Impossible object facts for kids
An impossible object is a type of optical illusion. These objects are also called undecidable figures. When you look at a two-dimensional picture of one, your brain tries to see it as a three-dimensional object.
Most people quickly realize that such an object cannot exist in real life. However, even when you know it's impossible, your brain might still see it as a 3D shape.
Some impossible figures are harder to spot. It's not always clear right away that they are impossible. You might need to look closely at the object's geometry to figure out that it can't exist.
Impossible objects are interesting to psychologists, mathematicians, and artists.
Contents
History of Impossible Objects
The Swedish artist Oscar Reutersvärd was the first person to draw many impossible objects. People call him "the father of impossible figures." In 1934, he drew the Penrose triangle. This was years before the Penroses did. Reutersvärd drew his triangle with sides made of cubes.
In 1956, British psychiatrist Lionel Penrose and his son, mathematician Roger Penrose, wrote an article. It was for the British Journal of Psychology. The article was called Impossible objects: a special type of visual illusion. It showed the Penrose Triangle and Penrose stairs. The article mentioned Escher, whose art made them interested. But they did not know about Reutersvärd. The article was published in 1958.
From the 1930s, the Dutch artist M.C. Escher made many drawings. These drawings played with paradoxes of perspective. In 1957, he made his first drawing with a true impossible object. It was called Cube with Magic Ribbons. He made many other drawings of impossible objects. Sometimes, the whole drawing was an impossible figure. His work helped many people learn about impossible objects. Some artists today also work with impossible figures. These include Jos de Mey, Shigeo Fukuda, Sandro del Prete, István Orosz (Utisz), Guido Moretti, Tamás F. Farkas, and Mathieu Hamaekers.
Impossible Objects in Stories
- In the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "I, Borg", there was a plan. It was to destroy the Borg, who were bad aliens that shared thoughts. The plan was to show one Borg a very complex impossible object. This image would go to the Borg's shared mind. It would confuse them more and more as they tried to understand it. This plan was not used because it was seen as too harsh.
- In the computer game Diablo II, a place called "Arcane Sanctuary" was based on impossible drawings.
- Alan Moore's comic series 1963 has a character called the Hypernaut. This character lives in a space station shaped like an impossible object.
- In the video game Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem, there is an impossible object. It is called the Sigil of Xel'lotath. It looks like a twisted angel.
- In The Simpsons episode "Treehouse of Horror VIII", a blivet (or devil's tuning fork) is seen at Professor Frink's yard sale. In The Simpsons Movie, Homer falls down many miles of impossible stairs. This happens while he has a sudden realization.
- The video game Echochrome for the PSP and PS3 has a character who walks on impossible objects.
- The set for the final scene in the Goblin King's castle in the 1986 movie Labyrinth was based on M. C. Escher's "Relativity". It had impossible staircases and strange perspectives.
- In Pokemon Platinum, there is an area full of impossible things like these.
Related Pages
Images for kids
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A 3D-printed version of the Reutersvärd Triangle illusion. It looks impossible because of how it's viewed.
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A different version of L'egsistential Quandary.
See also
In Spanish: Objeto imposible para niños
