Cognition
Making Impossible Objects with Mirrors
Most of us don’t really understand how mirrors work, which makes for some fun reflective deception
Illusions87 articles archived since 1845
Cognition
Deploying Deception on the Battlefield
To avoid or at least control conflict, militaries often play tricks on their opponents’ perceptions
Cognition
When Free Choice Is an Illusion
Magicians and cognitive scientists know how to manipulate what we pick—or thought we picked
Cognition
The Case of the Oversized Planet
Illusions noticed by Galileo can help explain how we see light and dark
Cognition
Discover the Science of School Yard Illusions
Childhood tricks can reveal a surprising amount about early cognition and the nervous system
Cognition
How Magicians Trick Your Brain
They hijack its limited ability to deal with perceptual ambiguity
Mind
Meet the Animal Masters of Illusion
Humans are not the only species to use visual trickery to their advantage
Cognition
Aging Brings Big Changes in Visual Perception
Older people can struggle to see certain illusions, offering clues about the aging brain
Mind
How Ghostbusting Became a Victorian Pastime
Nineteenth-century entertainment was a peculiar mix of technological innovation and supernatural thinking
Arts & Culture
Why Salvador Dali Loved Duplicity and Illusion
Haunted by a deceased brother, whom he saw as a twin, the Spanish artist filled his work with double meanings
Mind
How "The Dress" Became an Illusion Unlike Any Other
Dozens of labs are investigating the internet phenomenon and developing new explanations
Neuroscience
How the Brain Can Be Fooled into Perceiving Movement
These illusions explore how magicians, photographers and performance artists lead us to see motion where none exists
Cognition
Famous Paintings Can Reveal Visual Disorders
Neural pathologies have shaped great art throughout history
Mind
Filling in the _________
Your brain fills in all kinds of visual gaps
Cognition
Scientists Unveil the Secrets of Visual Attention
Concentration affects how we detect and perceive objects and scenes
Behavior & Society
How the Color Red Influences Our Behavior
The facts and fictions of crimson perception
Cognition
These 5 Illusions Turn Ordinary Humans into Superheroes
Superpower your imagination
Cognition
5 Illusions Reveal How Portraits Can Lie
Portrait photography traverses fact and fancy
Cognition
Illusions That Play Hide-and-Seek with Perception
Hidden illusions are the Easter eggs of the mind
Mind
How 1 Scientist Cracked the Brain's Visual Code
An homage to David Hubel, a Nobel Prize–winning neuroscientist
