Mind-blowing optical illusion proves your brain can't be trusted

Optical illusion
(Image credit: Future)

As well as dancing, miming and whatever else the cool kids are up to these days, TikTok is quickly becoming a go-to destination for optical illusions. And with over 30M Likes, a user called Adeline is one of the leading figures of the mind-boggle movement (that's what we're calling it now, okay).

Adeline's latest video (below) is definitely the most baffling yet, and it's left over 1M users scratching their heads. What appears to be a simple drawing of a corridor takes a strange turn when, as the camera moves, the perspective changes (it's hard to explain, just watch it below). Check out the best optical illusions if you're looking for more examples. 

@mysweetadeline

I’ll post a tutorial soon. #creative #fyp #BetterTogetherChallenge #illusion #opticalillusion #illusionart #artistsoftiktok #trick

♬ Stuck in the Middle - Tai Verdes

As the camera moves from side to side, viewers are able to get a better look at the artworks hanging on the walls of the hand-drawn gallery corridor. The movement is pretty disorientating, and like plenty of viewers, at first glance we hadn't a clue what sorcery was taking place.

“That’s like magic, I want to make one please do a tutorial,” one user comments, while another adds, "Help, my brain is hurting." But at the end of the video, it becomes clear what's going on – rather than a 2D drawing, we're actually looking at a 3D construction (below). 

And once you've seen it, it becomes tricky to unsee that the end of the 'corridoor' is in fact the top of a 3D triangle. As one user puts it, “My brain is hurting because I can see both at the same time." 

Optical illusion

It was 3D all along! (Image credit: mysweetadeline on TikTok)

Fancy making your own reverse-perspective illusion? Adeline was generous enough to post a second video providing instructions, which involve lots of drawing straight lines and folding. 

@mysweetadeline

Reply to @chloestiktok21 I want to see your reverse perspective rooms! ##creative ##arttutorial ##illusion ##opticalillusion ##illusionart ##artistoftiktok

♬ Stuck in the Middle - Tai Verdes

From falling figures (that aren't actually falling) to rotating cubes (that aren't actually rotating), we've seen some pretty incredible optical illusions over the last few months. (If you're wondering what the worst is, take a look at these McDonald's kissing burgers at your peril.) 

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Daniel Piper
Senior News Editor

Daniel Piper is Creative Bloq’s Senior News Editor. As the brand’s Apple authority, he covers all things Mac, iPhone, iPad and the rest. He also reports on the worlds of design, branding and tech. Daniel joined Future in 2020 (an eventful year, to say the least) after working in copywriting and digital marketing with brands including ITV, NBC, Channel 4 and more. Outside of Future, Daniel is a global poetry slam champion and has performed at festivals including Latitude, Bestival and more. He is the author of Arbitrary and Unnecessary: The Selected Works of Daniel Piper (Selected by Daniel Piper).