Today’s video spotlights the Jastrow Illusion using a pair of identical toy train tracks.  The two wooden train track pieces appear to be longer (or shorter) than the other when arranged one on top of the other.  When one of the pieces is placed directly on top of the other, however, it is obvious that they are the exact same length.

While browsing through Nikita Prokhorov’s recent book Ambigrams Revealed for the third time, one of the featured ambigram designs really stood out to me.  This design by Mark Palmer from Red Chapter Clothing reads exactly the same when rotated 180 degrees.  Palmer notes that, “From start to finish, this Shark Attack ambigram is one of my favorite ambigrams I’ve ever drawn.”

In judging the design, noted ambigram creator and puzzle designer Scott Kim comments that, “This ambigram combines a highly stylized, appropriately aggressive appearance with high legibility – a remarkable feat.”

John Langdon adds, “This ambigram is very successful.  It reads quickly and easily…”

Making creative use of a wooden stepladder, discarded wood, and a light projector, Tim Noble and Sue Webster created an identifiable image of a young man in shadow.  The British artists have been working together since 1986 when they met at art school.  In 2009, each was awarded an honorary Doctor of Art degree from Nottingham Trent University.

Visit Tim & Sue’s website to view more of their artwork.

This painting portrays a magical scene during what might be a power outage in a big city.  When the dark row of skyscrapers reflects on the surface of the lake, the city comes alive.

To order prints of Rob Gonsalves’ work, please visit Huckleberry Fine Art.

The street performer known as Special Head returned to America’s Got Talent last night in Las Vegas with a brand new levitation stunt.  This one was a little different than his previous performance, but still involved him appearing to float above the ground.  Instead of levitating by lifting his legs off the ground like he did before, he performed a move that looked like it was straight out of the Matrix.  Leaning back almost all the way to the floor, he hovered in mid-air with his back a couple of feet from the ground before returning upright.  It was almost as if his back was resting on some sort of invisible table.  AGT judge Howie Mandel thought that “the first act was much more spectacular,” and what Special Head “should have done was this one first and that one second.”  What do you think?  Do you agree with Howie?

Regardless of what Howie thought, it looks like Special Head will be advancing in this competition and moving forward to Radio City Music Hall.  In case you missed it, you might want to take a look at how Special Head performed his first levitation stunt on America’s Got Talent.

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In this work from Professor Akiyoshi Kitaoka, each of the four fields appears to expand and move toward you.  Like all of these motion illusions, the more you move your eyes around the image, the stronger the effect.  Try to hold your eyes still by looking at one location and the movement will cease.

Visit Kitaoka’s site to view more of his work in this field.

Igor Morski is an illustrator and artist from Poland.  I only became aware of him a few days ago when I came across some of his deceptive illustrations.  The tropical scene below shows a bird perched on the branch of a tree near the water, presumably the ocean.  The odd looking foliage on the tree also resembles something else.  I could probably go out on a limb here (apologies for the pun) and say that it makes this tree the smartest one around.

For more information about Igor Morski, visit his personal page at www.igor.morski.pl.