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Penrose steps: how it is done
1. Penrose steps: how it is done
The Penrose never-ending steps illusion, also called the stairs illusion, cannot exist in reality as depicted.
These steps were made famous by
M. C. Escher (graphic artist) as elaborations on the theme. Steps, rivers, etc., do not go/flow uphill.
How is the Penrose steps illusion created?
2. Historical note
The steps illusion was created by Oscar Reutersvärd in 1937 and independently discovered and made popular by Lionel Penrose, the father of
Roger Penrose (mathematical physicist) .
3. Grid
Start with a grid. In this case, a 6 by 6 grid with corner cells shown for perspective.
4. Steps
Now add steps around the edge cells of the grid, starting it the front bottom and increasing going counter-clockwise around and back to the front bottom.
5. Remove steps
Now remove some of the lower steps not needed for the illusion. Steps are now added to complete the illusion.
6. Add illusion steps
Now add some illusion steps, shown in blue.
7. Last step
Now replace the rightmost step with one with a height that matches.
8. Remove the base
Finally, remove the base where it should not be and the grid lines to make the illusion more convincing.
Note that the illusion requires that the sides on the right (or left) have fewer steps than the sides on the left (or right).
That is one way to create the Penrose steps illusion.
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