Oh, the internet. You give us infinite content, breaking news, viral media, and, of course, endless optical illusion puzzles and debates.
The most famous example of the latter is The Dress. In 2015, the internet was divided on whether a widespread photo of a dress was depicted as black and blue or white and gold.
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The phenomenon revealed differences in human colour perception, which have since resulted in scientific investigations and in-depth investigations of neuroscience and vision studies.
In 2018, the internet debated a trippy audio clip that split the virtual world over differences in hearing the name “Yanny” versus “Laurel.”
Earlier in 2022, an optical illusion made its rounds across Twitter, pitting people’s brains and eyes against each other, using a set of numbers faintly displayed over a spiral pattern.
If you’re itching to ramp up your noggin, here are 10 brain teasers and puzzles that have gone viral over the past few years.
Is this dress blue and black or white and gold?
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Arguably the internet’s most popular optical illusion, this stumper ignited a firestorm across the digital world in 2015.
Which colours do you see? There’s no wrong answer (unless of course, you said blue and black…)
What do you hear?
This auditory illusion will continue to have people questioning their sanity/friendships until the end of time.
Do you hear Yanny or Laurel?
This isn’t a day at the beach
if you can see a beach, ocean sky, rocks and stars then you are an artist, But its not a painting its lower part of the car gate which needs to be repaired. pic.twitter.com/dCMC49PBQS
— X (@nxyxm) July 2, 2019
In 2019, Twitter user @nxyxm posted this confounding photo telling artists that they might see a “beach, ocean sky, rocks, and stars” but it’s actually the broken bottom of a car door.
Non-shiny shiny legs
@leonardhoespams/Instagram
In 2016, an art student posted a photo of paint-covered legs which made them look shiny to some people.
The image went viral once the internet debated if it was covered in oil. The artist admitted it was an innocent post of paint-covered legs and that they’re actually dry.
Kendall Jenner’s missing legs
View this post on Instagram
InStyle magazine posted a photo of celebs Kendall Jenner, Kylie Jenner, and Hailey Bieber (then-Baldwin) hanging out together after the Golden Globes in 2017.
It almost broke the internet as people were pondering why Kendall’s legs were missing.
Answer: they’re under her dress.
More missing legs
u/jr0d7771/Reddit
This viral Reddit post has six ladies sitting on a couch but only five pairs of legs.
It appears that the woman in the middle is legless. What’s actually the case is her torso is leaning and the ripped jeans, black shoes, and black socks belong to her.
The lady on the left holding a beer is wearing black pants and the second girl from the left has her legs hidden behind the first girl.
Look closely, it’ll make sense.
These strawberries are not red
2色法によるイチゴの錯視。この画像はすべてシアン色（青緑色）の画素でできているが、イチゴは赤く見える。
Strawberries appear to be reddish, though the pixels are not. pic.twitter.com/Ginyhf61F7
— Akiyoshi Kitaoka (@AkiyoshiKitaoka) February 28, 2017
This image was created by a professor of psychology at Ritsumeikan University who studies visual perception. The pixels have been drained of all red and are actually grey.
The result is a phenomenon called colour constancy. If you have a few minutes, take a deep dive into it.
Another brick in the wall?
Arron Bevin/Facebook
This photo went viral when UK resident Arron Bevin posted it to Facebook. A cigar is wedged between the bricks but the ashy end of the stogie looks like a grey stone.
Do you see it?
Is she underwater or not?
maskari/Imgur
In 2015, a Reddit debate raged over whether the girl in this photo was underwater or not.
The filtered light and squat make it look like she’s underwater but she’s actually not.
Do you see a number?
DO you see a number?
If so, what number? pic.twitter.com/wUK0HBXQZF
— Benonwine (@benonwine) February 16, 2022
This optical illusion made its rounds across Twitter, pitting people’s brains and eyes against each other.
Twitter user @benonwine asked the platform, “Do you see a number? If so, what number?” with numbers faintly displayed across a spiral pattern.
Reactions claim the correct answer is “3452839,” and that the puzzle is actually a test of people’s contrast sensitivity, a common test by optometrists to test people’s vision at night, in fog, snow, or rain.
Thanks, internet. We don’t even know what’s real anymore…
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