Mind-Bending Mirror Puzzle: Experience the Impossible in Bali

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around a puzzling visual phenomenon experienced in a hotel in Bali, where reflections and shadows create an intriguing effect involving a statue and a mirror. Participants explore the mechanics behind this optical illusion, questioning its relation to physics concepts such as relativity.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes an experience where their shadow appeared to shake hands with another shadow created by a reflection in a mirror.
  • Another participant requests a schematic design of the room to better understand the spatial relationships between the light, mirror, statue, wall, and observer.
  • Several participants express skepticism about the relevance of relativity to the phenomenon, questioning the speed of the observer and suggesting it may not pertain to relativistic effects.
  • One participant asserts that the effect is interesting but should be categorized under General Physics rather than relativity, indicating a belief that it is a simpler problem.
  • A quote attributed to Einstein is mentioned, suggesting a distinction between direct and reflected images, although its relevance to the discussion is not clarified.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally disagree on the relevance of relativity to the phenomenon, with some insisting it is unrelated while others jokingly connect it to relativistic concepts. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the classification of the effect within physics.

Contextual Notes

The discussion lacks a detailed schematic or clear definitions of the spatial arrangement, which may limit understanding of the optical effect described. There are also unresolved assumptions about the nature of the shadows and reflections involved.

PatrickPowers
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This actually happened to me in a hotel in Bali.

It was night time and a light from the street was reflecting off of the mirror onto the wall. In front of the mirror was a statue of a goddess. Projected onto the wall were two separate shadows of the goddess, rotated with respect to one another about 90 degrees.

I went to the mirror, stuck my arm into the light, and was able to have my two shadow arms appear to shake hands.

How can this be?
 
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Hi,

Would you please provide me with a schematic design of all items in the room that you have seen,which shows the position of the things( light,mirror,statue,wall and yourself) to each other?
 
I can't imagine how this has anything to do with relativity! Exactly how fast were you going at the time?
 
HallsofIvy said:
I can't imagine how this has anything to do with relativity! Exactly how fast were you going at the time?

I am sure his speed was 0 c! NOW its a relativity problem
 
HallsofIvy said:
I can't imagine how this has anything to do with relativity! Exactly how fast were you going at the time?


Sorry. It has nothing to do with relativity. It should be in General Physics.

It's not a hard problem, but it is a very cool effect. I don't know why it isn't better known.
 
As Einstein said, "One image is direct, the other is from the light refledted off the mirror."
 

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