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Impossible objects

Explore impossible objects and figures: Penrose triangle, endless stairs, impossible cubes and more. Trace the geometry and discover how the drawings work. Convincing parts that cannot fit together.

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The collection

Andrus’s nuts and bolts — An arrangement of real nuts and bolts looks impossible from its chosen view.

Andrus’s nuts and bolts

Jerry Andrus; photograph by Sgerbic

An arrangement of real nuts and bolts looks impossible from its chosen view.

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Impossible octagon — Eight sides make a deceptively convincing impossible loop.

Impossible octagon

Trilink at English Wikipedia

Eight sides make a deceptively convincing impossible loop.

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Reutersvärd’s triangle — A triangle of blocks recalls Reutersvärd’s pioneering impossible figure.

Reutersvärd’s triangle

Oscar Reutersvärd; modern drawing by László Németh

A triangle of blocks recalls Reutersvärd’s pioneering impossible figure.

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Impossible chair — A digitally altered chair gives its supports contradictory connections.

Impossible chair

TipFox

A digitally altered chair gives its supports contradictory connections.

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Impossible frame — A rectangular frame joins plausible corners into a contradictory whole.

Impossible frame

Nevit Dilmen

A rectangular frame joins plausible corners into a contradictory whole.

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Impossible wooden cube — A real wooden construction looks like an impossible cube from one view.

Impossible wooden cube

Wmccallie

A real wooden construction looks like an impossible cube from one view.

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Impossible Valknut — Three interwoven triangles hide several impossible connections.

Impossible Valknut

AnonMoos

Three interwoven triangles hide several impossible connections.

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Penrose torus — A ring-like solid cannot keep its surfaces consistent.

Penrose torus

English

A ring-like solid cannot keep its surfaces consistent.

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Impossible cube — A familiar cube frame acquires an impossible set of overlaps.

Impossible cube

M. C. Escher; modern redraw by 4C and Belbury

A familiar cube frame acquires an impossible set of overlaps.

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Frequently asked questions

What is an impossible object?

An impossible object is a drawing whose parts suggest familiar three-dimensional shapes but cannot all connect as they appear to. The contradiction becomes clearer when you trace the whole structure.

Can a Penrose triangle be built?

It cannot exist as the ordinary solid the drawing suggests. A specially arranged model can create the appearance from one viewpoint, but its actual structure differs from the pictured object.

How do the Penrose stairs work?

The drawing joins plausible stair segments into an apparent loop that continually rises or falls. In ordinary space, a closed circuit cannot gain height at every step and return to its starting level.

Enlarged image from the selected gallery entry