[Solvay_1927 (OP)]

Can anyone explain to me how on earth this illusion works??  (And what makes it work? Does it depend on the colours used?)



If (like my wife) you don't see the picture "rippling" straight away, try moving your head around / moving your gaze from one corner of the p[icture to the other.


"Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines."

[another_someone]

Don't know, but I'll make the following observation that might have some relevance.

If you look at the individual shapes, they are bordered by light and dark edges as if they were illuminated three dimensional objects; but the light and dark are on different edges on each of the shapes, as if each shape was illuminated from a different direction.  I can imagine that as the eye moves across the picture, it looks as if the the objects have moved in order to explain why they appear to be picking up light from different directions.

This then is reinforced by the alignment of the individual shapes as if they were on curved surfaces, e.g. a rippled surface.

[daveshorts]

If you keep my eye still it doesn't seem to produce the rippling effect, but if I read stuff either side I do get it.

interesting

[neilep]

Don't forget to check out these other pages contributed by fine upstanding members of this community:

http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1424

http://www.michaelbach.de/ot/index.html (Very good with explanations too)

Men are the same as women.... just inside out !!

[stinkinstudentlamo]

Could it be that because your eyes are moving and therefore focusing on different points, you're seeing the darker bits turn into lighter bits and vice versa. combined with the shapes that could be producing the rippling effect.

Cool optical illusion though. I like it[]

I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that I don't know the answer.
-- Douglas Adams

[Solvay_1927 (OP)]

Oops, sorry, didn't realise the above picture had been posted on this forum only a year ago![:I]

Thanks Neil - the second link above is excellent, very interesting. And thanks Someone & Stinkin for the good suggestions.

For anyone who's interested, the site I got this illusion from is:
http://www.scarymonkey.net
My teenage son introduced me to that site last week and I've since become addicted to it. It's got some other very good illuisions on it, but also lots of other interesting stuff.  My favourite is the following video:
http://www.scarymonkey.net/movies/myhero.php
(That's not ukmicky miming into the webcam, is it?[])


FOOTBALLERS’ QUOTES #1 :  'I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel.' - Stuart Pearce

[erich]

Here's some more:

Very cool illusion
http://www.patmedia.net/marklevinson/cool/cool_illusion.html


Optical Illusions and Visual Phenomena
http://www.michaelbach.de/ot/

Have fun.................
Erich

Erich J. Knight

[Monox D. I-Fly]

When I was still in middle school, sometimes I played badminton with my garage wall (yes, I was that lonely) and whenever I was exhausted I could see the wall moving away from me despite it's still in its place. What caused this? I heard from 9Gag that alcohol gives similar effects, but I never drank one.

[Colin2B]

All that running around affects the balance mechanism in the ears and having to constantly look for new points of focus means that the visual system is still searching. You get a similar effect comming off a ship, the land appears to be moving; I often get it briefly after running on a treadmill.

[Monox D. I-Fly]

I see. Thanks for your explanation.