Driving people dotty: Crazy optical illusion goes viral (POLL)
This maddening optical illusion will mess with your brain – and possibly wreck your eyesight.
The image, called ‘Ninio’s Extinction Illusion’, contains 12 black dots dispersed in a pattern such that the human brain finds it difficult to ‘spot’ them all at once.
While the dots are evenly located throughout the image, the way light receptors in people’s eyes function means they can only see three or four of them at a time.
READ MORE: Shape-shifting cylinders: Epic optical illusion mystifies the internet (VIDEO)
The extinction grid is a variation on a classic optical illusion, the Hermann Grid, which dates back to the 19th century.
@wkerslake I find this one more extreme/impressive (from the FB replies): pic.twitter.com/6e14LPYkfA
— Adam Martin (@t_machine_org) September 12, 2016
On Sunday, the bizarre Ninio illusion was shared by a user on Twitter, who found it on Facebook, and it has since been retweeted an incredible 24,000 times.
There are twelve black dots at the intersections in this image. Your brain won’t let you see them all at once. pic.twitter.com/ig6P980LOT
— Will Kerslake (@wkerslake) September 11, 2016
Some Tweeters simply couldn’t handle the ‘challenge’.
@wkerslake@siracusa My wife can see all 12 just fine. Is she a witch? Please advise.
— Peter J. Cavan (@PJCavan) September 11, 2016
@wkerslake is this the human equivalent of a laser pointer for a cat? I keep chasing it... but I can't catch it....
— Kurt Seifried (@kurtseifried) September 12, 2016
@wkerslake@realmrkimbell Woah. My right eye sees none (and it's been malfunctioning). The left sees 1-2 at a time and that is so cool.
— Alice Dreger (@AliceDreger) September 12, 2016
@wkerslake@debreuil mouth literally hanging open. wtf, brain???
— Keith Peters (@bit101) September 12, 2016
@wkerslake@revmagdalen WHAT IS THIS SORCERY???
— Me, TaritaC (@TaritaC) September 12, 2016
But we want to know...
