white.
Author: Gianni Sarcone
Man Can Never Be Clean
The human body plays host to trillions of microorganisms. So many, in fact, that they outnumber our cells 10 to 1! Fortunately many of these microbes are vital to human health.
Using a cell-culture dish filled with a nutrient broth commonly used in labs, Tasha Sturm, a microbiology tech at Cabrillo College in California, gently stamped her 8-year-old’s hand on the plate. She then incubated the petri dish at body temperature and 2 days later, the bacteria and yeast that were transferred to the dish had built a blooming colony (see featured photo above). Continue Reading
Turn A Still Photo Into A Short Movie
From the static image shown below (representing an automated conveyor system), it is possible to create a looping seamless animation…
Early Projector
This Roman artifact is considered a possible precursor to the magic lantern. According to the Italian engineer and author Flavio Russo, placing the flame of a candle or small lantern behind the elliptical lens could project the image or portrait painted on its surface onto a white wall, operating on the same basic principle as modern slide projectors. A comparable concept was later explored in the 17th century by Athanasius Kircher, who demonstrated the projection of images using light and lenses—an early step toward the development of the magic lantern.
The Astounding Art of Arrangements
Sometimes, man lets himself go to this abstracted ‘diversion’, which involves assembling or arranging pieces, counters or any small familiar object. This compulsive behavior is evidence of a geometrical sense, which is natural and irrepressible. This is the same behavior, which drives some birds instinctively when they collect and group shells, glittering or colored objects to lavishly decorate their bowers. So, assembling and arranging objects is not only a cerebral activity but, indeed, a primitive geometric urge.
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The Plant That Is Able To Count Almost To Five
We already knew birds can count, but what about plants? Is this idea so surrealist? No, it isn’t because research says the carnivorous plant with a suggestive name, Venus Flytrap (also referred to ‘Dionaea muscipula’), snaps its jaws shut only when the tiny hairs on the surface of the trapping structure formed by two lobes have been stimulated twice within a 20-second window. An additional stimulation primes the trap for digestion. Five stimulations trigger the production of digestive enzymes – and more additional hairs’ stimulations mean more enzymes.
Topsy-turvy Mural
Lithuanian-American artist Ray Bartkus painted during the Malonny art festival an intriguing mural on the side of a building in Marijampolė, Lithuania. It may seem abstract at first glance, but when reflected in the river near the structure, it all makes sense!
Bamboozle your mind with illusions
Bamboozle your mind with Super Optical Illusions – my book of brain boggling artworks is a clever gift for curious-minded children. Find hearts that beat in the middle of the page and snail shells that spiral off into infinity. Enjoy a preview of my eye popping illustrations below and look for many more in Super Optical Illusions – available now!
As an author, designer, and researcher in the field of visual perception and creative thinking, I like to combine art, psychology, cognitive sciences, and recreational logic to test people’s ingenuity.
I have created or adapted most of the illusions contained in my books. Many were created and perfected during my workshops which are held for the benefit of children and adults alike (more information at: http://www.archimedes-lab.org/prospatelier.html).
Try to solve the optical illusion puzzles below without looking at the answers.
The Football
The Bullephant, an earliest bistable figure
Visual illusions where you experience two equally possible interchangeable states in perception are called “bistable illusions“. The Necker cube and the Rubin vase are ones of the most classic examples of a bistable figure. I have discovered that all over India, you may see many variants of an interesting bistable depiction, which represents a bull and an elephant with distinct bodies and only one head (painted or sculpted at least 850 years ago). If you look carefully at the whole picture, you may see how the body parts of both animals are skillfully overlapped. For instance, the trunk of the elephant is also the hump of the bull. The horns and ears of the bull have become the mouth or snout of the elephant. These are ones of the earliest documented “ambiguous figure” illusions…
Optical Illusions Using Typography & Shadowcasting
With help of typography and light you can make a lot of amazing visual effects! The game is all a question of symmetry…
A l’aide de la typographie et de la lumière, on peut créer beaucoup d’effets visuels intéressants! Le tout tourne autour de la symétrie…
