Asahi Illusion: An illusion that has long fooled the human mind has now been found to fool mice as well. This illusion is called the Asahi Illusion and it plays an important role in understanding how our eyes evolved during development.
Let’s dive in to read more about the Asahi Illusion.
What is the Asahi illusion?
Source: Akiyoshi Kitaoka
The Asahi illusion is a bright illusion that at first glance resembles a bright sun. It consists of a series of petal-like shapes surrounding a center.
The design of this optical illusion is such that the center of the illusion is yellow, while the edges become black.
It resembles a bright sun covered with dense foliage and it tricks the human eye into believing that the center is brighter than the surrounding areas.
This gradient combined with the petal shape gives the impression that the white center is brighter than it actually is.
The Asahi Illusion – The Evolution of the Eye
This was discovered in a study conducted in 2012 by Dr. Bruno Laeng and his team, in which it was demonstrated that our brain perceives bright light as sunlight and in response to this, our pupils constrict.
This constriction of the pupil is called the pupillary reflex and helps protect the retina from bright light and damage.
Their research shows that there exists a link between cognition and how pupil size evolves in mammals during development.
According to Nelson Totah, from the University of Finland, these illusions deceive the human mind.
He conducted research to see whether higher-level brain areas responded to these types of lower-level reflexes.
This study was also conducted on rats and it was found that rats also responded to the illusion by constricting their pupils.
The Asahi Illusion – What’s next
Researchers can now study the neurons involved in the illusion and how it brings about changes in the body’s processes.
Also read:
Hermann’s Grid Illusion: What Does It Reveal About Your Brain? Find out now.
What is a negative optical illusion – How does it work
What is the Ponzo illusion and how does it work?
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: pagasa.edu.vn