Baffling cylinder optical illusion stumps YouTube viewers
Kokichi Sugihara's creation shows objects that seemingly shape-shift in a mirror

A perplexing video of what looks like a series of shape-shifting objects has been watched more than two million times on YouTube as internet users struggle to solve the puzzle.
The "ambiguous cylinder illusion" was created by artist Kokichi Sugihara and won him a finalist place in the Best Illusion of the Year Contest 2016.
[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"content_original","fid":"96906","attributes":{"class":"media-image"}}]]
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"The direct views of the objects and their mirror images generate quite different interpretations of the 3D shapes," he says.
"We cannot correct our interpretations, although we logically know that they come from the same objects. Even if the object is rotated in front of a viewer, it is difficult to understand the true shape of the object and thus the illusion does not disappear."
The puzzle finished second in the contest, which was held by the Neural Correlate Society, an organisation that "promotes scientific research into the neural correlates of perception and cognition", reports the Daily Telegraph.
A few enthusiasts with a 3D printer believe they have solved the riddle, saying the shapes in the original illusion are "squircles" - half square, half circle. Two of the sides arch upwards, and the other two dip downwards, which makes the "squircle" look like either a square or a circle depending on the angle you are viewing it from.
[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"content_original","fid":"96907","attributes":{"class":"media-image"}}]]
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Fed leaves rates unchanged as Powell warns on tariffs
speed read The Federal Reserve says the risks of higher inflation and unemployment are increasing under Trump's tariffs
-
'The program long ago ceased to be temporary help'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Denmark to grill US envoy on Greenland spying report
speed read The Trump administration ramped up spying on Greenland, says reporting by The Wall Street Journal
-
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
-
Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designation
The Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago
-
Inside the Israel-Turkey geopolitical dance across Syria
THE EXPLAINER As Syria struggles in the wake of the Assad regime's collapse, its neighbors are carefully coordinating to avoid potential military confrontations
-
'Like a sound from hell': Serbia and sonic weapons
The Explainer Half a million people sign petition alleging Serbian police used an illegal 'sound cannon' to disrupt anti-government protests
-
The arrest of the Philippines' former president leaves the country's drug war in disarray
In the Spotlight Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by the ICC earlier this month
-
Ukrainian election: who could replace Zelenskyy?
The Explainer Donald Trump's 'dictator' jibe raises pressure on Ukraine to the polls while the country is under martial law
-
Why Serbian protesters set off smoke bombs in parliament
THE EXPLAINER Ongoing anti-corruption protests erupted into full view this week as Serbian protesters threw the country's legislature into chaos
-
Who is the Hat Man? 'Shadow people' and sleep paralysis
In Depth 'Sleep demons' have plagued our dreams throughout the centuries, but the explanation could be medical