The Mystery of ‘The Phantom Wiggle’ With Car Lights

Peter Veto, a German psychophysicist with an interest in traffic, is a finalist in the Illusion of the Year Contest 2021 with his analysis of “The Phantom Wiggle”, a visual anomaly that makes it look like the lights on a car are moving separately from the car itself.

A flickering light source may sometimes appear dancing/wiggling when fixated. This is commonly observed in traffic scenarios.

Lori Dorn
Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.