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YOU might be a genius with a high IQ if you can solve this optical illusion that has baffled the minds of many.
Only those with sharp eyes and incredible observational skills can spot the prowling shark in 11 seconds.
And you must bring out your A-game to crack this challenge otherwise it will leave you pulling your hair out as you race against the clock.
The incredible picture was captured by a research team at Atlantic White Shark Conservancy (AWSC).
Snapped off the coast of Cape God, Massachusetts, the picture shows hundreds of stripped sea bass swimming in the green water.
But a deadly shark is lurking around - can you spot the hidden beast?
It is indeed one of the toughest brainteasers ever created
But with the sharpest eyes and the strongest minds, you stand a great chance of succeeding.
Although it may seem like an ordinary image, this is no easy feat, and the average person gives up after a minute.
If you don't give it your best, you're likely to follow them down the same path of failure.
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But you can try your luck and see if you can crack the challenge and beat these people.
And you have just 11 seconds to solve it and become a winner.
So buckle up, set the timer, and test your puzzle-solving skills.
You are more likely to make mistakes if you try to rush it, so check every square inch of the image.
If you'd like help, try breaking the image into several sections.
Then, search each section slowly, one at a time, from left to right.
But did you know that solving optical illusions is a great way of training your brain and improving creative thinking?
Brainteasers are purposefully designed to trick our vision and can be used as simple determiners of intelligence.
How can optical illusions and brainteasers help me?
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ENGAGING in activities like solving optical illusions and brainteasers can have many cognitive benefits as it can stimulate various brain regions.
Optical illusions make a little bit more sense when you learn that our eyes have very little to do with what we see and it is our brains that play the key role in creating images and trying to protect us from the potential threats around us.
Our brain is constantly trying to make sense of the world at the quickest pace it can despite the world being in 3D and the images on our retinas being in 2D.
It can be really difficult for your brain to interpret everything at once so it will often take shortcuts and give you a simplified version of what you see so you can have quicker reaction times if the object you’re looking at looks dangerous.
When you look at an object what you’re really seeing is the light that bounced off of it and entered your eye, which is converted into electrical impulses that your brain then turns into an image.
Our brains can warp straight lines if an object in the middle of them looks like it’s drawing closer as it wants to emphasize the potential threat.
Different colours and light and dark can make the same-sized objects look different or make patterned images look like they’re spinning.
Some benefits include:
- Cognitive stimulation: These activities challenge the brain, promoting mental agility and flexibility.
- Problem-solving skills: Regular practice enhances analytical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
- Memory improvement: These challenges often require memory recall and can contribute to better memory function.
- Creativity: They encourage thinking outside the box, fostering creativity and innovative thought processes.
- Focus and attention: Working on optical illusions and brainteasers requires concentration, contributing to improved focus.
- Stress relief: The enjoyable nature of these puzzles can act as a form of relaxation and stress relief.
So you might want to try The Sun's wide range of optical illusions created to stimulate the deepest parts of your brain.
The answer to our original puzzle is coming up, as well as some more challenging tasks to try.
In this mind-bending image, everyone can count the ducks but if you can find the hidden needle among the reeds in less than seven seconds you may have 20/20 vision.
Another tricky brainteaser features a gnarled tree but only those with high IQ can spot a sleepy cat hiding on it.
If that's still not hard enough for you, then have a go at spotting the hidden broom amongst the clothes in less than five seconds.
Or you can have a go at figuring out the hidden message in this band’s cover art that has confused fans for years.
Lastly, puzzle fanatics have been left scratching their heads trying to find the lost feather in just 12 seconds.
Coming back to our challenge - were you able to solve the mind-bending optical illusion?
If you are still scratching your head trying to figure out the confusing picture, we've marked the solution for you - scroll down to find it.
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Congratulations to those who solved the puzzle in under a minute.
But if you manage to solve it in just 11 seconds, you are a genius with a perfect 20/20 vision.