These Mindbending Optical Illusions Will Break Your Brain

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Chubb Illusion

The Chubb illusion occurs when the contrast of an object varies based on its relative contrast against the field on which it is displayed. This error in visual perception was discovered by Charles Chubb and colleagues in 1989. Even though the circles depicted here are identical, one seems to have a higher contrast than the other.

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Bezold Effect

Does the red on the left look lighter than the red on the right? German meteorologist Wilhelm von Bezold discovered an effect that shows how color can appear lighter or darker depending on its relation to adjacent colors. The red on both sides is actually the same.

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The More You Know

  • The first TV commercial didn't air until the 1940s.
  • Pittsburgh is the only city where all three major sports teams share the same colors.
  • A 26-sided shape is known as a small rhombicuboctahedron.
  • Shakespeare is easier to understand, makes more sense, and is punnier when it's recited in its original pronunciation instead of a modern English accent.
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