Top 10 Mind-Boggling Optical Illusions You Can Find in Nature
Discover ten astonishing natural optical illusions worldwide, from mirrored salt flats to pink lakes, where Earth’s landscapes trick the eye and blur the line between reality and imagination.
1. Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia The big salt flat here is transformed into the largest mirror by the rain. The smooth reflection of the sky uses a surreal illusion of strolling on the clouds to mix the horizon with the earth. (Image: Canva)
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2. Polar Regions, Northern Lights Aurora borealis comes in the form of a curtain of colour in the sky at night. It is matched with the movement of greens, purples and reds which give an illusion of moving waves, thus giving the sky a life and magic. (Image: Canva)
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3. Wave Rock, Australia It is a naturally carved granite structure that takes the shape of a huge wave that is about to crash. Its rounded form and scribbled surface create an effect of motion in stone over several million years in an impressive way. (Image: Canva)
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4. Antelope Canyon Light Beams, USA The light of the sun through the thin walls of sandstone forms glorious columns of light. These shafts are similar to the stage spotlights, and make the visitors feel that they are walking through a painted tunnel, hewn by nature. (Image: Canva)
5. The Door to Hell, Turkmenistan There is a burning crater that has been burning since the 1970s, which gives a strange illusion of a gateway to another world. The embers fly into the side of the crater, turning the desert into a mythological scene. (Image: Canva)
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6. Cappadocia, Turkey: Fairy Chimneys The shape of cone-like rocks gives an illusion of a fantasy landscape. Hot air balloons suspended in the air at sunrise beautify the surrealist scene, and the region appears to have turned into an animated film. (Image: Canva)
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7. Mount Roraima, Venezuela The steep slopes of this mountain top are usually above the clouds and thus give the illusion of an island in the sky. (Image: Canva)
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8. Lake Hillier, Australia This pink bubblegum lake lies along the blue ocean waters, which contrasts with the colour. The strange colour, which is a result of algae and minerals, appears nearly unrealistic when viewed through the sky, as a painted landscape. (Image: Canva)
9. Catatumbo Lightning, Venezuela. This is a natural occurrence that generates unending lightning on Lake Maracaibo. The constant lightning here creates a continuous illusion of a storm. (Image: Canva)