Optical Illusions That'll Make Your Mind Melt

You probably wouldn’t want this surreal headshot on your resume. This takes a front-on view of a man while carving out his profile, with all of the features in the same place.

When you first look at this picture, you might just see some parallel black and white lines. However, shake your head and you might just uncover a hidden message! As you’ll soon see, parallel lines aren’t the only way to hide images from your brain.

At first glance, you probably thought this orange and purple pattern was expanding outward. Layering certain colors and patterns can trick the brain into seeing a still image as animated.

Sometimes a new perspective is all you need to solve a problem. Look too closely and you’ll only see a bunch of black dots. However, take a step back and you may just get a “new look.”

Oh, the dress at the center of so much controversy. This viral image confounded the internet, is it white and gold or black and blue? In reality, the dress was blue and black!

Trying to solve an optical illusion often feels like playing hide and seek. Just like hide and seek, you’re in for a reward if you know where to look.

A perfect example of the  classic impossible trident! How many tines does the fork actually have?

This one is particularly tricky! Is it moving or not? Depending on where you look, the tunnel or balls rotate and spin.

A classic illusion of hidden faces. This one is particularly interesting since the slopes of the brows also indicate a male and female face.

One of the oldest and greatest optical illusions, this clever drawing may resemble an older woman or a young princess depending on its rotation. Isn’t it awesome how a mouth can become forehead wrinkles with just a change in perspective?

As you look around this image, each of the circles begins to spin in a specific direction. Thanks to the ever-changing patterns and sizes, some even look like funnels.

Using a simple concept, certain shapes indicate different images. Is that a furry creature or a unique hairstyle?

With a lot of illusions, trying too hard to find the secret can prevent you from seeing it entirely. Try relaxing your eyes and taking a step back and you might just find the trick.

This brilliant explosion of purple and yellow looks as though it is growing. A surprising amount of patterns can trick your brain.

Another classic optical illusion, which relies on figure-ground perception. If you look in the center, you’ll see a goblet. On the sides are two heads in profile.

Two classic illusions, combined into one. Swapping some line widths and colors makes it easy to hide a message. Can you find the hidden message behind the waving patterns?

A new riff on an old classic, plus a shape illusion. Like before, looking in the center reveals one image while the sides reveal others.

All it takes is inverting the direction of some lines to tuck away an image. Stare too long and those straight lines may start taking on a bit of a zig-zag, revealing a secret.

Another interesting take on the human face. No matter how you look at it, you can perfectly see half of a human face.

Depending on where you look, this unique ball looks as though it’s rolling across the background. If you’re having difficulty seeing it, try to adjust how hard you’re focusing.

This illusion is a feast for the eyes. Depending on where your glance falls, you may reveal different circles or bars.

One of the greatest optical illusions! Are the lines between each row slanting? Though they may look slanted, they’re actually perfectly parallel.

Is this a butterfly, some faces, or a Rorschach test? Another great example of figure-ground perception, with a bit of a twist.

Our brains are remarkably good at discovering and completing patterns. Just by thickening a wave pattern, you can see a shape emerge from the background.

This is an illusion with a purpose. These incredible circles are a common test for colorblindness. People with certain color deficiencies may not be able to see the line snaking through the image.

If you follow the lines, you may just see a hidden letter. The best part of it is that none of the lines draw the letter. Your brain automatically completes a pattern that isn’t fully there!

Our brains understand that things become smaller when they are further away. If you’re able to emulate that, even identical tables can look like two completely different sizes.

Take some time and stare at one of the yellow dots. If you focus hard enough, the other yellow circles mysteriously vanish.

You’ve seen an impossible fork, so how about an impossible elephant? Not only does this elephant seem to have more legs than it should, but its feet don’t exist at all.

Did you know that our perception of a color changes based on its surroundings? While one side of the inner gradient bar seems lighter than the other side, it's all the same color.