| Amazing Illusions |
EasyNews, UseNet made Ea .. |
| ::darkshadows:: (blood@thirsty.net) |
2008/02/17 19:18 |
10 Most Amazing Illusions
Published on 7/18/2007
We think we perceive objective reality, but perception is always
altered by invisible biases. Illusions demonstrate this fact. So go
ahead, get your own perception from 10 of the coolest illusions ever
made.
1 Elevator Floor Illusion
[SEE PIX 01]
Going into this elevator would certainly makes one nervous. A sign at
the entrance cautions the people that goes in about work in progress.
A more detailed look shows that the floor has been painted with an
illusion that there is no floor.
2 Earthquake Illusion
[SEE PIX 02]
The Red Cross creatively used the power of optical illusion to shock
viewers in its earthquake-awareness campaign in San Francisco.
3 Leaning Tower Illusion
[SEE PIX 03]
Here is a novel illusion that is as striking as it is simple. The two
images of the Leaning Tower of Pisa are identical, yet one has the
impression that the tower on the right leans more, as if photographed
from a different angle. The reason for this is because the visual
system treats the two images as if part of a single scene. Normally,
if two adjacent towers rise at the same angle, their image outlines
converge as they recede from view due to perspective, and this is
taken into account by the visual system. So when confronted with two
towers whose corresponding outlines are parallel, the visual system
assumes they must be diverging as they rise from view, and this is
what we see.
4 Triple Sunrise Illusion
[SEE PIX 04]
This is a natural illusion. On this day, the Sun rised due east at the
Equinox, a geocentric astronomical event that occurs twice a year.
What we see here is a set of ice halos, recorded on a cold winter
morning near Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA. Produced by sunlight shining
through common atmospheric ice crystals with hexagonal cross-sections,
such halos can actually be seen more often than rainbows. The
remarkable sunrise picture captures a beautiful assortment of the
types most frequently seen, including a sun pillar (center) just above
the rising Sun surrounded by a 22 degree halo arc. Completing a triple
sunrise illusion, sundogs appear at the far left and far right edges
of the 22 degree arc. An upper tangent arc is also just visible at the
very top of the view.
5 Land Shark Optical Illusion
[SEE PIX 05]
This was featured in the Economist Magazine article titled "Top Ten
Signs" and was a finalist for an Epica Award in 2003. All this time we
thought the "Land Shark" skits on Saturday Night Live were just comic
fun. Little did we know at the time that this might happen. It starts
out innocently, a caring relative gets an exotic pet for their niece
or nephew. The beast gets big enough to take off a fingertip and flush
it's gone. But being the cleverest species of them all, they adapt and
the next thing you know you have a land shark as big as a bus.
6 Tansparent Street Signs Illusion
[SEE PIX 06]
Chicago artist Cayetano Ferrer paints street signs with images of its
immediate background, thus giving them the illusion of transparency.
7 Cardiff Bay Illusion
[SEE PIX 07]
Cardiff Bay barrage visitors would definitely love the art that Swiss
artist felice Varini and his team created. Seen at a certain angle,
the large optical illusion would render into a public art which would
fascinate unknowing visitors.
8 Shadow Illusion
[SEE PIX 08]
Partners in both life and art, Tim Noble (1966) and Sue Webster (1967)
explore the toxic influences of consumer culture through new modes of
portraiture. Turning garbage into complex and visually arresting
sculptural installations, Noble and Webster exploit, manipulate and
transform base materials, often using self-portraiture to undermine
the "celebrated" authorship of the artist. This artwork is called
"Dirty White Trash", Six months' worth of the artists' rubbish.
9 Death Ad Illusion
[SEE PIX 09]
A "Be careful" Ad illusion. It lets people know they should be more
careful on how they use those stairs...
10 Money Illusion
[SEE PIX 10]
Yes, it's simple, but still cool, since it's so simple, you can do it
yourself!
|
|
|