Optical Oddities - Atlas Obscura
Places near me Random place

59 Items Tagged

Optical Oddities

Share Tweet
Several adaptations make the wings of some butterflies, such as this <em>Cithaerias esmeralda</em>, clear.
science

Unlocking the Secrets of 'Invisible' Animals

From glasswing butterflies to vanishing octopuses, evolution is a mad scientist.
Luna Shyr August 16, 2021
The Grande Lunette at Meudon Observatory
Meudon, France

The Grande Lunette

The largest refracting telescope in Europe is housed on the grounds of a former French castle.
Lookout.
Workington, England

Lookout

This unique sculptural clock transforms into a periscope every hour.
Painted scribe vendor and real-life customer.
Hanoi, Vietnam

Trompe-l'œil Murals of Hanoi

Life-sized painted illusions let pedestrians blend in with the street art.
The descent of the feathered serpent, Kukulcan.
statues

7 Places That Throw the Best Shade

In the most literal sense.
Kerry Wolfe August 1, 2017
Cima del Sol.
León, Mexico

Colina Gravitacional (Gravity Hill)

Things roll uphill on this Mexican street that seems to defy gravity.
Water appears to run uphill on the magnetic hill.
Moncton, New Brunswick

Moncton Magnetic Hill

A mysterious spot where the laws of gravity seem not to apply.
Hoober Stand.
Wentworth, England

Hoober Stand

This folly built to commemorate an aristocratic victory over Catholic rebellion plays tricks on the eye.
Gravity Hill starting line.
Prosser, Washington

Gravity Hill

The strange phenomenon causing gravity to "work backwards" on this hill has been blamed on the paranormal.
San Francisco, California

Magowan's Infinite Mirror Maze

A psychedelic labyrinth on the San Francisco bay.
Rakotzbrücke
Gablenz, Germany

Rakotzbrücke Devil's Bridge

This jaw-dropping 19th-century bridge uses its reflection to form what appears to be a perfect circle.
Electric Ladyland in full color.
Amsterdam, Netherlands

Electric Ladyland: The Museum of Fluorescent Art

The world's only museum devoted to the wonders of fluorescence.
Queens, New York

Surreal Elevator

Nondescript elevator doors open to reveal a stunning, surreal world.
31 days of halloween

Ghost in the Rainbow

Annetta Black October 25, 2013
Gurdon, Arkansas

The Gurdon Light

A mysterious light floating in the trees of Arkansas may be a piezoelectric effect.
Sankt Andreasberg, Germany

Teufelskanzel & Hexenaltar

Goethe's "Faust" was inspired by these rock formations known as the "Devil's Pulpit" and "Witches' Altar."
Puzzling World
Wanaka, New Zealand

Puzzling World

New Zealand's epic shrine to all things puzzling.
Effulgence of the North
Los Angeles, California

Velaslavasay Panorama

Panorama exhibition hall in old silent theater with a beautiful backyard garden.