The Science Behind Mirrors: Portals to Another World

TLDRMirrors don't actually flip left and right or up and down, but they flip depth. They reflect light based on the principle of specular reflection, making them feel like windows into another world. When words are flipped in mirrors, it's because we flip them, not the mirrors. Mirrors rely on us to do the flipping for them.

Key insights

🪞Mirrors flip depth, not left and right or up and down.

Mirrors reflect light according to the principle of specular reflection.

🔀Words are usually flipped in mirrors because we flip them.

🌍Mirrors can make us feel like we're looking into another world.

🌀Multiple mirrors can cause objects to appear flipped in different directions.

Q&A

Do mirrors flip left and right?

No, mirrors do not actually flip left and right. They flip depth, making objects appear closer or farther away.

Why do words appear flipped in mirrors?

Words appear flipped in mirrors because we usually write them on objects that need to be turned around to face the mirror. Mirrors reflect things as they are, and it's our positioning that causes the flipping effect.

Can mirrors flip up and down?

No, mirrors do not actually flip up and down. They only flip depth, causing objects to appear closer or farther away.

Why do mirrors feel like windows into another world?

Mirrors feel like windows into another world because the way they reflect light is similar to how light would behave in a parallel universe.

What happens when multiple mirrors are used?

When multiple mirrors are used, objects can appear flipped in different directions depending on the orientation and arrangement of the mirrors.

Timestamped Summary

00:01Mirrors turn walls into portals to another world.

00:17Mirrors don't flip left and right or up and down, but they flip depth.

00:42Mirrors reflect light according to the principle of specular reflection.

01:08Mirrors feel like windows into another world because they reflect light in the same way as it would behave in a parallel universe.

01:51Words appear flipped in mirrors because we usually write them on objects that need to be turned around to face the mirror.