70 Optical Illusions That Your Brain Just Isn't Ready To Handle

    Everything is not as it seems...

    Pablo Valdivia
    by Pablo Valdivia

    BuzzFeed Staff

    Do you know Rubin's vase? You've probably seen it, even if you aren't familiar with the name. It depicts a vase in the center — or does it? Maybe it depicts two heads looking at one another. See for yourself:

    Rubin's vase
    Martin Janecek / Getty Images

    If you're into trippy imagery, then you've come to the right place. We found the best optical illusions on Reddit, and they're guaranteed to confuse you. Scroll to make your head spin!

    1. There are no gray dots in between these squares:

    White grid on a black background
    Neslihan Gorucu / Getty Images/iStockphoto

    This is a classic example of something called the "Hermann Grid Illusion," where people see ghostly gray dots everywhere the white lines intersect — with the exception of the intersection you're looking directly at, of course.

    2. This isn't a trident:

    The "impossible trident" optical illusion
    Kovalto1 / Getty Images/iStockphoto

    The "impossible trident," also known as the blivet, was first written about in 1964 by D.H. Schuster in The American Journal of Psychology: "Unlike other ambiguous drawings, an actual shift in visual fixation is involved in its perception and resolution. The viewer comes to realize that he is viewing an 'impossible figure.'" 

    3. These two squares are not different shades of gray:

    Checker shadow illusion - the two squares with x mark are the same shade of gray.
    Peterhermesfurian / Getty Images/iStockphoto

    The "checker shadow illusion" is another famous mind trick, as MIT professor Edward H. Adelson pointed out in 1964. The two tiles are in fact the same color, but our visual system tricks us because we compare the tile to its neighbors.

    4. These circles don't overlap:

    5. This isn't an arm:

    6. This wheel isn't spinning:

    Blue and yellow colors in psychedelic circle.
    Mycola / Getty Images/iStockphoto

    7. This newborn doesn't have a giant toe:

    8. This isn't the ocean:

    9. This cow isn't eating a calf:

    10. This isn't a bag with legs:

    11. This isn't a dog with a human face:

    12. This isn't a bunch of snowy mountains:

    13. The lines in this image do not intersect:

    14. This car isn't floating:

    15. This isn't a raw chicken:

    16. This sheep isn't leading a mule:

    17. This isn't a flying saucer:

    18. This semitruck isn't actually carrying anything:

    19. This cat isn't actually in a box:

    20. This car isn't holding up a light post:

    21. This isn't the cat's shadow:

    22. This isn't a cat:

    23. This person isn't rocking heels:

    Reveal: If you can't see it, the "heels" are the chair's legs.

    24. This iguana doesn't have a terrifying face:

    25. This cat doesn't have tiny arms:

    26. This glass is not standing in the crack:

    27. These circles are not different colors:

    Reveal: they're all yellow!

    28. This is not a photoshopped picture:

    29. This isn't a picture of a piece of furniture:

    30. This woman does not have multiple pairs of legs:

    31. This cat isn't pulling its own head out of the box:

    32. This is not a punctured tongue—don't worry:

    33. Honey, I did not shrink the jogger:

    34. A new dinosaur has not been discovered:

    35. These aren't dinosaurs either:

    36. This isn't a two-headed creature:

    37. Neither is this one:

    38. This is not the longest-armed pickpocket ever:

    39. This is not a pic of a little dude perched on this bicyclist:

    40. This situation is not quite as stressful as it seems:

    41. This dog doesn't have monster teeth:

    42. This isn't a door:

    43. This isn't a crow:

    44. This isn't a moving gif:

    45. This cow isn't a floating head:

    46. This horse isn't actually levitating:

    47. There isn't just one black dot—there are 12:

    48. This tiled image is not slanted to the left:

    49. This cat isn't a soccer ball:

    50. This image is not just lines and boxes:

    Reveal: There are 16 circles in there as well.

    51. This corner is not pointed in multiple directions.

    52. This isn't Clifford the Big Red Dog:

    53. This isn't a ghost hand coming out of the chair:

    54. This isn't gravel and tiny bushes:

    55. This isn't your vision getting blurry:

    56. This man isn't in the water:

    57. This isn't a super buff dog:

    Reveal: This buff dog is booty-ful.

    58. This chair isn't missing part of its backrest:

    59. This garbage bin isn't floating:

    60. This cat isn't swallowing a pole:

    61. This person isn't headless:

    62. There isn't an alien invasion happening here:

    63. This cat isn't walking around with a chunk of its body missing:

    64. This falcon isn't taking a selfie:

    65. This image does not ripple when you scroll past it:

    66. This isn't a hallway:

    67. This parking garage doesn't have a road to another dimension:

    68. This person doesn't have Shrek ears:

    69. This cat didn't sink into the cement:

    70. And finally, this cow isn't freakishly long:

    This article contains content from Pablo Valdivia, Luis Del Valle, Phil Jahner, Hikaru Yoza, and Tanner Greenring. It was compiled by Kelly Rissman.