ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Penrose triangle

So, you know what a triangle is, right? It's a shape with three sides.

Now, imagine if we drew a picture that showed a triangle that looked like it had three corners (called vertices) but was actually impossible to make in real life. That is called a Penrose triangle.

It tricks your eyes because it looks like a normal 3D object from some angles, even though it doesn't really exist in the way that you'd expect. Imagine trying to make a toy out of a Penrose triangle - you couldn't because the angles and lines don't add up properly.

It's kind of like a puzzle - you have to use your imagination to figure out how it could be drawn, and it challenges your brain to think in new ways. It's a really cool thing to look at and play with!
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