Simply Impossible

Discover the best visual illusion of 2010, crafted with simple materials like cardboard and glue. A must-see illusion!

Written byCarl Zimmer

| 1 min read

Newsletter

Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news

Here's the newly anointed best visual illusion of 2010. No fancy computer graphics. Just cardboard, glue, and some wooden balls. Fabulous. [Update: Thanks to Sam Mackrill for directing us to the inventor's web site, which includes building instructions.]

Meet the Author

CZ
Carl Zimmer

More on Discover

juvenile yellow huntsman spider with mite larvae around its neck

This Newly Discovered Parasite Looks Like a String of Pearls Around a Spider's Neck

Illustration of a Greenland shark in the ocean

How a 400-Year-Old Shark Keeps Its Vision From Breaking Down

cookiecutter shark with it's mouth open, revealing opaque white teeth

Rare and Elusive Cookiecutter Shark Leaves a Round Wound in Its Prey

fungal infected beetle in spruce tree

Fatal Fungus Turns Beetles’ Chemical Shields Into a Deadly Weakness

rendition of ancient humans around a pyre

Oldest Cremation Pyre Found in Africa Rewrites Our Understanding of Hunter-Gatherer Ritual Behavior

colorful coral reef with orange fish

Coral Reefs Do More Than Build Habitat — They Organize Microbial Life

Two stingless bees inside of a an orange flower

How Stingless Bees in the Amazon Became the First Insects With Legal Rights

three orcas or killer whales breaching the surface of the water

Why Some Orcas Stay Close to Home While Others Roam — And Rarely Interact

Collapsed gas hydrate mound underwater

The Freya Hydrate Mounds Lie Over 11,940 Feet Below the Surface — and They’re Teeming With Life

Collage of Balanophora species which are parasitic plants that live underground

A Rare Parasitic Plant Lives Underground Without Photosynthesis and Reproduces Asexually

Mount Etna active volcano in Italy

Mount Etna Erupts During the Holidays, Ending an Active Volcanic Year in a Grand Finale

close up of sharp piranha teeth

The Tiny Black Piranha Has a Bite Force of 70 Pounds — How Is This Possible?

Stay Curious

JoinOur List

Sign up for our weekly science updates

View our Privacy Policy

SubscribeTo The Magazine

Save up to 40% off the cover price when you subscribe to Discover magazine.