你看到爱因斯坦还是梦露？

　　As this image gets larger, what do you see?

　　随着这张图片越放越大，你看到了谁？

     

　　Most people will pick out a phantom-like picture of Albert Einstein. But if you see a Hollywood pin-up, you may need a trip to the opticians.

　　大多数人看到的是阿尔伯特·爱因斯坦的一张诡异照片。如果你看到的是好莱坞女明星，也许你就得去一趟眼镜店了。

　　At normal viewing distance, healthy eyes should be able to pick up the fine lines on Einstein's face, causing the brain to disregard Marilyn Monroe's image altogether.

　　在正常的观察距离下，健康的眼睛能够捕捉到爱因斯坦脸上的线条，这让大脑可以完全忽略玛丽莲·梦露的图像。

　　This classic optical illusion was created several years ago by neuroscientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

　　这一视错觉经典图像是麻省理工学院神经系统科学家们几年前制作的。

　　你看到爱因斯坦还是梦露？

　　In a recent video, Asap Science highlighted the process behind the trick, which can also be seen in a still image by anyone if they move closer and then farther away from the screen.

　　在最近的视频中，YouTube科普大神Asap Science揭露了这个视错觉背后的操作过程，只要观察者调整自己与屏幕的距离，那么每个人都能从一幅静态图片中观察到图片的变化。

　　‘Depending on how well you're able to focus or pick up contrast, your eye will only pick out details,’ the video explains. 视频中这样解释道：“这都取决于你的聚焦能力和识别对比度的能力，你的眼睛只会关注细节。”

　　‘Up close, we're generally able to pick up fine details like Einstein's moustache and wrinkles.

　　“近距离观察时，我们大都能够观察到图片上的细节，比如爱因斯坦脸上的小胡子和皱纹。

　　‘But as the distance increases, or if your vision is poor and creates a more blurred¹ image in the first place, your ability to pick up details fades away.

　　“但当观察距离被拉长，或是视力问题让你看到的图像变得模糊时，你观察事物细节的能力就会逐渐消失。

　　‘Instead you only see general features, like the shape of mouth, nose and hair, and are left seeing Marilyn Monroe. ‘

　　“这时，我们只能看到大致的容貌特征，比如嘴型、鼻子和发型，因此，我们最终会看到是玛丽莲·梦露的画像。”

　　The MIT team, led by Dr Aude Oliva, has spent over a decade creating hybrid² optical illusions that show how images can be hidden with textures³, words and other objects.

　　由奥德·奥利瓦博士领衔的麻省理工团队经过十年的努力，最终制作出了这些混合视错觉图像，向我们展示了图像是怎样被纹理、文字和其他图案隐藏起来的。

　　'Marilyn Einstein' was created by superimposing a blurry⁴ picture of Marilyn Monroe over a picture of Albert Einstein drawn⁵ in fine lines.

　　这张“玛丽莲·爱因斯坦”混合图像由梦露的模糊照片叠加在爱因斯坦的细线素描上组成。

　　Features with a high spatial⁶ frequency are only visible when viewing them close up, and those with low spatial frequencies are only visible at a distance.

　　高空间频率的容貌特征只有在近距离的情况下才能看出，而那些低空间频率的图像特征只能在远距离的情况下可见。

　　Combining pictures of the two produces a single image which changes when the viewer moves closer or farther away from the screen.

　　当我们把这两种图像叠加在一起时，观察者可以通过调整自己与屏幕的距离，而看到不同的图像。

　　Dr Oliva's group say these images not only reveal vision problems, but can also highlight how the brain processes information.

　　奥利瓦博士的团队称，这类图片不仅能暴露视力问题，还显示了我们的大脑是如何处理信息的。

　　In one study, participants were shown hybrid images for just of 30 milliseconds, and only recognised the low spatial resolution, or blurry, component⁷ of the image.

　　在一项研究中，当参与者只有30毫秒观察混合图像时，他们只能看到低空间分辨率的，或是模糊的局部图像内容。

　　But when the images were shown for 150 milliseconds, they only recognised the image that was produced in fine detail, or in high spatial resolution.

　　但当图片显示150毫秒时，他们只能分辨出用细线画出的图像，或是高空间分辨率的图像。

　　In a separate test, they were shown sad faces in high spatial resolution and angry faces in low spatial resolution. They superimposed pictures used both male and female faces.

　　在另一项测试中，研究人员们向他们展示了一张高空间分辨率的悲伤面容，和一张低空间分辨率的愤怒面容。这些图像通过叠加男性和女性的面容制作而成。

　　When displayed for 50 milliseconds, participants always saw an angry face, but were unable to pinpoint⁸ the sex of the person pictured.

　　当图片只显示50毫秒时，参与者看到都是一张带有愤怒表情的图像，但却不能精准地描述出图中人物的性别。

　　Dr Oliva says this shows that our brains discriminate⁹ between picking out fine detail in some situations, and broader detail in others.

　　奥利瓦博士表示，这证明在特定情况下，我们大脑能够区分图片中细小的细节和更为广泛的细节。

　　The brain's processing of fine details happens slightly later than processing other features, according to the research.

　　研究表明，大脑处理细节信息的过程要比处理其他样貌特征的过程略微缓慢些。

　　The teams believe hybrid images such as this may prove useful to advertisers who want to change how their logos appear at different distances.

　　研究团队认为，如果广告商想让商标在不同观察距离下呈现出不同的影像，类似这样的混合图像会很有利用价值。

　　It could also be used to mask text on devices so only someone viewing close up can read it. 同时，我们还可以用这种技术来掩饰仪器上的文本信息，只有当人们近距离查看时才能看到其中的内容。

　　Vocabulary

　　pin-up: 女明星

　　optical illusion: 视错觉

　　superimpose: 使（图像）叠加

1 blurred   

v.（使）变模糊( blur的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）难以区分；模模糊糊；迷离

参考例句：

• She suffered from dizziness and blurred vision. 她饱受头晕目眩之苦。
• Their lazy, blurred voices fell pleasantly on his ears. 他们那种慢吞吞、含糊不清的声音在他听起来却很悦耳。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 hybrid   

n.(动，植）杂种，混合物

参考例句：

• That is a hybrid perpetual rose.那是一株杂交的四季开花的蔷薇。
• The hybrid was tall,handsome,and intelligent.那混血儿高大、英俊、又聪明。

3 textures   

n.手感( texture的名词复数 )；质感；口感；（音乐或文学的）谐和统一感

参考例句：

• I'm crazy about fabrics textures and colors and designs. 我喜欢各式各样的纺织物--对它的质地，色彩到花纹图案--简直是入了迷。 来自辞典例句
• Let me clear up the point about the textures. 让我明确了一点有关的纹理。 来自互联网

4 blurry   

adj.模糊的；污脏的，污斑的

参考例句：

• My blurry vision makes it hard to drive. 我的视力有点模糊，使得开起车来相当吃力。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The lines are pretty blurry at this point. 界线在这个时候是很模糊的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

6 spatial   

adj.空间的，占据空间的

参考例句：

• This part of brain judges the spatial relationship between objects.大脑的这部分判断物体间的空间关系。
• They said that time is the feeling of spatial displacement.他们说时间是空间位移的感觉。

7 component   

n.组成部分，成分，元件；adj.组成的，合成的

参考例句：

• Each component is carefully checked before assembly.每个零件在装配前都经过仔细检查。
• Blade and handle are the component parts of a knife.刀身和刀柄是一把刀的组成部分。

8 pinpoint   

vt.准确地确定；用针标出…的精确位置

参考例句：

• It is difficult to pinpoint when water problems of the modern age began.很难准确地指出，现代用水的问题是什么时候出现的。
• I could pinpoint his precise location on a map.我能在地图上指明他的准确位置。

9 discriminate   

v.区别，辨别，区分；有区别地对待

参考例句：

• You must learn to discriminate between facts and opinions.你必须学会把事实和看法区分出来。
• They can discriminate hundreds of colours.他们能分辨上百种颜色。