20 NAT GEO KIDS^ • JUNE / JULY 2019
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Get ready to be amazed!
Optical illusions use colors,
patterns, shadows, and other
things to trick your brain into
seeing something that’s not
there. But here’s the really
tricky part: Most people see an
illusion the same way, but often
they interpret it differently.
In fact, scientists are studying
how people react to illusions
to learn more about the brain.
So while you’re having fun
here, you might actually be
contributing to science!
DO THIS: Stop staring at this
yummy display of fruit and see
if you can find the two people
on either side of it.
WHAT’S UP: Your brain
quickly sees the colorful fruit,
then notices the two faces
created by the outline of the
fruit. Your brain “flips” between
the two views. This is called a
figure-ground illusion: The fruit
is the figure (the main object),
and the faces are the ground
(the background).
FRUIT SALAD
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