Darwinian Ev-Illusion?

February 13, 2009 by 12 Comments

This is neat.

Stare at the following image for about 30 seconds. Then look at a white wall and blink a couple times to see the afterimage.

darwin_illusion

The image was created by Rob Jenkins and Richard Wiseman.

You can also see how they created the image.

(via Jewelisms)

Filed Under: General 12 Comments
  • mikespeir

    It’s Charlie!

  • Roland B

    It’s Robert!

  • Siamang

    So it’s a monkey vomiting a die?

    Wait, it’s a dominant monkey beating a less-fit monkey to get a die?

    Is there a message about randomness and selection built into the image?

  • N

    I don’t see it…

  • Richard Wade

    Hi Chuck! (Who’s Robert?)

    Wait, it’s a dominant monkey beating a less-fit monkey to get a die?

    I think it means the less fit monkey is more likely to die. But then again, if the dominant monkey eats the die, then he might die, especially if the die comes from China, where they often have toxins in the dye they use on the die that could cause him to die. Aye yie yie.

  • Vincent

    I see nothing either :(

  • http://mylongapostasy.blogspot.com ATL-Apostate

    I never can see these damn things.

  • Dack Brenton

    The first time I tried it just looked like a fetus, which I thought was odd. Then I clicked through to the site and saw that it was supposed to be Darwin. The second time I was able to see Darwin for a few seconds and then it degenerated back into a fetus.

  • MH

    I didn’t see it the first time I tried. The second time I made a point of keeping the image in focus for the full 30 seconds. Then the after image was in focus too.

  • http://sanguinity.livejournal.com Sanguinity

    I see a fetus.

  • Kayla

    Yep, I saw a fetus too.

  • Richard Wade

    Afterimage illusions are hard for some people to see. Look for a blurred negative image of what you were staring at while blinking rapidly at a white wall or surface. Here is a facsimile of what I see, a deeply shadowed portrait of Darwin with his bald head and fuzzy white beard.