This optical illusion lets you see ‘true cyan,’ a color not visible on most screens

A TikToker in STEM shared a mind-boggling optical illusion. 

Kate Bacon has a bachelor’s degree in integrative physiology. The science whiz shared that the color cyan is rarely seen because most screens can’t display it. One way to see true cyan is to use the optical illusion Bacon provided in the video below. 

@kbacon

You’ve probably never seen this color before… #womeninstem #voiceacting #science

♬ Blade Runner 2049 – Synthwave Goose

“I’m going to show you a color that you’ve probably never seen before. It’s called true cyan, and most TVs and monitors aren’t capable of producing this pigment,” Bacon explained

The display showed a red circle on a teal background. At the center of the red circle was a small white dot. To see true cyan, stare at the white dot for 30 seconds. Then close your eyes tightly, open them, and you’ll see a blue orb. The orb is apparently the color of true cyan. 

Bacon’s video racked up over 23.5 million views on TikTok. The optical illusion seemed to work on a lot of people, and some even said they didn’t need to close their eyes. 

“I saw the color, and I was shocked because my eyes were open,” one person said

“Literally one of the prettiest colors I have ever seen,” a user wrote

“I saw it looks bluish and greenish, and it’s in a circle. It looks like a planet,” another said

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