Duck or rabbit? Joseph Jastrow’s illusion has been foxing philosophers, psychologists and Elmer Fudd ever since it was created in 1899.
Now the puzzler has made its way into the food world, courtesy of Oxford University and ‘gastrophysicists’ Kitchen Theory. They have created the ‘Jastrow Bistable Bite’ - a rabbit-duck combo. It’s served on a plate featuring a version of the illusion, painted on in orange sauce.
The boffins reckon this could alter diners’ taste perceptions, and even be used to get them to choose more sustainable meats (like rabbit, for example). Not only are we more likely to taste what we think we see, apparently when our brains decode the illusion the resultant rush of pleasure makes whatever we’re eating taste better.
Makes sense! Look out for a resurgence of Magic Eye pictures at a restaurant - on a tablecloth, perhaps - near you soon.
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