Lightness perception, the visual system’s ability to maintain a stable representation of surface reflectance despite varying illumination, has long intrigued researchers. Central to this field is the ...

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New York — At the Museum of Illusions in New York City, around every corner is a wonder for the eyes. There's a vase that's a face, art that moves with you, and a room that seems to go on forever.

Research shows that a certain kind of visual illusion, neon color spreading, works on mice. The study is also the first to combine the use of two investigative techniques called electrophysiology and ...

Researchers have discovered new variations of an illusion created when we see three rapid flashes in our side vision. Regardless of the position of the second flash, the illusion causes the brain to ...

Optical illusions have long fascinated the human brain — playing tricks on our eyes, bending our perception, and challenging us to see beyond the obvious. These captivating puzzles blur the line ...

Medical imaging experts are adept at solving common optical illusions, according to research from four UK universities, ...

A head-scratching optical illusion challenges the perception of color and how the brain plays tricks on us. In an image created by the UK contact lens vendor Lenstore, a series of lilac letters ...

Every illusion has a backstage crew. New research shows the brain’s own “puppet strings”—special neurons that quietly tug our perception—help us see edges and shapes that don’t actually exist. When ...

Delboeuf Illusion. The inner circle appears smaller when surrounded by a large circle than when surrounded by a small circle. Source: Drawing by Berit Brogaard When dentists drill holes in your teeth, ...

Psychologists have long been interested in how people interpret ambiguous, bistable images, such as the examples below. Bistable images. Top left: faces or a vase. Top right: rabbit or duck. Bottom ...