Optical illusion: Can you spot the alligator in under 8 seconds?

Optical illusions are not just fun activities, they are also great exercise for your brain and mental development . When your mind gets busy in looking for something that is not visible in plain sight, it heightens your sense of curiosity, and makes your brain work harder for the solution.

What causes optical illusion ?
An optical illusion is a visual phenomenon where the brain misinterprets what the eyes perceive. It occurs when the information sent by the eyes conflicts with how the brain processes and understands what it sees. These illusions often trick us into seeing things that are not there, or perceiving objects differently from reality. For example, a still image might appear to move, or two shapes may seem unequal in size even though they are identical.

Can you spot an alligator?
Here, in this picture, you can see a haphazard sketch of a forest. If you look closely, you might be able to identify some animals hidden in the image. While the others might be easy to spot, an alligator lurking around somewhere might be extremely difficult to spot. Of course, all you need is to look at the picture with full concetration, and you might be able to spot the reptile. You have 8 seconds, and your time starts now!

Spilling the beans
Give up? Here is the answer for you! The alligator has perched himself on the tree on the extreme left, and looks like a branch itself. This apart, you can also spot snakes, deer, and a camel in the picture.

Types of optical illusions

There are three main types of optical illusions:

Literal Illusions: These occur when the brain combines elements of an image to create something that doesn’t exist. For example, an image might look like two faces or a vase depending on how you interpret it.

Physiological Illusions: These are caused by overstimulation of the visual system, such as excessive exposure to light, movement, or color. They can create effects like afterimages or motion illusions.

Cognitive Illusions: These rely on how the brain subconsciously interprets information. Examples include illusions like the Müller-Lyer illusion, where lines appear longer or shorter due to surrounding shapes.

How do optical illusions work?
Optical illusions occur because of the way our brain processes visual information. The human vision system is complex but not perfect. When light enters the eyes, it is converted into signals by the retina and sent to the brain for interpretation. The brain uses past experiences and patterns to fill in gaps and make sense of what it sees.