Illusory Motion Circles

This illusion, known as The Enigma, was created by Isia Leviant in 1981. For decades, scientists debated whether the motion was in the eye (fixational eye movements) or the brain (cortical processing).

A 2008 study verified that Microsaccades are the culprit. When your eyes make tiny, involuntary movements to refresh the retina, the high-contrast radial lines "clash" with the circular rings. The brain struggles to resolve the static position, creating a signal that is interpreted as rapid circular motion.