Lego Illusion

A striped rectangular solid object can seem to get larger at the distant end.

Material

40 rectangular Lego blocks

Assembly

Attach the blocks into one long stack alternating black and white blocks.

To Do and Notice

Place the stack of blocks onto a tabletop with one end near you, about a half meter away, and the other end far from you.

Notice that the far end seems larger than the near end.

What's Going On?

?

Reference

Illusion in Nature and Art, Richard Gregory, Charles Scribner's Sons, 1973 p 92.

Perception Exploration

Scientific Explorations with Paul Doherty

© 1999

14 June 2000