Crazy Optical Illusion
 

I found this optical illusion, and me and the others in IRC have been a bit puzzled ever since... I think I figured it out, you have to squint really hard, but still... they colors look a little off. Can someone explain how this is possible?

http://www.domicile.dk/funnypics/lar...l-illusion.jpg

Perhaps a photoshop job would help, but I can't use PS.

I went ahead and did what you had suggested in photoshop and the colors ARE the same! Amazing! Check it out:

http://www.jiveturkey.com/~lisa/optical-illusion.jpg

Two things.
First, you're probably comparing the square B to the surrounding squares, forgetting that the shadow is influencing their color.
Second, compare the white square under A (the half shadowed one) to A. That'll make it a little easier to compare.

Uh-oh... <b>KWSN</b> is playing with our heads again, heh heh.

He may be messing with your head, but he's telling ya the truth
http://www-bcs.mit.edu/people/adelso...scription.html

that is real cool, thanks for sharing!! I tried it on Adobe and it's crazy!

it can't be!

I've seen it before and it's true. the colours are the same.

Very cool. Almost MC Escher cool.

it's a conspiracy...you're all in on it...and you tampered with my Photo Shop before i went to try this out for myself!

i must say, i was in complete denial until i tried it

No, not MC Escher cool. But it is cool

okay, now that's just freaky.

thats too cool. i have to pass this along

i still havent figured out how that can be true... its so weird

Hell, I don't even believe it yet.

The problem is that you're comparing the square B to the black squares around it. Those squares also have the shadow falling on it, making them darker. You see the darker shaded squares around B and your brain is assuming that B is much lighter than it is.

I still dont get it...I've been looking at it for awhile now, I give up.

This might help the nonbelievers a bit -

<img src="http://www.remud.org/~tzar/img/illusion.gif">

That, Xixox, is AMAZING.

Cool

All evidence and Photoshop points to them being the same shade of gray but still my brain cannot be convinced.

Stupid brain...

amazingly cool

Pretty cool visually, but on my laptop, if I turn it (the laptop) at about a 90 degree angle, then I can see the colors are the same, while the ones surrounding B all turn into a bright white.

Very cool. I was able to tell they were the same color by squinting and focusing only on squares A and B.

It does play a trick on your mind though! :D Thanks for sharing.

I have another image that proves that it is the same color, but I have nowhere to host it. If someone wants to host it I can send it to them.