Internet users go wild over optical illusions, which trick the mind into seeing something completely different from what is real.
Threatening our brain’s view of reality, these illusions raise fascinating questions about how our minds work and compel many of us to dig a little deeper.
Why? Because humans love being fooled!
Keep reading to learn more about why our brains are attracted to things that disagree with its perception of reality!
In early October, online users were puzzled why NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky appeared pantless on screen. The pundit was wearing a navy suit jacket that he paired with dark beige pants, that made him look naked from the bottom down.
“I did wear pants,” Orlovsky Tweeted in response to confused netizens.
Another image, that was recently posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, is baffling online users, many who can’t unravel the hidden numbers.
The optical illusion shows a black and white striped circle with numbers hidden inside of it.
But, as you’d expect with an optical illusion, the line space and direction vary, making it near impossible to crack the code that’s appearing on the screen.
Of course, many have tried to guess what number is appearing on the illusion, though the answers on X are very much varied.
The post, which has been tackled by thousands across the world, is captioned: “Do you see a number? If so, what number?”
One netizen writes, “3,452,839, but to be honest the first 3 is a bit of a guess. Can’t get a fix on it. Easier to see if you jiggle the image up and down, but I don’t know why.”
A second guesses, “I can see 45,283, since looking at the other replies…others are seeing two other numbers. I can see there are numbers there but can’t make them out.” And a third adds, “45,283 … and what’s the catch? Should I book an appointment with my GP?”
If your contrast sensitivity is on-point, you’ll know the entire number in the image is 3,452,839.
Contrast sensitivity is what allows you to perceive clear outlines of small objects, or even identify the smallest difference in shading and patterns.
If your contrast sensitivity is off, it can pose several real-life issues, which include driving in certain conditions.
Contrast sensitivity is a good predictor of how well people can see in low-contrast lighting situations, like lighting at dawn, in fog, when glare is present, and at night.
Drivers need to see well under low contrast conditions and perform tasks like seeing low contrast objects on a dark road, identify objects through oncoming headlights that create a glare, or recognizing dimly lit road signs.
Because of this, people with reduced visual contrast sensitivity are urged against driving in the rain, fog and glare.
While these optical illusions are fun, opticians use the Peli-Robson chart, the gold standard in the industry, which features rows of fading letters, or decreasing contract against a white background.
Don’t panic if you weren’t able to see all the numbers in this trippy illusion! But, you might want to consider visiting an optician to have a Peli-Robson test done.
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If you enjoyed reading this story, be sure to also check out the piece on an optical illusion that helps you discover if you have commitment issues!
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