Most optical illusions rely on tricks that confuse the eye and make the viewer think that he or she is seeing something that is not really there. However, some illusions work because they twist the way the brain typically processes information. One particularly clever image works as an illusion in an unexpected way, making it tricky for viewers to realize what they are seeing. The image asks for viewers to find the mistake, and then it shows a line of numbers, ranging from one to nine, that are in a rainbow of colors. Take a careful look at this picture and see if you can find the mistake.
Most people who view this image end up being completely baffled. But the mistake is actually hidden right in plain sight. As some clever viewers may have noticed, the mistake does not actually appear in the colorful line of numbers. Instead, the mistake is that the word “the” is actually repeated twice in the line that asks the viewer to look for a mistake. The picture has been going viral on Facebook as people try to test their friends and see if they will be able to notice a mistake.
Many people do not see a mistake because they are distracted by the rest of the information, and this illusion works because the brain tends to gloss over things that it thinks are unnecessary. So many people are used to seeing illusions that consist of an image saying “can you find the mistake?” and then looking at a picture below the words that contains some clever optical illusion. Therefore, most people focus on the colorful numbers, and they do not bother to thoroughly read the top. Since the word “the” is repeated at the end of the top line and the beginning of the bottom line, the brain quickly skips over the extra word without stopping to think about it. Though most people will notice it if they stop and slowly examine the image, a quick glance of the picture is not enough time for the brain to notice the mistake.
Share this article with your friends to see if they can spot the tricky illusion in this image!
