Our eyes play a big role in how we see and understand the world around us. But have you ever wondered if what you’re seeing is actually real? Can you really trust your eyes?
Let’s start with an interesting example: two grey rectangular columns. At first glance, they look like they’re different shades of grey. But guess what? They’re actually the exact same shade! Even when you know this, your eyes might still trick you into seeing them as different.
Adding colors can create similar illusions. There’s no trick photography or editing involved here. This is known as the Munker-White illusion. If you check these illusions in a program like Photoshop, you’ll see that the colors are indeed the same.
Another cool example is the checkerboard illusion. Tile A looks darker than Tile B, right? But here’s the twist: when you remove the surrounding imagery, you’ll find that both tiles are the same color. Your eyes are being fooled!
So, what’s happening here? Scientists are still trying to figure it out, but it involves complex biological and neurological factors. Our brains judge color and brightness based on the context around them. This means our brains compare the surrounding environment to create what we see.
The main job of our senses, like our eyes, is not to give us the exact color or physical properties of things. Instead, they help us interpret what we see so we can interact with the world effectively.
The tile illusion uses this trick. Our brains know that shadows make things look darker, so they adjust by making the tile seem lighter than it really is until the shadow is removed.
One of the most obvious examples is the gradient illusion. A middle bar appears to change color, but it’s actually just one color. When you remove the background gradient, it becomes clear. The darkness of the background changes how we see the bar’s color.
Our perception is relative, meaning it depends on what’s around us. So, do you still trust your eyes? If you have any questions or want to learn more, feel free to ask in the comments or connect with us on social media. Don’t forget to subscribe for more fun science videos!
Try creating your own grey columns illusion using colored paper or a drawing app. Cut out two identical grey rectangles and place them on different colored backgrounds. Observe how the background affects your perception of the grey shades. Discuss with your classmates why this happens and how it relates to the concept of visual illusions.
Use a digital tool like Photoshop or a similar app to recreate the Munker-White illusion. Choose two identical colors and place them on different colored stripes. Share your findings with the class and explain how the surrounding colors influence what you see.
Draw a checkerboard pattern with alternating light and dark squares. Use a piece of paper to cover parts of the pattern and reveal only two squares at a time. Discuss how removing the context changes your perception of the colors and why this illusion occurs.
Work in groups to research the biological and neurological reasons behind visual illusions. Present your findings to the class, focusing on how our brains interpret visual information and why context is so important in perception.
Create a gradient illusion using colored pencils or a digital tool. Draw a bar across a gradient background and observe how the color appears to change. Remove the background to reveal the true color of the bar. Share your observations and discuss the role of background in visual perception.
Here’s a sanitized version of the provided YouTube transcript:
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Our perception of the world around us is strongly linked to our vision. But how do you know what you’re seeing is real? Can you really trust your eyes?
Take, for example, these two grey rectangular columns, both of which are different shades of grey. Or are they? It turns out that they’re the exact same. And yet, even after knowing the illusion is there, your eyes refuse to see them as the same.
Introducing colors produces the same result. I assure you, no trick photography or editing effects have been applied. In fact, if you look up the Munker-White illusion, you’ll find many more examples. If you examine them in Photoshop, you can see that the colors are the exact same.
A similar effect can be seen with this checkerboard illusion. Tile A clearly seems darker than tile B. But you know better by now, right? Even though your eyes can’t see it, you know that when I remove the surrounding imagery, the tiles will be the same color.
So what’s going on here? The truth is that scientists don’t fully understand this phenomenon, and there are many complex biological and neurological factors at play. Ultimately, our brains judge color and brightness in context. In other words, our brains compare the surrounding environment to create our perception.
The purpose of our senses, or eyes in this case, is not to provide us with an absolute color or physical property of our external reality, but to interpret what we see as efficiently as possible in order to interact with the environment most appropriately.
The tile illusion takes advantage of this phenomenon. Our brains know that shadows make objects look darker; as a result, the brain compensates by interpreting the tile as being lighter than it appears until we take the shadow away.
Perhaps the most blatant example is this gradient. The middle bar is simply one color. Remove the background gradient, and it becomes obvious. Once again, the darkness of the background has affected our perception of the bar’s color.
Our perception is relative. So do you still trust your eyes? If you have a question you want answered, feel free to ask in the comments, or connect with us on social media. Don’t forget to subscribe for more weekly science videos.
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This version maintains the original content while ensuring clarity and professionalism.
Eyes – The organs of sight that allow us to see the world around us. – Our eyes help us observe the colors and shapes of objects in our environment.
Illusions – Visual tricks that deceive the brain into seeing something different from reality. – Optical illusions can make two lines of the same length appear to be different sizes.
Color – The property of an object that is produced by the way it reflects or emits light. – The color of the sky changes from blue to orange during sunset.
Brain – The organ in our head that processes information and controls our thoughts and actions. – The brain interprets signals from our eyes to help us understand what we see.
Perception – The process of organizing and interpreting sensory information to understand the environment. – Our perception of an object’s size can change depending on its distance from us.
Shadows – Dark areas where light is blocked by an object. – Shadows can make objects appear larger or smaller depending on the light source.
Gradient – A gradual change in color or shade from one part of an object to another. – The gradient in the sky from light blue to dark blue indicates the setting sun.
Context – The surrounding information or situation that helps us understand something more clearly. – In psychology, context can influence how we perceive a situation or behavior.
Science – The study of the natural world through observation and experimentation. – Science helps us understand how the universe works, from the smallest atoms to the largest galaxies.
Psychology – The scientific study of the mind and behavior. – Psychology explores how people think, feel, and act in different situations.
