Shape-shifting cylinders: Epic optical illusion mystifies the internet (VIDEO)
A mind boggling video of an optical illusion involving, apparently, shape shifting objects has been watched more than 2 million times on YouTube as internet users have struggled to solve the puzzle.
The ‘ambiguous cylinder illusion’ was created by artist Kokichi Sugihara from Meiji University in Japan, who was also named as a finalist in the Best Illusion of the Year Contest 2016 for the installation.
The video begins by showing six rectangular prisms, standing upright in front of a mirror but the reflection looking back reveals six cylinders.
It continues to gradually add objects to the puzzle, baffling the viewer as the mirror images generate contrasting interpretations of the 3D shapes.
The internet has been left amazed by the optical magical trick. One YouTube commenter wrote: “The only plausible scientific explanation is voodoo magic,” while others claimed their “brain was hurting” just watching the illusion unfold.
However, it wasn’t long until some 3D puzzle enthusiasts came to the rescue to enlighten the confused 2.3 million viewers, who were questioning the reliability of their senses and perception, on how exactly the illusion works.
A video posted by the 3D Printing Channel uses a 3D printer and reverse engineering to reveal the hybrid object is in fact a ‘squircle’.
It explains that the true shape is the point where the circle blends into a square, this is because the sides of the object are different - two are arching upwards while the other two are dipping downwards.
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