Over 3 million individuals mystified by this optical illusion
The internet has been abuzz with two optical illusions that have left many viewers feeling a bit off-balance - the rotating horse and the spinning ballerina.
First gaining significant popularity on a certain site, the rotating horse illusion, considered one of the most dizzying, was originally posted on TikTok by the Spanish theater group Antigua i Barbuda at the Maker Faire Hannover in 2025. Over three million people have read an article about this illusion on the site, and it continues to confound people even after initial exposure.
The rotating horse illusion presents a simple, static image of a horse that appears to spin continuously, with the direction of its rotation seemingly changing at random. Despite moving further back from the screen or looking at the illusion sideways, viewers find it challenging to make sense of the rotating horse's movement. Even blinking does not help to settle the illusion.
The reasons behind the rotating horse illusion's disorienting effect are further explained in the article. It is said that the illusion lacks visual cues for depth, enabling bistable perception - the ability to perceive two or more alternative interpretations of the same visual stimulus. This bistable perception is what causes the viewer's head to spin due to the continuous rotation of the horse.
Interestingly, the spinning ballerina illusion offers a similar trick but performs only in one direction for some viewers. Unlike the rotating horse, the Van Gogh illusion, which also causes dizziness, works in a different way and is full of color.
The Van Gogh illusion, reportedly, also causes dizziness and has been known to induce feelings of nausea in some viewers. Unlike the rotating horse and the spinning ballerina, the Van Gogh illusion is not a static image but a moving video that creates a swirling, whirling sensation, much like a cyclone.
The article invites readers to check out these illusions and share their thoughts. If you're feeling brave, give the rotating horse optical illusion a try and see if you can make sense of its continuous rotation. And remember, blinking won't help - you'll just have to ride the wave of disorientation until it passes!
