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Internet left in awe of ‘Shrinking Mill' optical illusion found in Canada
Internet left in awe of ‘Shrinking Mill' optical illusion found in Canada

Mint

time3 days ago

  • General
  • Mint

Internet left in awe of ‘Shrinking Mill' optical illusion found in Canada

A former grain terminal in Ontario, Canada, looks massive at first glance when you see it from over the trees and rooftops from a distance. But, beating the logic, it appears to shrink when you go near it. Yes, did that leave you confused? If yes, then welcome to Port Colborne, Ontario in Canada, which houses the former grain terminal, which is now being referred to as the 'Incredible Shrinking Mill.' An optical illusion has made this abandoned grain terminal go viral, leaving netizens wondering about the reason behind it. From tourists, internet users, to locals and passersby, everyone is equally stunned by the phenomenon. Videos and photos are being taken by people who have arrived from faraway places on Lakeshore Road, near Gravelly Bay and Sugarloaf Marina, to capture the eerie change in action. Several internet users have shared the shrinking mill video on social media. What appears to be a threatening structure soon appears to get smaller in size as you get closer to it every second. Things become dire when it looks like the former grainy terminal has vanished into the background. The reason behind this is a smart visual puzzle called the Ponzo illusion, which was first put forward by an Italian psychologist, Mario Ponzo. The human brain usually understands the objects between converging lines (naturally formed by trees, roads, and house edges) to be larger or smaller than they really are. In case of the 'Shrinking Mill', when the car goes towards it, the lines make the brain interpret into thinking the building is shrinking. Former mayor, Vance Badawey, has revealed that this Ponzo illusion has left several people in awe of the phenomenon. Sharing what actually happens to The Welland Tribune, he said, 'They slow almost to a stop to look at it, and then, nine times out of 10, you see them drive by again a few minutes later.' The former grain mill in Ontario, at the centre of this discussion, has been serving the Great Lakes region for more than 125 years until it was left empty towards the end of last year. But the unexpected effect has brought it under the spotlight, where locals have been rushing to take a look at it. Taking an interest in the same, several locals have been approached to share their ideas on how they can use the place in the future. 'Shrinking Mill' appears to move farther away and become smaller in size as you drive closer to it, which creates an optical illusion. This happens due to the Ponzo illusion. The outside borders of a road or a railway that appear to converge at a far distance are an example of an optical illusion in real life. The Airavatesvara Temple, which was probably constructed in the late 12th century, is believed to be the world's oldest optical illusion.

Glitch in the Matrix? The ‘shrinking mill' optical illusion that's baffled the Internet
Glitch in the Matrix? The ‘shrinking mill' optical illusion that's baffled the Internet

The Independent

time4 days ago

  • The Independent

Glitch in the Matrix? The ‘shrinking mill' optical illusion that's baffled the Internet

A mind-boggling optical illusion has turned an abandoned mill in Canada into an unlikely Internet sensation and a local tourism attraction that 'leaves people in awe'. The structure by Gravelly Bay in Port Colborne, Ontario, has found fame because it appears to get smaller, the closer you get to it. It's been dubbed the 'Incredible Shrinking Mill' by the city's tourism board and recent point-of-view social media videos of the effect, shot from passing cars on Lakeshore Road, have gone viral. One such video shows the mill, near Sugarloaf Marina, looming large in the distance as the clip begins. The car moves slowly towards the marina along Lakeshore Road, lined with houses and trees, with the mill filling the gap between the trees. However, the closer the car gets, the smaller the mill appears. As the filmmaker arrives at the shore of the bay, where the road bends to the left, it shrinks still further until it recedes into the distance. One social media user described it as a 'glitch in the Matrix' and former Port Colborne Mayor Vance Badawey told The Welland Tribune that 'when people see it, they're just in awe'. He added: 'They slow almost to a stop to look at it, and then, nine times out of 10, you see them drive by again a few minutes later.' What's causing the mill to 'shrink' is an effect called the Ponzo illusion, named after Italian psychologist Mario Ponzo. He found that the brain can be fooled into thinking that two lines of identical size appear smaller and larger when placed one above the other in between converging lines on either side. Ponzo discovered that the line at the apex of the converging lines will appear larger than the line below it. In Port Colborne, the trees and houses act as those converging lines. A similar illusion was discovered by German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus, who found that two circles identical in size appear to be smaller and larger depending on the size of the circles surrounding them. The Port Colborne grain terminal served the Great Lakes region for 125 years but has been vacant since the end of 2024. Locals have been invited to suggest potential future uses for it.

Canada election 2025: Niagara South
Canada election 2025: Niagara South

Global News

time24-04-2025

  • Politics
  • Global News

Canada election 2025: Niagara South

See more sharing options Send this page to someone via email Share this item on Twitter Share this item via WhatsApp Share this item on Facebook Niagara South is a federal riding located in Ontario. This new riding is made up of parts of the ridings previously known as Niagara Falls and Niagara Centre. Voters will decide who will represent Niagara South in Ontario during the upcoming Canadian election on April 28, 2025. Visit this page on election night for a complete breakdown of up to the minute results. Candidates Liberal: Vance Badawey (Incumbent) Conservative: Fred Davies NDP: Chantal McCollum Green: Natashia Bergen People's Party: Peter Taras CHP Canada: David Vedova

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