The Checker Shadow Illusion

The Checker Shadow Illusion demonstrates how our brain perceives colors and brightness based on context. Two identical squares, labeled A and B, appear different in shade because of the surrounding environment and the presence of a shadow cast by an object. Our visual system interprets the shadow as making the darker square (A) look lighter than it actually is, while the lighter square (B) appears darker. In reality, both squares are the same shade of gray, but our brain adjusts for lighting cues, illustrating how perception is influenced by context rather than just the raw visual data.