This Incredible Optical Illusion Is Making Our Brains Hurt

Sorry, but those lines are definitely slanted.
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A rather incredible optical illusion is currently doing the rounds on the internet and we have to admit, it’s a good one.

Victoria Skye

As you can see, the darker blue lines appear to be at slanting angles, snaking their way up the checkerboard.

If that’s what you see then we’re afraid we’ve got some bad news for you.

They’re just horizontal straight lines. Don’t believe us? Get out a ruler or object you know to be straight and hold it up against the image.

Annoying huh?

Thanks for checking out my Illusion. I created it and it still fools me. https://t.co/SOvQsupIw2

— Victoria Skye (@victoria1skye) August 8, 2017

The illusion was created by professional magician and illusion artist Victoria Skye and while this particular image is currently getting the internet hooked it’s actually a well known optical phenomenon.

What you’re looking at is something called the Cafe Wall Illusion. Named after a piece of ornate brick work seen at a Bristol cafe, the illusion combines the use of straight edges and dark and light shades to trick the brain.

While the illusion has existed in other forms before, the internet is in general agreement that this is one of the best examples they’ve seen.

Yep, saw it yesterday: it's an extremely strong version of the café wall illusion. Impossible to see those lines as straight & parallel 👍

— Mark McCaughrean (@markmccaughrean) August 9, 2017

Saw this: The Café Wall illusion has been around for a while, but this new version takes the effect to new heights

— tesla (@Nick_Tesla_) August 9, 2017

Best cafe wall illusion I have ever seen.. https://t.co/ghesPEBAap

— Adam Ash (@AdamGeorgeAsh) August 8, 2017

Oh and in case you’re wondering, here’s the actual brick wall that inspired the name for the illusion in the first place:

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