In this Tiger Tail Illusion by Akiyoshi Kitaoka, try to catch all the yellow dots in your field of vision at the same time. It’s hard to catch a tiger by the tail, in nearly impossible to keep them in view as they shift depending on where you direct your gaze!
If you are interested in learning more about the Tiger Tail Illusion, scroll down to read more about it.
Table of Contents
- What is the Tiger Tail Illusion?
- How does the Tiger Tail Illusion work?
- Some Similar Illusions
- Discovery of the Tiger Tail Illusion
- References and Resources
What is the Tiger Tail Illusion?
The tiger tail illusion is a visual phenomenon where a stationary object appears to move or wiggle due to the presence of an adjacent pattern of stripes. The illusion is named after the stripes on a tiger’s tail, which may appear to move even when the tail itself is still.
The illusion occurs because the brain’s visual system is trying to make sense of conflicting information from the surrounding patterns of stripes and the stationary object. The brain may perceive the stationary object as moving in the direction of the stripes, creating the illusion of motion.
The illusion is a fascinating example of how the brain can be tricked into perceiving something that is not actually there.
How does the Tiger Tail Illusion Work?
The tiger tail illusion works by exploiting the way the brain processes visual information. When the brain receives conflicting information from the patterns of stripes and the stationary object, it may try to resolve the conflict by perceiving motion.
The stripes surrounding the stationary object create an illusion of motion, known as the motion aftereffect. This illusion occurs because the brain’s neurons that respond to motion become fatigued after processing the stripes’ repeated pattern. When the brain then looks at the stationary object, it still perceives the motion aftereffect as if the object is moving in the opposite direction to the stripes.
This effect is further enhanced by the fact that the stripes on a tiger’s tail are often asymmetrical, with different thicknesses and spacings. These asymmetries create a visual distortion that adds to the illusion of motion.
The illusion works by exploiting the brain’s tendency to perceive motion when presented with conflicting visual information. The repeated pattern of stripes fatigues the motion-sensitive neurons, causing the brain to perceive motion even when there is none.
Some Similar Illusions
There are many illusions that are similar in that they involve the perception of motion or movement where none actually exists. Here are a few examples:
- The wagon-wheel effect: This illusion occurs when the spokes of a wagon wheel appear to move slowly or even in reverse, despite the wheel itself being stationary. This illusion is caused by the way the brain processes visual information from fast-moving objects.
- The stroboscopic effect: This illusion occurs when a series of still images presented in rapid succession create the impression of continuous motion. This effect is used in animation and film to create the illusion of movement.
- The waterfall illusion: This illusion occurs when a static image appears to be moving upward after prolonged viewing of a waterfall. This illusion is caused by the same motion-sensitive neurons becoming fatigued and then responding in the opposite direction.
- The rotating snakes illusion: This illusion creates the impression of rotating snakes in a stationary image due to the way the eye and brain process the edges of shapes and the contrast between them.
All of these illusions, including the tiger tail illusion, are examples of how the brain can be tricked into perceiving motion or movement where none actually exists, through the manipulation of visual stimuli.
Discovery of the Tiger Tail Illusion
The tiger tail illusion is a well-known optical illusion, but it is unclear who first discovered it. Illusions similar to the tiger tail illusion have been observed and documented for centuries, and the phenomenon has been studied extensively by neuroscientists and vision researchers in recent decades.
One of the earliest documented examples of a similar illusion was described by the Greek philosopher Aristotle in the fourth century BC. In his work “De Anima,” Aristotle noted that when a person looks at a moving river and then looks at a stationary object, the object appears to be moving in the opposite direction to the river.
The modern study of visual illusions began in the late 19th century with the work of psychologists such as Hermann von Helmholtz and Ernst Mach. Since then, researchers have identified and studied many different types of illusions, including the tiger tail illusion.
While the specific origin of the term “tiger tail illusion” is unclear, it is likely that the name was coined in reference to the stripes on a tiger’s tail, which are a well-known example of this type of illusion.
References and Resources
Check out our complete list of illusions and this awesome Chromatic Vasarely Illusion and this cool Parallel Lines Illusion and awesome Rotating Circles Illusion and Expanding Contracting Illusion