Brain-melting optical illusion divides the internet – which way do YOU see the circle turn?

A BRAIN-melting optical illusion sent netizens wild over the weekend.

The short animation features 12 wedge-shaped blocks arranged into a circle that rotates in a constant loop.

However, the direction in which the arrangement is facing has divided the internet.

Its orientation appears to switch as you watch it, with both the right and left sides appearing to be in the foreground.

Look at one face, and it changes direction. Look at the other, and it changes back.

The illusion was posted to Reddit last week by user Niko22966 and was later shared on Twitter, where it quickly went viral.

Social media-dwellers were baffled by the animation, which has racked up more than 18,000 Twitter likes and 8,000 Reddit upvotes.

One Twitter user wrote: “Love how the brain sees it differently depending on where it puts a focus.”

And another said: “Is it coming or going?” followed by a confused face emoji.

The illusion works using a bit of animation trickery to make the blocks appear as if they are going in two directions at once.

Keep your eye on a single block at the nine or three o’clock positions in the circle. They change shape as they rotate.

This gives the illusion of two types of movement.

One Twitter user wrote: “The blocks change shape, creating the illusion that they are changing planes when in fact they are not.”

And a Reddit fan said: “If you look closely at the “sides” of the circle you can see the segments changing shape. It’s incredibly clever.”

Optical illusions are often just a bit of fun, but they also hold real value for scientists.

The brain puzzles help researchers shed light on the inner workings of the mind and how it reacts to its surroundings.

 Dr Gustav Kuhn, a psychologist and human perception expert at Goldsmiths University in London, told the Sun last month that illusions are important to our understanding of the brain.

“We typically take perception for granted, and rarely think about the hard work that underpins everyday tasks, such as seeing a cup of coffee in front of you,” he said.

“Visual illusions highlight errors in perception, and they provide important glimpses into the hidden neural processes that allow us to see the world around us.”

It follows the release of a spooky illusion last month that makes the viewer feel as though they are tumbling into a black hole.

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