A new optical illusion has been going viral on the internet. At first glance, the image shows nothing more than a pregnant woman standing beside a tree. But hidden within the scene is a human face that is nearly impossible to detect. It has gone unnoticed by the vast majority of viewers, with only a small fraction managing to spot it without assistance.
The trick here lies in pareidolia – our brain’s tendency to see faces where there aren’t any. It is why clouds sometimes look like people or why chipped paint can resemble a pair of eyes staring back. The phenomenon isn’t just fun. It is actually been used by neuroscientists and researchers to study how the brain processes visual information.
Artists who specialise in optical illusions know exactly how to play with this tendency. They build images that warp perception, forcing your brain to do a double take. This one? It is a masterclass in deception.
Also read: Optical illusion: Only those with 10/10 vision can read this hidden sentence in 22 seconds
Don’t let the calm scene fool you
The challenge: find the hidden face in 21 seconds. According to some tests, only 1 out of 500 people spot it in that time frame. The rest either give up or don’t see it at all – until the reveal makes them see it.
To give yourself a real shot, start by scanning the image for anything that remotely resembles facial features. Eyes. A nose. A mouth. Anything off-pattern that could be a clue. And don’t stare straight on – look from different angles, step back, use your peripheral vision. Your brain might pick up something your eyes miss.
Still not seeing it? Most people don’t.
Here comes the twist
If you’ve stuck around, good on you. You’re in for the answer. The face is in there – but here is the kicker: you had to flip the entire image upside down. That is the only way it makes sense. Once you do that, boom – the face jumps out, clear as day.
It is the kind of reveal that leaves you blinking. And probably flipping your screen over, just to be sure.
FAQs
What is pareidolia?
Pareidolia is the brain’s tendency to see familiar patterns, like faces, in random visual input.
How many people spot the hidden face in this illusion?
Only around 1 in 500 people find it within the 21-second challenge.
What’s the trick to solving this illusion?
You have to flip the image upside down to see the hidden face.
Is this illusion used for any research?
Yes, illusions like this are often used in neuroscience and psychology studies.
Where is the face in the image?
It is subtly blended into the scenery – but only becomes clear when the picture is rotated.