This perplexing optical illusion proves the power of colour theory

When it comes to optical illusions, sometimes our brains can be too smart for their own good, overanalysing visual information that often leads to mind-melting effects. Made to amaze and confuse, even the simplest optical illusions can transform into mind-bending phenomena with just a few simple psychological and cognitive tricks.

There are countless types of optical illusions out there that have been perplexing us for decades, but the internet's favourite has to be a good ol' fashioned colour illusion. From puzzling psychedelic patterns to that infamous dress, there are plenty of these confusing viral illusions, and now there's a brand new one to add to the mix.

colors? from r/opticalillusions

Making the rounds on Reddit, this deceptively simple optical illusion features three traffic light-style boxes sporting different coloured dots – or at least that's what it seems. In reality, despite appearing completely different, each row is the same colour.

The illusion makes clever use of colour theory, demonstrating how our brains perceive colours differently against certain backgrounds. Part of a natural phenomenon called 'colour induction', the brain goes through either colour contrast or colour assimilation, dictating the shade based on its surroundings and their placement on the colour wheel.

For more mind-bending moments, check out this pig-cat optical illusion that made me question reality or take a look at this dotty optical illusion that sparked a delightfully nerdy debate on colour.