Two young women smiling for a selfie with a man standing in the background.
via Canva

There’s nothing like a pleasant brain tickle to experience a wide array of logic-defying optical illusions. These optical illusions in particular are seemingly set at a max difficulty level too. It’s just a humbling thing to consider what kinds of tricks that our minds can play on us with literally, what’s right in front of us to begin with.

1. “These aren’t spirals.”

u/mattatplaton/via reddit.com

2. “This is one photo.”

A white egret stands in shallow water divided into two distinct colors, blue on the left and yellow on the right. The division creates an illusion as if it was manipulated, but it is a real, unaltered photo taken by photographer Keinichi Ohno.
u/mywitchdr/via reddit.com

3. “Need to make this illusion myself, as soon as possible.”

A detailed, patterned image with a mix of dark and light colors, mainly consisting of small floral designs. Instructions at the top read: "1) Put your nose to the screen. 2) Stare at the image for several seconds. 3) Start to pull back slowly and notice what appears!
u/sheriffthtpri/via reddit.com

4. “What?”

An optical illusion artwork features a series of interconnected, three-dimensional bars creating a visually confusing, infinite loop. The text "follow the blocks" with an arrow appears on the left side, directing the viewer's attention to the loop's starting point.
u/reactionbox777/via reddit.com

5. “Yes, this fascinated me.”

Text-based optical illusion with instructions to close one eye, tilt the phone back, and look at the screen from the charging port to reveal the message. The hidden message reads: "You're doing great and I'm glad you exist.
u/ruby666/via reddit.com

6. “Look normally, and then hold at arm’s length.”

A bouquet-style arrangement featuring two cheeseburgers with lettuce, tomato, and sesame seed buns, accompanied by a serving of french fries, all wrapped in red and white paper with a ribbon design. The background is a dark wooden table.
u/bien-helena/via reddit.com

7. “An oldie, but a goodie.”

Three water bottles cast shadows on a wall, creating the illusion of three ghostly figures, accompanied by the caption "My water bottles almost just scared me to death" with crying face emojis.
u/cflorest/via reddit.com

8. “Just your average chromostereopic illusion.”

A circular abstract design featuring three concentric rings. The outermost and innermost rings are composed of red speckles, while the middle ring is made up of blue speckles. The background is black, which accentuates the vibrant colors of the rings.
u/jeezarch/via reddit.com

9. “So simple, yet so cool optical illusion.”

Four wooden triangular frames of varying sizes are nested concentrically, resting against a concrete wall in a dimly lit space. The careful alignment produces intriguing shadows, enhancing the geometric shape and adding depth to the minimalist arrangement.
u/evaraw666/via reddit.com

10. “Wholesome pic turned into an illusion.”

A man with light hair and a red beard is sitting on a couch. A dog with reddish fur is sitting on his lap, making it appear as if the dog's ears and snout are part of the man's beard, creating a humorous illusion. A whiteboard with various notes is on the wall behind him.
u/youdavid/via reddit.com

11. “Someone just tell me what I’m seeing.”

A ginger cat is lying on a narrow ledge at the bottom of a carpeted staircase, peering down at the camera with its paws hanging over the edge. The surrounding walls are painted yellow and the ceiling is white with a smoke detector visible.
u/subject-complex-2120/via reddit.com

12. “So many mysterious shapes.”

A grayscale optical illusion featuring a pattern of repeating square and circular shapes with striped designs. The squares and circles alternate in rows, creating a visually striking and hypnotic effect.
u?hovik_gasparyan/via reddit.com

13. “Laughing jester face.”

A deep-sea photo of a shark showing it with its mouth wide open, displaying numerous sharp teeth, and viewed from below. The caption at the top reads: "Because regular photos of huge sharks in deep water aren't terrifying enough!
u/dawn_irl/via reddit.com

14. “Excuse me.”

Two women, one in a green shirt and the other in a black tank top, smile as they pose for a photo outdoors. The woman in the green shirt has her hand around the other woman's shoulder. A man in a white plaid shirt stands in the background, smiling.
u/deleted/via reddit.com

15. “One of the world’s oldest optical illusions.”

An intricately carved stone relief depicts two detailed elephants standing close together. The craftsmanship showcases ornate patterns and other smaller animals or figures carved around them, highlighting the artistry and cultural significance of the piece.
u/pranlikat/via rteddit.com

Meet the Writer

Matt has spent over the last 8 years as both a writer and editor, working in Seattle and Brooklyn, where he is now based. He loves escaping the tirelessly fast pace of the “Mad Apple” that is NYC by taking walks and runs through parks where he’s able to catch up on the latest tea about society from the city’s ever chatty, always hungry, occasionally maniacal, pigeons. They always have a lot to say. When he’s not taking his urban nature strolls, or dutifully combing the deepest rabbit holes of the internet to find the content that’s worth sinking your mind’s teeth into, he’s likely holed up at a dark-lit dive bar with a new book and/or some friends, or just as easily he could be on the hunt for the next addition to his steadily growing plant family.

These days Matt’s caught up in trying to provide folks as many vivid glimpses into the days long since passed as he can, through fun and engaging collections of hand-picked vintage photos.