Twisting Helix Illusion
Watch two sets of dots dance around each other to form a three-dimensional DNA-like structure.
🧐 What do you see?▼
Two columns of colored dots (blue and red). They oscillate back and forth, but your brain insists they are rotating around an invisible 3D axis. Individual dots appear to move behind or in front of each other.
🧠 Why this works▼
This is the Kinetic Depth Effect. Even though the dots are only moving horizontally (1D motion) and changing size, their relative positions follow a sine and cosine relationship over time.
Because this mathematical relationship matches exactly how a 3D object would project onto a 2D plane, the brain skips the 2D explanation and "constructs" the 3D shape in your mind. The addition of small size changes (making dots smaller when they are "behind") reinforces this 3D lie.
🧪 Try variations▼
- High intensity: Increases the width of the helix, making the "3D" rotation much more wide and dramatic.
- Slow speed: Allows you to watch a single dot and convince yourself it's just moving left and right—though the 3D illusion is hard to break!
❓ FAQ▼
Is this how DNA looks?
Stylistically, yes. This matches the "double helix" geometry revealed by Rosalind Franklin, James Watson, and Francis Crick.