We all like to consider ourselves pretty good at optical illusions. However, the one below that’s currently trending is throwing many people for a loop. After a few minutes of turning the screen sideways, squinting, and covering up portions of the picture, you might finally get it.

It really is one of those things that once you see it, you can’t get it out of your head, and then you proceed to wonder how you never saw it in the first place. (To avoid spoilers, we will share the answer at the end of the article, under the photo, so you may want to stare at it a bit before you scroll down).

Optional illusions are so popular (remember the blue/gold dress?) because it can be fun to think about why our brains can’t process something that’s so obvious.

According to Inside Science, optical illusions work because your brain likes to cheat when it comes to visuals. When you look at something, what you actually see is the light is bouncing off of it. That light changes to electrical currents which your brain converts into an image in an instant. Sometimes your brain will take some shortcuts in order to speed up the process.

The shades of color and textures in many optical illusions look similar enough that your brain sort of pushes everything together.

Try covering the top third of the picture and the bottom third Are you able to see it now?

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=487920951403818&set=a.107882866074297&type=3

If you are still having a hard time seeing the illusion in question: it’s a cigar, sticking outwards.

How long did it take you to find the solution this optical illusion?