Monday, October 26, 2009

Grand Illusion of Motion (NOT!)

Double-click on the image to make it larger.

The wheels appear to be turning but I assure you it is a static picture.

If you stare at a black dot, the movement stops in that area.

I don't know what logical or philosophical point this makes.

Perhaps that some politicos claim to be making things happen and change but are not too successful at it. (But, I'm not complaining. Some of the best Congresses have been those that did the least damage!)

Ira Glickstein

3 comments:

JohnS said...

They don't rotate for me. I must be sub human. Maybe I should run for congress!!

Ira Glickstein said...

John, did you double click the image? Did that get you a new window with a larger image?

Unfortunately, Blogger does not allow me to provide a larger image on the Blog page but only when someone double clicks the image. The motion is quite compelling for me and I hope others can confirm they see it. (I'm not sure if it works for Congress people though - only normal folks :^)

Ira Glickstein

JohnS said...

Yes I did. I suspect the effect of this and other optical illusions are the result of how our brains are wired. Whether I look at the illustration as a whole or as an individual “black holes”. I see the pattern within each element entering into the center from both the right and left which I believe cancels the desired effect.
Oh, well.