Over the last couple of days, the world has been in a frenzy over a picture of a dress whose colours are subject to different perceptions. Beginning as just an ordinary picture of a dress, it went viral when people began to see the colours of the dress differently, sparking a heated debate on social media about the true colours of the dress. Many people argue that it is black and blue, others claiming it is white and gold, and some say the dress changes colours at second glance. People intent on proving their friends wrong have resorted to Microsoft Paint, online catalogues, and photo editing apps to get to the bottom of it all, but the answer is still unclear.

The dress has garnered so much attention that even scientists and doctors have joined the conversation and are attempting to solve this international mystery. Neuroscientists, optometrists, and other ‘ists’ have differing theories as to why the colours are perceived differently, such as wavelengths in relation to one’s retinas, altering patterns in human evolution, how your brain works together with your visual system, and so on. Hopefully, the video above will answer a few of your lingering questions.