Illusion of Penrose staircase

The illusion of the Penrose staircase is known as the infinite staircase or the impossible ladder.

It owes its name that does not matter how much it is uploaded, or how much it goes down, The arrival point will always be the same.

In fact, in the novel of the Italian screenwriter Andrea Camilleri, entitled The disappearance of the duck, It is presumed that the protagonist is a victim of this illusion of the Perose staircase, then, his conviction is to descend it for life.

The illusion of the Penrose staircase, an impossible object

This illusion of the Penrose staircase was described by the English mathematic.

In this illusion, the ladder is represented two -dimensionally and four times changes its direction 90 degrees, so the same sensation is experienced, equal result if it is uploaded or lowered.

This illusion of Penrose staircase These are four stairs that were built together in 3D, which gives an impossible representation in which the perspective is deceived.

As for impossible objects, these are characterized by being imaginary forms, since three -dimensional constructions do not take place in reality. When built, this is done through technological resources or drawings.

One of the most notorious examples of the illusion of the Penrose ladder is the one that appears in the lithography of Mauritus Cornelis Escher, called Klimmen in Dalen, or ascent and descent, in which some monks are observed in a monastery complying with the Penance of climbing and descending the stairs continuously.

Another great example of these impossible objects is Necker's famous bucket, which is an optical illusion that came to light in 1832 thanks to the Swiss crystallograph Louis Albert Necker and, no matter what perspective it looks at him, his linear strokes do not give real orientation account, so it can be interpreted in many ways.

Another artist who has also gained relevance in the creation of impossible objects is the Swedish artist Oscar Reutersvärd; However, it is m.C Escher who is given greater credit because he popularized artistic circles.

Impossible objects have been a great attraction not only in literary art, but also in the cinematographic, then, director Christopher Nolan, in his film INCEPTION, He also incorporated this optical illusion of the Penrose staircase, but, in his argument it was possible within the world of dreams.

Bruno Ernst also has a staircase that is infinite in which four ramps are joined that seem to have no end.

A matter of perspective

The illusion of the Penrose ladder can be understood from the notion of perspective, that is, the point from which a certain object is observed can lead the brain to make an interpretation or another.

In perspective illusions, the eye deceives the visual system and makes the brain see distorted information.

Thus, Optical illusions are commonly considered a mistake of the brain When reconstructing the information presented visually.

This explains why there are objects that, although they are the same size, are larger the closer they are to the observer, or smaller if they are in a more distant position.

In the case of optical illusions with diagonal lines, something similar also happens, because, a perspective effect is created in which the brain tries to orient in a three -dimensional space.

As well as this, there are also other illusions equally surprising, such as those that generate movement.

It is not yet known how the process is carried out by means of which the brain processes the information obtained from the perception, in terms of shape, color, texture and movement and that gives rise to such interpretations of the reality.

However, it is known that the brain fails to handle the large amount of information it receives through the view, so it uses the shortcuts, that is, to saving resources, and chooses the interpretation that is most logical , being how eyes can fool the viewer.

In real life, the impossible figures have no place, such as the illusion of the Penrose staircase, and it happens that the perception is confused by trying to give it a three -dimensional form.

Know the most incredible optical illusions

Bibliography

• Báez, a. AND. N., & Carr, D. C. W. (2015). Art in the incarnate mind: the use of geometric-political illusions for artistic creation. Young people in science, 1(2), 1037-1041.
• Barbón, j. J. (2012). Optical illusions above (s. XIX). Archives of the Spanish Ophthalmology Society, 87(3), 97-98.
• Castelluccio, l. Neuroscience and optical illusions neuroscience and optical illusions.
• Jiménez, c. (2009). Optical illusions. Lectures, Publications Reçues.