When it comes to what our eyes reveal to us, we take our vision for granted and we assume we can identify most objects. Because our brains are biologically engineered to receive the signals our eyes send and interpret them, we think what we’re seeing is actually real and we’re surprised when details we missed before are suddenly revealed. Our brains work in the background at all times, always working to try to figure out complex issues and visuals. Everything we see with our eyes gets sent to our brains, and then our brain analyzes them in the same way in which a computer analyzes data.
Unlike computers, however, our brains are living and breathing tissue and our brains are much more complex than a piece of machinery. However, most of the time, we don’t realize that our brains are making determinations behind the scenes about things that are right before our eyes. Most of us believe that we can see things clearly and have an excellent eye for detail, and nobody likes to think that something is getting past us. But then there are times when the stuff we see is more than meets the eye. This is how magicians make things happen that we can’t believe have happened.
Magicians are masterful at making us see what they want us to see while they hide the reality behind a clever illusion. Keep in mind that there’s no shame in being fooled. Surprises can be some of the most fun things in life and a little reality-twisting isn’t a bad thing. Besides, it gives our brains a much-needed workout. In the image below, there are six different human figures or faces. Most people can find only a few quickly, but a couple of them are difficult to see. Test your eyes and your brain by seeing how many you can find.
