Optical Illusion: Are these circles in motion or static? | Trending

Optical illusions have long fascinated people as they bridge the gap between reality and perception, leaving people wondering. From an optical illusion featuring colour-shifting circles to another showcasing overlapping lines, numerous optical illusions that play tricks on our eyes and mind are shared on social media. Recently, an optical illusion shared online has stirred up a storm of confusion. It also reminds people that things are sometimes different from what they appear. Optical illusion: The motion stops if you stare at any part of the image. (Akiyoshi Kitaoka) What is this optical illusion about?The optical illusion in question gives the impression that various regions of the image are in constant motion, despite the entire image being static in reality. The illusion features circles that seem in motion when you look away. However, the moment you fix your eyes on any one of the circles, the apparent motion comes to a halt. Who created the optical illusion?The optical illusion is created Akiyoshi Kitaoka, an experimental psycholog who creates and studies visual illusions, and is known as the Rotating Snakes illusion. “This is not a GIF: it’s an optical illusion created @AkiyoshiKitaoka that demonstrates the strong (and beautiful) rotation of the “wheels”, occurring in relation to your eye movements. On steady fixation the effect vanishes,” reads the caption of the optical illusion shared on Twitter handle @Rainmaker1973. Take a look at the optical illusion here: Did that optical illusion boggle you? Since being shared on June 27, the optical illusion has accumulated over 99,900 views and more than 400 likes. The share has also prompted many to leave their thoughts in the comments section.Here’s how people reacted to the optical illusion:A Twitter user expressed, “My eyes, stop it.” “Pinch the eyes for undoing the magic,” suggested another. A third commented, “This is a good test for the state of your nervous system: if you are excited about something, the snakes will rotate; if you are calm, they will be static.” “Not working when you just woke up,” wrote a fourth. What are your thoughts on this optical illusion? ABOUT THE AUTHOR Arfa Javaid is a journal working with the Hindustan Times’ Delhi team. She covers trending topics, human interest stories, and viral content online. …view detail