digg

Join DiggAbout

Discover the best of the web!
Learn more about Digg by taking the tour.

The Best Optical Illusions of the Year 2007

illusioncontest.neuralcorrelat… — I bet you didn't even know there was a contest.

Bury
show profanity settings
expand all
  • ilkeryoldas, on 10/11/2007, -3/+21The winner of the contest is remarkable.. not only it's an illusion but also explains more about our visual system.

    "Twin Towers of Pisa": http://illusioncontest.neuralcorrelate.com/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=114
    • flernk, on 10/11/2007, -1/+69My brain a splode.
    • FarcicalFart, on 10/11/2007, -1/+7This one is my favorite. I had to open it up in an image editor and swap them to prove it for myself. :-)
    • jimbojim, on 10/11/2007, -1/+26Too bad we can't see any of them since the site is dead already.
    • realitybias, on 10/11/2007, -1/+44The BEST optical illusion...

      Tricking us that the page does not exist.
    • DrakeGTA, on 10/11/2007, -0/+33The page seems to be deader then a doornail, but I did find the leaning tower one here along with an explanation of how it works... http://3quarksdaily.blogs.com/3quarksdaily/2007/05/best_visual_ill.html
    • MrBabyMan, on 10/11/2007, -0/+7This would seem to be a strong argument for linking to a scraping blog with better servers, such as boingboing, rather than the original source.
    • ChronicColonic, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2I took the same image and made four pictures of the leaning tower. Each tower to the right looks like it is leaning a little further to the right.. Pretty cool!
    • dokbeast7, on 10/11/2007, -0/+17I still don't understand how these could be the best of 2007. It's not even June yet.
    • birkoph, on 10/11/2007, -6/+15Best illusion of 2007, Digg is passing off as a news site.
    • adsoftheworld, on 10/11/2007, -2/+26You should check this one out too: http://creativebits.org/amazing_optical_illusions
      Really surprising effect!
    • glypht, on 10/11/2007, -20/+3"http://illusion.on.nimp.org"

      Whoa! Do NOT click on that link, all kinds of nasty stuff happened on my Mac, this is the first time I've seen anything like that happen - some kind of Safari exploit? It started telnetting, skyping, IMing and mailing all over the show!
    • glypht, on 10/11/2007, -9/+2Seems that this Last Measure thing is well-known, and that I would have had it much worse (registry mods etc) had I been on Windows. As it happens it didn't get past the OSX first run app dialogue for Skype, it couldn't automatically send any mails in Mail and while it tried to send IMs i don't think the script was created with Adium in mind. Telnet was trying to access 1.1.1.1 so I don't think that got anywhere either. Still, that's the first time I've seen anything like that on my Mac and it gave me a scare!
    • bowdie, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3glypht : Nope, it got me too. Windows2000 and firefox.
    • mesoiam, on 10/11/2007, -2/+2adsoftheworld that one is amazing
    • deadmann, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1Damn, I thought it was a stereo pair at first.
    • Ransomowris, on 10/11/2007, -7/+6http://duggmirror.com
      ?
  • silverchrysalis, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3now i feel all queasy
  • soda0289, on 10/11/2007, -18/+5http://duggmirror.com
  • ericdano, on 10/11/2007, -4/+31WTF. Aren't we only in May? What happens if someone comes out with something better?

    Seriously. I don't get it. PC World publishes a Best Products of 2007, and it's only May. Now this. Geeze. What, we going to start seeing 2009 cars two years early now?
    • pianomahnn, on 10/11/2007, -0/+8With this method they can run the same type of story multiple times. It's magical marketing!
    • Ianki, on 10/11/2007, -2/+10These illusions come from the vision sciences conference held last week in Florida. It's not like they time these things so they can coincide with the new year, it's just one of those little satellite conferences that coincide with the bigger cognitive psychology conferences.

      One of last years winners still makes me smile for no particular reason.

      The bicycle illusion:
      http://www.psych.ubc.ca/~ennslab/research/bicycle_index.html
    • laserblazer, on 10/11/2007, -4/+4The production values in that bicycle illusion clip remind me of 'Lost' but with better dialog.
    • ZeRux, on 10/11/2007, -3/+0Off topic, but does someone knows where the photo from bicycle illusion is taken ('cause that town looks pretty to me)?
    • KiSA, on 10/11/2007, -0/+7I have to say, I saw all of the dots move but the bike didn't seem to 'bob up and down' like I expected it to
  • ejsocom, on 10/11/2007, -4/+4If you're tripping...just sayin'.

    2007 isn't even halfway, how can you hold a contest for this year already?
  • icoms, on 10/11/2007, -21/+5delete this comment
  • Roger, on 10/11/2007, -3/+48"It's an illusion, Michael. A trick is something a whore does for money....or cocaine!"
    • akinser, on 10/11/2007, -16/+2"candy" not cocaine.
    • santaliqueur, on 10/11/2007, -6/+7@ akinser:

      watch the extended pilot.
    • devindotcom, on 10/11/2007, -2/+2roger -
      I thought he said "candy"?
    • HawkeyeMatt, on 10/11/2007, -2/+10Extended pilot = Cocaine
      Broadcasted pilot = Candy
    • Roger, on 10/11/2007, -1/+4@devindotcom

      They're right, its from the extended pilot. I did think the candy line was funnier though.
  • ruddy, on 10/11/2007, -11/+2down in 3...2....1
  • ruddy, on 10/11/2007, -11/+2even the ads on this page are down
  • tmyprod, on 10/11/2007, -8/+2I bet you didn't even know there was a site.
  • gmprunner, on 10/11/2007, -5/+50Here's the illusion: the page suddenly stops appearing! Ooooooooh, aaaaaaaaaah!
  • aldenhg, on 10/11/2007, -4/+5I knew there was a competition, but you can't see it without special glasses.
  • ares623, on 10/11/2007, -6/+1crap
  • actorboy, on 10/11/2007, -3/+33This is why Digg needs an optical illusions section.
  • zedlander, on 10/11/2007, -1/+15The winning illusion, since the site is down: http://scienceblogs.com/omnibrain/2007/05/best_visual_illusion_of_the_ye_2.php
  • blooperspree, on 10/11/2007, -1/+4I never saw the contest coming. :-P
  • lovelifenow, on 10/11/2007, -1/+3http://shapirolab.net/ recieved last years best illusion award
  • yomamaisfat, on 10/11/2007, -2/+10I've seen this trick. You click on it and a zombie screams at you or your computer gets a virus.
  • fnord185, on 10/11/2007, -2/+36#1 was hard to believe so I made this quick animation to prove it. Impressive:

    http://www.allyzabba.com/images/screenhunter_05_may_17_1355.swf [235k swf file]

    Hope it doesn't kill my server too quickly. :)
    • Bahimiron, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2Nice animation.

      Anyone who can see those hidden images in sterogram posters could pretty easily confirm that the images are the same by unfocusing and overlapping the two.
  • littlemarcho, on 10/11/2007, -16/+29Sorry for spam, but this one ***** all over them!

    http://www2.psy.unsw.edu.au/Users/BAnderson/chess.jpg

    they are the same, really!
  • CharlesV, on 10/11/2007, -1/+5Here's a few of them, in the video for Whitest Boy Alive's Golden Cage. Really helps to see these illusions in motion / explained. (especially the checkerboard shadow illusion)

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=bOP37A1EhEs
  • firstpost, on 10/11/2007, -0/+7sorry for the spam before, but on this page it's much better and there's proof:
    http://web.mit.edu/persci/people/adelson/checkershadow_illusion.html
  • dcbrown07, on 10/11/2007, -5/+2i was at this contest
  • boxerjess, on 10/11/2007, -34/+1I hope that some photographer explains how retarded and simple this so called #1 "illusion" of 2007 is. I will admit that I am kind of buzzed right now but it is blatantly apparent that the individual that took this picture knelled down and moved over about 5 feet - it doesn't strike me as the best optical illusion of any year! Do I need to quote Ron Paul, make a top 10 list, explain CSS, discuss hdr photography, or bust a nut over the impending iPhone to get someone to digg this. Please!
  • iamjaredc, on 10/11/2007, -6/+1[oops, posted on the wrong story]
  • asbest, on 10/11/2007, -3/+0grunning bada @!
  • daniel, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4I bet the server didn't even know it was to be raped by diggers
  • raindowg, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2And if anyone is interested, yet another link to a bunch of illusions, that I've had bookmarked for some time now.

    http://www.ritsumei.ac.jp/~akitaoka/saishin-e.html

    A lot of them are pretty neat-o.
  • MattD1, on 10/11/2007, -5/+4Here's a good optical illusion:

    http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=807885014283530747
    • Synth3t1c, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1is this an outlet for you to shove your athiest ideas down my throat? I'm not ripping on athiesm (its a personal choice that i respect) but it doesn't have anything to do with this. you are a retard for posting this here.

      digg this man down!
  • wizzardnstuff, on 10/11/2007, -5/+9Stare at the picture for long enough and it changes:

    http://www.cleric.za.org/illusion/
  • Mageant, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2This proves that there is less objectivity in what we sense than we like to believe. A significant amount of interpretation goes into what we see. I wonder what else there is that we cannot see, simply because our brain cannot interpret it correctly?
  • meshman, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Very cool but what time warp does PCWorld live in to have a Best of 2007 in May?
  • catalysis, on 10/11/2007, -0/+6Check out this one. It's like you can see your brain moving.

    http://www.psy.ritsumei.ac.jp/~akitaoka/rotsnakee.html

  • speedyrev, on 10/11/2007, -1/+3How about the illusion that your server can handle the digg effect.
  • BowZzer, on 10/11/2007, -4/+1Forbidden
    You don't have permission to access /index.php on this server.

    Additionally, a 403 Forbidden error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request.


    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Apache/1.3.37 Server at illusioncontest.neuralcorrelate.com Port 80
  • Acill, on 10/11/2007, -2/+4Wow, the one that hides the site with these errors was the best one ever! ;)

    Warning: Unknown(/home/macknik/public_html/illusioncontest/index.php): failed to open stream: Permission denied in Unknown on line 0

    Warning: Unknown(/home/macknik/public_html/illusioncontest/index.php): failed to open stream: Permission denied in Unknown on line 0

    Warning: (null)(): Failed opening '/home/macknik/public_html/illusioncontest/index.php' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/lib/php:/usr/local/lib/php') in Unknown on line 0
  • gaboo, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2Here's the mirror for those getting errors (like me):
    http://duggmirror.com/offbeat_news/The_Best_Optical_Illusions_of_the_Year_2007/
  • getliquified, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1none are working

    awe, i really wanted to see this :(
  • Iwantawii, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1If you guys like these then you may find these interesting:

    http://www.astraldynamics.com/tutorials/?BoardID=9

    They're articles on training the eye to see auras, and more than just opposite colors or after images. I never really got too far, but it's interesting what you can see when you're sitting around, bored -- especially when watching a relatively non-moving person, such as class or a speaker. The guides do not claim to allow you to see "cancer" or something in a person, more subtle energies are more than meets the eye.

    They key idea, is to notice the difference in what you see between a living and non-living object, such as the aura surrounding a green plant and the aura surrounding a green shirt.
  • politechaos, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0Well, I thought there I saw a contest, but it turns out it was just a spiral and some squiggly lines.
  • jstevoh, on 10/11/2007, -1/+0Here's a Marilyn Monroe Illusion:
    http://scienceblogs.com/omnibrain/2007/05/marilyn_monroe_visual_illusion_2.php

    as well as another illusion that was a top finisher in the contest:
    http://scienceblogs.com/omnibrain/2007/05/bouncing_brains_and_blue_banan.php
  • Juicey, on 10/11/2007, -3/+0WOW! Two ***** towers next to each other. What's the illusion, are you only supposed to see one?! WOOP-ITY-DO! Did they also mention that 100% of the members are part of the generatic association?
  • xurxo7, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0The website is up again!! you can see all the illusions now. They are awsome!
  • dspain, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0Check out the ones in the "Color" column, and especially check out the yellow Rubik's cube-ish thing.
    http://www.purveslab.net/seeforyourself/?1
  • macknik, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1Diggers: thank you so much for your interest in our contest. YOU are the reason that we hold it every year. As a neuroscientist I can tell you that your comments and curiosity about the illusions are right on the mark! I hope you can come to next year's contest in Naples Florida on May 10, 2008.

    Steve Macknik -- On behalf of the Neural Correlate Society and the illusion creators.
  • Angoulemmy, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1Own up, is this a meta-pic of the diff tween Dems & Repubs, Labour & Tory, etc!
  •  

    Login or register to add a comment

    Create a new account or login to join in the conversation on Digg. You'll also be able to Digg stories to help promote things you like.


© Digg Inc. 2008 — Content posted by Digg users is dedicated to the public domain.
DIGG, DIGG IT, DUGG, DIGG THIS, Digg graphics, logos, designs, page headers, button icons, scripts, and other service names are the trademarks of Digg Inc.