OPTICAL ILLUSION

Two people can, however, look at the same photo of a rainbow.

Rainbow Disconnection: Why No Two People Can Ever See the Same Rainbow

How do rainbows form? It’s all about light waves, water, and angles—and that includes the angle from which you see one.

The magician P. T. Selbit performing a sawing a woman in half trick.

The Magician and the Suffragette: The Strange History of Sawing a Woman in Half

The magic trick of sawing a woman in half was first performed a century ago by P.T. Selbit, a British magician.

This background is basically an invitation for your brain to play tricks on you.

Watch an Orange Square Appear to Change Colors in This Optical Illusion Video

Color optical illusions never fail to confuse and amuse us. Watch your brain play tricks on you with this video.

Can You Spot the Hidden Images in This Magic Eye Music Video?

The Montreal-based band Suuns released a new music video that can only be viewed with unfocused eyes.

People in Victorian London were amazed by a stage effect perfected by John Henry Pepper that had them seeing a ghost.

How 'Pepper's Ghost' Became the Toast of Victorian London

In the mid-1800s, John Henry Pepper was a superstar in science demonstrations. Then he helped usher in a dramatic special effect that left Victorian London awestruck.

In the 1990s, millions of people spent a lot of time staring at images like this one.

When Magic Eye Pictures Ruled the World—and Frustrated Millions of People

The biggest fad of 1994 was an optical illusion that had people staring at abstract images and getting upset when nothing happened.

Can You Spot the Mouse Hiding Among the Squirrels?

This hidden image puzzle from the Hungarian artist Dudolf contains a secret mouse in a crowd of squirrels.