Frightening footprint optical illusion has people's 'minds melting'

Optical illusions can be a real head-scratcher, and this one is no different. Puzzles are not just fun, they're also beneficial for your brain health, with research suggesting that they can help slow down the ageing process.

They can enhance your memory, critical thinking skills, and attention to detail - so there's every reason to give your brain a workout with a good puzzle. Moreover, solving brainteasers or puzzles can boost your dopamine levels, lifting your mood. Optical illusions offer a chance to challenge our subconscious instincts and the assumptions we make daily.

This particular illusion has been described as "mind-melting", but don't let that put you off - it's worth a look despite the unsettling feeling it might induce.

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This optical illusion of footprints in the sand, first shared on TikTok by Alice James (@alicekjames), has left many viewers baffled. Some saw the footprints as indents in the sand, as you'd expect, while others perceived them as protruding upwards, giving a 3D effect, as previously reported by the Mirror.

The video has amassed a whopping 518.2K likes at the time of writing, with many thousands of viewers baffled by the footprints' appearance. "So my friend sent me this photo," Alice began in her video, "and I feel like it's the new version of the break the internet white and gold versus blue and black dress."

Alice then showcased the perplexing optical illusion on screen. "So it's his niece's footprints in the sand," she clarified, before adding, "He was at a dinner party, and half the people saw the footprints in the sand, and half the people saw them coming out of the sand like 3D. Now, when he sent this to me, I kind of squinted my eyes, and I can actually see both."

One viewer commented, "No, because at first it was an imprint and now I can't unsee it coming out of the sand." Another penned, "They were imprinted first, then they switched and won't go back!".

A third viewer admitted, "I physically cannot see them as imprints; all I see is them coming out of the sand."

Stanford University's expert neuroscientist, Justin Gardner, explained to Vox: "The remarkable thing is that - even when you are told what is happening - you still see it in the illusory form...You can't seem to consciously override the 'wrong' interpretation."

This might explain why many people perceive the footprints as 3D, despite knowing logically that it's impossible. So, how did you see the footprints?

Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com

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