In brief
The Best Illusion of the Year contest showcases how our brains can be tricked by visual phenomena, helping scientists understand perception's mysteries through experiments in illusion.
Ever watched a video and wondered why objects suddenly seem to change or disappear? This is the essence of the Best Illusion of the Year contest, an exciting competition that has been challenging our perception since 2005. Hosted by neuroscientists Stephen Macknik and Susana Martinez-Conde, this contest now invites participants from all corners of the globe to submit their mind-bending creations.One standout entry from 2021 demonstrated how our brains can easily fall prey to “change blindness” — where gradual shifts in the environment go unnoticed. Macknik and Martinez-Conde emphasize that the nature of our sensory experience itself is a kind of simulation; we construct our own understanding of reality based on limited information.With the latest contest now open for submissions, it's a perfect opportunity to engage with the mysteries of how we perceive the world around us. Who will create the next optical masterpiece? Stay tuned!
