The Dress Part 2: Does the cat go up or down?

At the end of February, a controversy took over the Internet: what was the color of the dress? Some saw blue and black, others white and gold. Now, a new illusion is making netizens argue incessantly. After all, Is the cat going up or down the stairs?

The Dilemma

The image was first seen on the humor site 9GAG, replicated by Daily Mail and other news sites, and is spreading across the internet. The black and white photo shows a pussy on a staircase, with a light in the background. Depending on how the gaze adjusts to the perspective, the animal can go in either direction – up if the lighting comes from the ceiling, or down if it comes from the ground floor. It is like Architecture's Schrödinger's Cat.

the arguments

There are several explanations on each side.

Those who see the cat coming down they say the glow comes from a lamp in the ceiling, above and behind the cat, and that the edge of the step would only be visible in a frontal view. Another point is the texture seen on the step, which would indicate a vertical part.

who defends the ascending feline says that you need to see the light from a different angle, and that a wooden edge for the steps could create the effect of the photo. Not only that, but a fabric or mosaic makes for a textured look.

Why?

There is also no consensus on how the illusion happens. But there is another case of a staircase with an optical anomaly: the penrose ladder. If you watched the movie "The origin" remember the scene where  Ariadne, played by actress Ellen Paige, learns to create a impossible architecture, continuously rising and falling. This kind of illusion occurs because a two-dimensional figure is subconsciously interpreted by the eye as a three-dimensional object. It's all about perspective and the use of shadows.

The answer(?)

It is difficult to find any unquestionable argument. But one that isn’t based on the ladder itself seems like an interesting answer – and it’s gaining supporters in the race. taking the answer from biology. Some commentators have pointed out that, in the photo, the cat's tail points upwards, which is done for balance. When climbing a ladder, animals keep their tails down.

Sources: Page Not Found, Business Insider, Daily Mail.

So, what do you see? Does the cat go up or down? Leave your comment below and let the discussion begin!