Optical illusions are fascinating and infuriating in equal measure. They make zero sense and yet no matter how much we try we always fall of them.
So what’s actually happening that causes us to fall for them?
Well as explained in the video above, a lot of the reason optical illusions are actually caused by our brains ‘cheating’ us.
The human brain is capable of doing some truly extraordinary things but it’s not superhuman, which means that to some extent it needs to predict what’s going to happen before it actually happens.
It’s the reason we have fast reflexes. Our brains are already calculating where an object will be before our eyes actually see it in real life.
Check out the video above to find out what’s really happening to our brains when we look at an optical illusion.
Optical Illusions
Beautiful And Hypnotic(01 of10)
(credit:<a href="http://imgur.com/gwJO5" target="_blank" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="Imgur" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="57d6c588e4b0d45ff872b965" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://imgur.com/gwJO5" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="16" data-vars-position-in-unit="16">Imgur</a> via <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/pxrnh/amazing_optical_illusion/" target="_blank" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="reddit" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="57d6c588e4b0d45ff872b965" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/pxrnh/amazing_optical_illusion/" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="17" data-vars-position-in-unit="17">reddit</a>.)
Get Into Gear(02 of10)
(credit:<a href="http://www.the-capsule.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Optical-3.gif" target="_blank" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="The Capsule" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="57d6c588e4b0d45ff872b965" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://www.the-capsule.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Optical-3.gif" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="14" data-vars-position-in-unit="14">The Capsule</a> via <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/gifs/comments/19coz3/crazy_gear_optical_illusion/" target="_blank" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="reddit." data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="57d6c588e4b0d45ff872b965" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://www.reddit.com/r/gifs/comments/19coz3/crazy_gear_optical_illusion/" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="15" data-vars-position-in-unit="15">reddit.</a>)
False Movement(03 of10)
. (credit:<a href="https://www.psy.ritsumei.ac.jp/~akitaoka/index-e.html" target="_blank" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="Via Akiyoshi's Illusion Page" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="57d6c588e4b0d45ff872b965" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="https://www.psy.ritsumei.ac.jp/~akitaoka/index-e.html" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="13" data-vars-position-in-unit="13">Via Akiyoshi's Illusion Page</a>)
Do You See The Circles? (04 of10)
This is not a spiral... following the blue lines with your cursor. (credit:<a href="http://www.neatorama.com/2010/04/04/this-is-not-a-spiral/" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="Akiyoshi Kitaoka" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="57d6c588e4b0d45ff872b965" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://www.neatorama.com/2010/04/04/this-is-not-a-spiral/" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="12" data-vars-position-in-unit="12">Akiyoshi Kitaoka</a>)
The Most Mesmerizing Dance(05 of10)
(credit:<a href="http://i.imgur.com/mjJmK.gif" target="_blank" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="Imgur" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="57d6c588e4b0d45ff872b965" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://i.imgur.com/mjJmK.gif" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="10" data-vars-position-in-unit="10">Imgur</a> via <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/gifs/comments/12pzui/optical_illusions_how_is_this_effect_so_amazing/" target="_blank" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="reddit" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="57d6c588e4b0d45ff872b965" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://www.reddit.com/r/gifs/comments/12pzui/optical_illusions_how_is_this_effect_so_amazing/" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="11" data-vars-position-in-unit="11">reddit</a>.)
The Most Moving Gift(06 of10)
(credit:<a href="http://imgur.com/gallery/8p81S" target="_blank" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="Imgur " data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="57d6c588e4b0d45ff872b965" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://imgur.com/gallery/8p81S" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="8" data-vars-position-in-unit="8">Imgur </a>via <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/gifs/comments/11iyxy/cool_optical_illusion/" target="_blank" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="reddit." data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="57d6c588e4b0d45ff872b965" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://www.reddit.com/r/gifs/comments/11iyxy/cool_optical_illusion/" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="9" data-vars-position-in-unit="9">reddit.</a>)
Stare At The Center For 30 Seconds(07 of10)
(credit:<a href="http://i.imgur.com/kpM7x.gif" target="_blank" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="Imgur " data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="57d6c588e4b0d45ff872b965" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://i.imgur.com/kpM7x.gif" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="6" data-vars-position-in-unit="6">Imgur </a>via <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/dq0wt/this_is_the_most_effective_optical_illusion_i/" target="_blank" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="reddit" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="57d6c588e4b0d45ff872b965" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/dq0wt/this_is_the_most_effective_optical_illusion_i/" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="7" data-vars-position-in-unit="7">reddit</a>.)
Believe It Or Not, Squares A & B Are Actually The Same Color(08 of10)
(credit:<a href="http://imgur.com/Ths66" target="_blank" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="Imgur" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="57d6c588e4b0d45ff872b965" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://imgur.com/Ths66" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="4" data-vars-position-in-unit="4">Imgur</a> via <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/kj2q2/this_is_one_of_my_favorite_optical_illusions/" target="_blank" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="reddit" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="57d6c588e4b0d45ff872b965" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/kj2q2/this_is_one_of_my_favorite_optical_illusions/" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="5" data-vars-position-in-unit="5">reddit</a>.)
An Interesting Game Of Catch(09 of10)
(credit:<a href="http://i.imgur.com/5YWRC.gif" target="_blank" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="Imgur " data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="57d6c588e4b0d45ff872b965" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://i.imgur.com/5YWRC.gif" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="2" data-vars-position-in-unit="2">Imgur </a>via <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/woahdude/comments/16s81v/optical_illusion_gif/" target="_blank" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="reddit" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="57d6c588e4b0d45ff872b965" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://www.reddit.com/r/woahdude/comments/16s81v/optical_illusion_gif/" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="3" data-vars-position-in-unit="3">reddit</a>.)
The Most Confusing Chair(10 of10)
(credit:<a href="http://imgur.com/PHt38T0" target="_blank" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="Imgur" data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="57d6c588e4b0d45ff872b965" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://imgur.com/PHt38T0" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="0" data-vars-position-in-unit="0">Imgur</a> via <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/woahdude/comments/17vjia/optical_illusion_gif/" target="_blank" role="link" class=" js-entry-link cet-external-link" data-vars-item-name="reddit." data-vars-item-type="text" data-vars-unit-name="57d6c588e4b0d45ff872b965" data-vars-unit-type="buzz_body" data-vars-target-content-id="http://www.reddit.com/r/woahdude/comments/17vjia/optical_illusion_gif/" data-vars-target-content-type="url" data-vars-type="web_external_link" data-vars-subunit-name="before_you_go_slideshow" data-vars-subunit-type="component" data-vars-position-in-subunit="1" data-vars-position-in-unit="1">reddit.</a>)