- An image of an optical illusion shared on TikTok has stunned observers divided
- The cryptic image shows a hand with several other hands on its fingers
- Observers must guess how many fingers there are in total when people's answers clash
If you can correctly guess how many fingers are attached to the hands of this optical illusion, you can take the opportunity to give yourself some high fives.
A bizarre and slightly creepy image uploaded by the popular TikTok account @unseenillusions has left dozens of users on the social app divided and scratching their heads over the total number of fingers they can count.
The brainteaser account regularly posts mind-boggling optical illusions, puzzles and riddles for his 37,500 followers to analyze and solve.
Shared in September 2021, the after has since racked up nearly 300 likes and more than 100 comments, as perplexed people are asked, “How many fingers are there?”
The still image consists of an artificially altered photo of a human hand against a black background, but with several smaller hands on the ends of each finger.
A cryptic image uploaded to TikTok has left dozens of the social app's users divided and scratching their heads over the total number of fingers they can count
With a large number of total fingers in the picture, puzzlers are asked to guess the correct number.
A variety of answers were given by 139 users, with many insisting their guess was correct, while others lost count and gave up altogether.
55 and 150 seemed to be the most guessed answers, while others came close with conclusions like '50', '150' and '160'.
Some people seemed to have counted quite a few fingers more than most, with one person noting: '1720.'
One frustrated person failed to make a solid guess, writing, “I'm getting worried it looks weird.”
However, some observant puzzlers analyzed the wording of the question in relation to the picture and pointed out that not all parts of the hands were in fact 'fingers', but also thumbs.
One person guessed and wrote, “124 + thumbs,” while another responded, “125 + 5.”
Another eagle-eyed commenter wrote: “Wrong 84 fingers and 6 thumbs,” to which someone challenged: “And still wrong.” The individual sarcastically corrected himself and said, “Okay, it's 26 thumbs. My mistake.'
139 people gave a variety of conflicting answers insisting their guess was correct, while others lost count and gave up completely
Which animal do you see first in this optical illusion? Most people say they see one of two animals, but others claim to see as many as four
Which animal do you see in the image above? Most people say they see one of two animals, but others claim to see up to four.
From conflicting messages about which animal is depicted to images that look three-dimensional and others that look like they're moving, these types of brainteasers have been around for decades.
An optical illusion exists because the brain is known to receive information and try to fill in the gaps where it thinks information is incomplete. As a result, this can sometimes create an image that is not entirely accurate.
Neuroscientist Patrick Cavanagh, a research professor at Dartmouth College, told Vox: 'It's very important to understand that we don't see reality. We see a story being created for us.”
Click here to find out what you'll see first in more other mind-bending images designed to make you think twice.