Share

Mind Games 8

In Mind Games 8 we do some code-breaking – and feel moved by a mind-bending optical illusion.

Be warned: at the bottom of this page is an "anomalous motion illusion", which might make some sensitive viewers feel dizzy or sick. If you feel strange looking at the “rotating snakes”, you should leave the page!

24. Wacky numbers

So far in Mind Games, we haven’t done much to exercise number skills – but this week, reader Nicolene Julius sent us a fiendish numerical code to break.

These sums don’t seem to make any sense ... but can you see the answer to the red equation? This puzzle doesn’t involve difficult arithmetic skills – it’s more a matter of spotting the pattern.

If:

5+3+2 = 151022
9+2+4 = 183652
8+6+3 = 482466
5+4+5 = 202541

 

then ...
7+2+5 =

See the answer.

25. Rotating snakes

This amazing optical illusion was designed by psychologist Akiyoshi Kitaoka. The snakes aren’t really moving! The illusion of motion is stronger if you look at it out of the corner of your eye, and if you blink rapidly. (If you can’t see the motion illusion, don’t worry: some effects just don’t work on a small percentage of people with normal visual systems.)

How does it work? See answer.

- Compiled by Olivia Rose-Innes and Senora Sine Thirteen, Health24, August 2011

References:

A. Kitaoka & H. Ashida, Phenomenal characteristics of the peripheral drift illusion. Vision, 15, 261-262, 2003

“Rotating Snakes” is reproduced with kind permission of its creator, Professor Akiyoshi Kitaoka, Dept of Psychology, Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto, Japan.

More Mind Games

Do you have a great brain teaser? Please send it in; we'll choose the best for inclusion in future Mind Games.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE