Mermaid, Fish Or Donkey: See The Optical Illusion That Stumped JK Rowling

An optical illusion that has gone viral online claims to reveal whether a person is left-brained or right-brained depending upon what they see. "If you're right-brained, you'll see a fish. If you're left-brained, you'll see a mermaid," read the caption for the illustration. 

Thousands of people, including celebrities, weighed in on the illusion after it surfaced on Twitter. Many, however, were of the opinion that the illustration resembled neither a fish nor a mermaid, but looked rather like a donkey. 

"It's a donkey, though," wrote author JK Rowling while posting the image on Twitter, where her post has received over 1.3 lakh 'likes'.

It's a donkey, though. pic.twitter.com/a60ccFCQ2G

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) March 19, 2022

English comedian and author David Baddiel also saw a donkey in the image

I see a badly-tied bin liner. pic.twitter.com/1T7XpUTThx

— David Baddiel (@Baddiel) March 19, 2022

But presenter Jonathon Ross was convinced the illustration depicted a plump seal

It's a plump seal lying in its back. YOU'RE a donkey.

— Jonathan Ross (@wossy) March 19, 2022

Actress Amanda Abbington also agreed that it looked a bit like a seal

It's a seal. pic.twitter.com/OReES5yl2J

— Amanda Abbington (@CHIMPSINSOCKS) March 19, 2022

While the illustration has gone viral online with claims that it will reveal which side of the brain is more dominant, there is nothing to suggest that it true. 

The human brain is divided into two hemispheres - left and right. It is commonly believed that people who are 'left-brained' excel in logical and analytical thinking, while right-brained people are more creative. This idea has been believed for decades, but according to Harvard Health, new evidence suggests that left vs right brain is nothing more than a myth.