Do YOU think this photograph is real? Researchers reveal how 'trick of the light' images can fool our brain

  • Wind turbine blade that stood in center Hull appeared to be super-imposed
  • Experts said the illusion was a result of how the light hit the blade
  • When the sunlight hit the object from above it produced shading around it
  • The eye thinks the object is out-of-place and must've been added to the scene

By STACY LIBERATORE, US SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR

Published: | Updated:

The internet has produced a slew of visual illusions that have left viewers baffled – from the dress to the shiny legs and now, an 242-foot (74m) long, 55115 pounds (25t) wind turbine blade.

The massive object that stood in the center Hull appears to be super-imposed into the scene, which has led experts to investigate a phenomenon called the 'trick of the light'.

Researchers have suggested that the illusion was caused by the way light reflected from the blade, which played on pre-conceived notions people have of how objects are lit in natural settings.

The internet has produced a slew of optical illusions that have left viewers baffled – from the dress to the shiny legs and now, an 242-foot (74m) long, 55115 pounds (25t) wind turbine blade that researcher found looks super-imposed

The internet has produced a slew of optical illusions that have left viewers baffled – from the dress to the shiny legs and now, an 242-foot (74m) long, 55115 pounds (25t) wind turbine blade that researcher found looks super-imposed

TRICK OF THE LIGHT 

In the case of the wind blade, the University of Lincoln found that when the sunlight hit the object from above it produced shading around it.

This created the illusion that the blade was cylindrical and was being illuminated from the side rather than above, which will fool the human eye into believing the object is out-of-place.

Researchers designed virtual versions of a cylindrical C-shaped profile and a more complex S-shaped profile, and produced two images of each shape, one lit from above and the other lit from the front.

The blade appeared to be a cylindrical object, strangely out-of-keeping with the local environment, lit differently, as though it was superimposed on the scene digitally, but it really was there 

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Researchers at the University of Lincoln conducted a study to reveal the science behind 'trick of the light', which can make high-profile photographs of major pieces of public art appear 'faked' to some people despite the pictures being entirely genuine.

In the case of the wind blade, the team found that when the sunlight hit the object from above it produced shading around it.

This created the illusion that the blade was cylindrical and was being illuminated from the side rather than above, which will fool the human eye into believing the object is out-of-place.

This caused the brain to think that because the object does not quite fit, the image of the blade and the scene in the back must have been combined to make the complete picture.

To test the hypothesis, researchers created virtual versions of a cylindrical C-shaped profile and a more complex S-shaped profile, and produced two images of each shape, one lit from above and the other lit from the front.

The images demonstrated that the S-shape when lit from above and the C-shape when lit from the front both appeared cylindrical.

'I saw pictures of the installation in the media, and at first sight the photographs seemed to be clumsy fakes,' said Professor of Vision Science, George Mather, from the University of Lincoln's School of Psychology.

'Something else seemed to be at work too, at least to my eyes as a vision scientist.'

The team had found that the illusion was caused by the way light reflected from the blade, which played on pre-conceived notions people have of how objects are lit in natural settings. They suggested that when the sunlight hit the object from above it produced shading around it

The team had found that the illusion was caused by the way light reflected from the blade, which played on pre-conceived notions people have of how objects are lit in natural settings. They suggested that when the sunlight hit the object from above it produced shading around it

Back in 2015, the infamous 'dress' divided internet users, who simply could not agree over whether it was black and blue or gold and white
Whilst many people presumed that the legs were shiny or plastic, on closer inspection, it becomes obvious that there's several strips of paint running down the thighs, as well as on the lady's knees

The Dress (left) and the shiny legs (right) left the internet baffled and sparked many debates among viewers as they attempted to solve the puzzles

'The blade appeared to be a cylindrical object, strangely out-of-keeping with the local environment, lit differently, as though it was superimposed on the scene digitally, but it really was there.'

'We had an idea about what it was that conveyed this impression - light and shadow on the blade which is apparently inconsistent with the surroundings. The computer generated images were a way of testing the 

To test the hypothesis, researchers created virtual versions (pictured) of a cylindrical C-shaped profile and a more complex S-shaped profile, and produced two images of each shape, one lit from above and the other lit from the front.

To test the hypothesis, researchers created virtual versions (pictured) of a cylindrical C-shaped profile and a more complex S-shaped profile, and produced two images of each shape, one lit from above and the other lit from the front.

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