Spiral Snailshell Optical Illusion

Hey everybody! Here is another spiral illusion – this time in Snail-o-vision! Interesting fact about this optical illusion, is that when people encounter it for the first time, based on their previous experience with illusions, they presume it has something to do with perpetual motion. At least that is what I presumed. I thought the only illusion happening here is “seemingly moving” spiral painted on our little snail’s shell, and not the best example of that type at all! If that was it, I wouldn’t be much excited, and would probably forward this photo directly to my recycle bin. But then I read the email that was companion to this submission. It said something like: “Is the snail shell really a spiral”? I looked at the shell more closely, and – Voila! The spiral is actually composed of many concentric circles. Very good!

59 Replies to “Spiral Snailshell Optical Illusion”

  1. You can’t just put an old illusion on a slugs back and pretend its a new one, thats just cheating.

  2. Wow! Thats a good illusion. I thought it was to do with perpetual motion when I first saw it aswell! Well done to whoever made it!

  3. No, they are all circles.
    When I saw this on google, I was looking close and far away from the computer, cause I thought it would move, too!

  4. really magicman? are you sure about that? even after knowing the illusion, it still tricked you. because in fact, all of them are circles.

  5. no they’re all circles. actually its just a pattern that makes it look like they’re circles when they arent

  6. There are no spırals, nor cırcles; they are just zıg-zags that resemble cırcles, but our mınd ınıtıally thıngs ıt’s a spıral.

    —Ilhuıtemoc

  7. they are all circles…lol magicman was fooled despite the fact that he knows its an illusion!

    nice to see this illusion actaully used in a decent illustration rather than just showing circles that look like spirals.

  8. Nice of you to bring us those “facts”, magicman! :D Too bad you’re completely wrong. Cool illusion!!

  9. lol no they’re not, they’re all concentric circles. trace around them and you’ll end up in the same spot you started =)

  10. Trace the circles with your mouse or finger none are spirals. All are complete concentric circles on inside of the other with variances in width to make it appear they spiral.

  11. @ MAGICMAN :
    All of the circles are concentric. Just try tracing them in paint. Nice illusion, I thought it was a spiral!

  12. Nope magicman, look closer, they’re actually all concentric circles, no spirals there at all. Just the illusion :P

  13. It’s true – they’re all circles! Open the picture up and take a look. Or look at the very center circle and work your way outwards. The spiral effect is illusory. Neat :)

  14. Except that they aren’t. It’s all circles dude, follow the edges with your mouse if you can’t see it.

  15. I see jaggered orange and black alternating lines all pointing to the centre black hole i see the circle too and it seems to strobe and agitate definate illusion feels could cause a fit

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