Blind Spot Illusion

istock.com/Jorge Villalba

Can you trust your eyes? Are you sure they’re showing an accurate image of the world? Try this neuroscience trick at home to find out. All you need is a plain piece of paper with two objects or marks on it. You can use our sample here.

Lynnie Fein-Schaffer

Cover your left eye with your hand. No peeking! Stare at the black dot on the left side of the paper and slowly move your face toward the page, while continuing to stare at the black dot. Can you still see the yellow star on the right?

As your face gets closer to the page, the yellow star will disappear. You’ve found your blind spot!

You might be wondering why this happens. Watch the video to find out how your brain tricks you.

About the Author

Lynnie Fein-Schaffer

Lynnie is the former Outreach Associate for BrainFacts.org. She graduated from Smith College in 2017 with degrees in economics and psychology.