00:00Here's something weird for you.
00:02Stare at this image for a few seconds.
00:04Really lock in on one spot in the middle.
00:07I know, the edges seem to fade, almost vanishing into thin air.
00:11And then, out of nowhere, those empty spaces take on a greenish tint.
00:16What's really going on here?
00:19Well, this little mind trick is called the Troxler Fading Illusion.
00:22When you focus too hard on one point, your brain decides the rest isn't worth paying attention to.
00:28It's like it's saying something new is happening, so it just filters it out.
00:32So while you think you're seeing everything, your brain is low-key erasing the background.
00:37Now check out this image.
00:39Which line do you think continues the black one?
00:42The red line or the blue line?
00:44Your brain is probably screaming blue, but it's actually the red one.
00:49This tricky visual is called the Poggendorf Illusion, first described back in the 1960s.
00:55It messes with how we see geometric shapes and depth.
00:59Basically, our brains are wired to interpret 2D images as if they have 3D properties,
01:04and in the process, they warp the way we perceive alignment.
01:08I need you to stare at this image for a second.
01:13Does that dark hole in the center seem to grow, like you're being pulled into a tunnel?
01:19This is called the Expanding Black Hole Illusion.
01:22Scientists found that when people look at it, their pupils dilate,
01:26just like they would if they were stepping into a real dark space.
01:29That's because your brain is wired to predict light changes,
01:33and when it thinks you're heading into a cave or tunnel.
01:36It adjusts your vision before you actually get there.
01:40FYI, the illusion isn't moving at all.
01:43Your brain just fills in the blanks.
01:46The next illusion will prove that your brain is photoshopping reality without your permission.
01:51Take a look.
01:52Can you spot the darkest one?
01:54Okay, good, but I have something to tell you.
01:57They're all the same color.
01:59This is the saturation illusion in action.
02:02Your brain doesn't just see colors, it interprets them.
02:06Stick the same gray on a dark background, and it magically looks lighter.
02:11Put it on a light one, suddenly it's darker.
02:14Just keep looking at the little white dot at the center of this image for a bit.
02:19Don't worry, I'll tell you when you can stop.
02:21We need your full attention for just a few seconds.
02:24When I say go, I'll need you to stare directly into a white wall or a blank piece of paper.
02:293, 2, go.
02:32Now, this is called the negative afterimage illusion.
02:36First, you need to look at an image with inverted colors for a few seconds.
02:40Then, when you turn to look at a white page or wall, you'll get to see the original image.
02:46This is scientific.
02:48This trick happens because your eyes and brain are big fans of contrast.
02:54When they're hit with opposite colors, they try to balance things out by filling in the right colors.
02:59So, even though the screen's blank, your mind plays color artist and paints the correct shades in your imagination.
03:06If you've never seen a picture literally undulating, then let me show you this.
03:11If you move the screen up and down, it will make it even more exciting.
03:15This is the Primrose's field illusion, and these squares seem to ripple like little waves on the ocean, even though nothing is actually moving.
03:24It's all thanks to tiny involuntary eye movements called fixation jitters.
03:29Your eyes are constantly shifting, even when you think they're steady.
03:33On top of that, your brain processes light and dark areas at different speeds, creating a delay that makes the pattern seem to sway.
03:41Basically, your brain is making up movements that aren't there.
03:45Help me out here for a second.
03:47Can you tell if the circle on the right is larger than the circle on the left?
03:51They're actually the same size.
03:53Yep, your brain just got bamboozled by the Ebbinghaus illusion, a sneaky trick discovered by a German physiologist over a hundred years ago.
04:01The big circles on the right make the middle circle seem tiny, while the smaller circles on the left make their center body look huge.
04:10Don't these ones look like they're rotating?
04:13Now, blink a few times.
04:15It's insane how it seems to get faster, right?
04:18This is one of Japanese artists Kitaoka's optical illusions.
04:23These illusions are shapes with changing brightness and contrast to create the effect of rotating images.
04:29Let's see another example.
04:31Which direction are these snakes moving to you?
04:35This may shock you, but these guys are stationary.
04:38It's all about those repeating asymmetrical patterns and clever color combos.
04:43We've got lighter shades like yellow and white hanging out with darker blues and blacks.
04:48This funky mix tricks your retina into sending signals to your brain, making those circles look like they're spinning.
04:55Alright, stare at the parrot's eye for 15 seconds.
04:59You can't blink.
05:00You can't look away.
05:02I'll let you know when it's time to close your eyes.
05:04Now, close your eyes.
05:09Okay, can you see a red parrot in your mind?
05:12It might feel like a trick, but this is another cool example of the afterimage effect.
05:18Here's what happened.
05:19Even though the parrot in the picture is black and white, your brain got a little confused after staring at that bright, high-contrast eye for so long.
05:27Now, is this red car really moving like crazy in the other direction?
05:31Let's see.
05:32Focus your sight on the moving vehicles.
05:35Now, fix your eyes on the red car.
05:39Is the picture starting to change?
05:40Is the picture starting to change?
05:41If you manage to focus your eyes on the red car, you'll start to see it slowly moving forward, and all the other cars are moving backwards.
05:49Take a look at this image.
05:52It looks like the square in the middle is breathing, right?
05:54Like it's growing in size and then shrinking.
05:57What if I told you that it's just rotating, but it's not changing size?
06:02Here's what's really happening.
06:04This illusion is called motion binding.
06:06It happens when our brain tries to predict the movement of one of the elements in the image.
06:11Here's one for you.
06:13These four bars seem to be moving in parallel with each other, right?
06:17Wrong.
06:18They're all part of the same moving square.
06:20Here's what's happening behind the scenes.
06:22Our brain just gets confused.
06:25Keep staring at this image of Harry Potter for a few seconds.
06:28Focus your eyes on this dot.
06:31You can blink, but keep staring at the dot.
06:34When I say so, I need you to close your eyes and blink with your eyes closed.
06:38You know, just keep squeezing your eyes while they're closed.
06:41Okay, you can close your eyes.
06:43Now blink.
06:44A portion of Harry Potter will slowly start to appear in your mind's eye.
06:49Can you see it?
06:50That's witchcraft right there.
06:52Alright, here's the final illusion.
06:55What do you see here?
06:57Is it black and white?
06:59Go ahead, take your time.
07:00Think about it.
07:01But here's the thing.
07:03Your brain is probably already trying to trick you into thinking there are colors all over
07:08this photo.
07:09What you're actually looking at is a black and white image with a bright, colorful grid
07:13of green, red, orange, yellow, and blue lines placed over it.
07:18The grid's super vibrant colors plays tricks on your brain, making the grayscale photo appear
07:23all colorful and lively.
07:26The lines add a bit of saturation to the whole thing, causing you to see colors where there
07:30are none.
07:32It's like your brain is getting excited, thinking, whoa, this is way more colorful than I expected.
07:38If you really want to break the illusion, try zooming in on the image.
07:42When you do, you'll see that the photo isn't full of color at all.
07:46The colors you were seeing were just a little magic trick your brain pulled, trying to make
07:50sense of the colors it thought it was seeing.
07:52That's it we're seeing.
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