Confusing staircase optical illusion trips up the internet

The internet has been sent into a spin over a set of stairs. Yes, I'm not joking. It might sound absurd but the mind-bending optical illusion has divided Reddit users, with many expressing their confusion over the simple snap. 

There are many types of optical illusions – from the cognitive to the physiological – but it's always a treat when they pop up in the real world. Never did I think that a set of stairs could be so controversial, but it seems that not everyone can see the bamboozling illusion. I can't be the only one that can't unsee it – check it out below.

Well. I hate this. from r/Flooring

The illusion sparked a mixed response from Redditors, with many comparing the image to an M.C. Escher artwork. "That’s a deathtrap into another dimension kinda staircase you got there," one user commented. Another added, "It took my brain about 5 minutes to compute that this was just carpet on wood stairs."

However, some struggled to decipher the picture, with many not seeing the mind-bending eye trickery. If you're having trouble seeing the illusion, try to flip your perspective and look from the bottom to the top. "Where the three straight lines meet on the top left hand side of each black wooden stair, imagine that point is pointing outwards instead of inwards," one user helpfully suggests. If that doesn't work, perhaps the (slightly silly) graphic below might make it clearer. 

Re: the stair illusion. Hope this helps. from r/opticalillusions

This isn't the first time a staircase optical illusion has tripped up the internet. This confusing Mario optical illusion sparked some debate (but we've finally solved the mystery). If you're after more mind-bending illusions, check out these bizarre AI optical illusions that'll make you do a double take.