The Visual Conundrums That Tricked Perceptions at Tech Square
Inspired by the groundhog’s search for its shadow on Groundhog Day, we popped up at Centergy One’s lobby and challenged our members at Tech Square with visual conundrums.
Served with a side of coffee and doughnuts, this after-lunch Coffee Talk consisted of two optical illusions, as seen below. If you’re up for the challenge, write your answers down and scroll below to see if you’re correct!
Challenge #1: The Stripes and Spheres Illusion
True or False: These spheres come in three different colors.
Challenge #2: The Checker Shadow Illusion
Which checker is darker: A or B?
Of the 16 community members who took us up on these visual conundrums, 12 got neither of the questions correct. In fact, only 20 percent of the challengers answered both questions correctly!
Percentage of Member Responses to Visual Conundrums
Ready for the answers? See if you guessed it right or wrong below, along with the explanations for the illusions.
Challenge #1: The Stripes and Spheres Illusion by Dr. David Novick, a computer science engineer professor
Answer: False! The spheres are all the same color. The spheres seem to be different colors because of the color of the stripes that lay over them.
Challenge #2: The Checker Shadow Illusion (related to The Cornsweet Illusion, named after psychologist Tom Cornsweet)
Answer: Neither is darker than the other! Checker B can seem darker than Checker A because of the shadow surrounding Checker B.
How did you fare with the challenge? Regardless of how you did, one thing is certain: proximity and context in design can trick your perception. Remember — what you see isn’t always what’s really there!
Find another optical illusion that can stump even the sharpest of visions? Share a link to challenge others in the comments below.
Did You Know?
The people of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania celebrate Groundhog Day each year with a civic festival. Centered around a groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil, the ceremonious yearly event that started in 1886 is centered around his emergence from his temporary home on Gobbler's Knob.