Opticals | Optical Spy Brain Teasers | The Best Optical Illusions - Optical Spy

Liquid Illusions

8/30/2015

Scottish Agates Optical Illusion

8/30/2015

A variety of spectacular Scottish agates from Alan Mason.

The titles of the illustrations are my own, but the details are from “Agates” by A C Bishop and W D I Rolfe, published by National Museum of Scotland and British Museum (Natural History), 1989.

At the time of publishing, Bishop was Deputy Director and Keeper of Mineralogy at B M (N H), and Rolfe was Keeper of Geology N M S.

“Fireworks”, a sagenitic agate from Dunbog in Fife. “Sagenitic” means containing sprays of fine tubules of chalcedony, a variety of quartz. (Fig.90, p 41)
“Tornado Approaching”, illustrating “tube of escape”, “rent” and “agate dyke”, technical terms in the formation of agates. (Fig.28, p 13)
“The Great Ogre”, a stalactitic and fortification Blue Hole agate. “Stalactitic” means that there were hanging pendants, during agate formation, looking like cave stalactites. “Fortification” means that there are sharp changes of angle in parallel lines, like the plan of a 17 to 18 C fortress. Blue Hole was an agate collecting site near the port of Montrose on the NE Scottish coast. (Fig. 54, p 25)
“Waves off the Island”, an agate from Ballindean. This reminds me of an aerial view of a triangular island experiencing a steady swell of waves. Ballindean is a coastal region in the Firth of Tay near the village of Inchture. (Fig. 73, p 35)
“Volcanic Eruption”, is an agate from Binn Hill. Although it has been described as a “rising sun” agate, this seems too prosaic. Binn Hill is an inland site, near Glenfarg, about 8 miles, (12 Km) south of Perth. (Fig. 80, p 37)
“Storm Clouds”, a scenic agate from Heads of Ayr, a promontory on the west coast of Scotland, about 6 miles (10 Km) SW of the port of Ayr. “Scenic” agates resemble landscapes and seascapes (Fig. 105, p 48)
“The Ice Caves”, an agate from Norman’s Law, an inland site on a hill, 935 feet (285 m) high and about 6 miles (10 Km) NW of Cupar, Fife, in NE Scotland. (Fig. 81, p 38)
“The Bacon Cave”, a “thunder egg” agate from Oregon, USA. The name comes from a Native American folk tale about the origins of the egg-shaped stones. (Fig. 160, p 67)

Street Painter Optical illusion

8/29/2015

Lip Leaf Optical Illusion

8/28/2015

Image source: unknown

Falling Down Optical Illusion

8/27/2015

Candlestick Face Optical Illusion

8/26/2015

Original image source: unknown - Animation by Optical Spy

Rock Optical Illusion

8/25/2015

In this lovely Scottish rock specimen of Marine Agate (probably born in bubbles in basalts that were erupted some 400 million years ago during the closure of the Iapetus Ocean) it looks like we are looking through a window into a mysterious beach world on a misty dawn, looking over a calm bay towards distant hills on the other side. In fact it is just the beautiful colors inside the rock.

Lady and Man Optical illusion

8/24/2015

Hover to invert

Hoody Optical Illusion

8/23/2015

Image source: unknown

Strong Tomato Optical Illusion

8/21/2015

Image source: ecovegangal.com

Illusions Video

8/19/2015

Illusions (Part One) from Animal on Vimeo.

Ambigram Tattoo

8/19/2015

If you would like to see more great ambigrams check out our John Langdon Gallery.

Garden Wall Optical Illusion

8/17/2015

Dinosaur Optical Illusion

8/16/2015

Image source: Nilton Rocha

Sliders Optical Illusion

8/14/2015

Stare at the dot! Optical Illusion

8/13/2015

Pencil Lead Optical Illusion

8/12/2015

Here we have three pictures of a bunch of pencils laying on a desk. At first glance they all look the same, but on second viewing you will notice that the lead in the large pencil on the left is different in each picture. So what's the illusion? Well, in one of these pictures the lead in the large pencil is the same size as the lead in all the smaller pencils. Can you tell in which one they are all the same?

Cube Rotation Optical Illusion

8/10/2015

3D Optical Illusion Storage System

8/9/2015

Source imeuble

Circulating Squares Optical Illusion

8/7/2015

Animated by Optical Spy from an unknown source image

Moving Coffee Beans Optical Illusion

8/6/2015

Wonderful illusion by A. Kitaoka

iPhone Optical Illusion

8/5/2015

Here we have a lot of black iphones, but if you stare at the center you should see a white iphone.

Jastrow Bridge Optical Illusion

8/4/2015

Here we ask the question which parts of the bridge are the longest, A & C or B & D? This is our take on a famous old illusion called the Jastrow Illusion.

Moving Balls Optical Illusion

8/3/2015

If you keep you eye on one of the balls the other one seems to be all over the place. Then try it with the other ball.

A New Post on the Spy Blog Today - The View Master

8/2/2015

It is safe to say that almost everyone has heard of View Master, seen, had, and used one during its hay days. If you are not a 90s kid, you may have used one, but there is no way possible that you have never come across one. If your memory cannot seem to recall seeing one, we will nudge your memory into the right direction, prompting it to dig deep and remember. Read it all here