Awesome Mirrors

This isn’t a computer-generated image you’re looking at; it’s a 3D-printed object. Martin Etzl generated this intricate model and placed it inside of a cube with one-way mirrors, resulting in the illusion of an infinite room out of a science-fiction universe. The fractal shapes were produced entirely using mathematical equations.

Cat people, put on your boogie shoes and get down tonight with this handmade disco ball sculpture shaped like a kitty. Handmade by DiscoHeads, the sparkly silver cat is covered with hundreds of hand-glued mirror tiles, turning any room into a feline Studio 54. Get out the laser pointers – this disco kitty is ready to party.

If you’ve followed The Awesomer for a while, you know that we appreciate people with unusual talents. Christina Julian is a lip sync master. But what makes her performances extra special is how she uses her bathroom mirror to turn her one face into three to level up her performances. So let’s get down with the sickness to start, whatcha say?

We’ve seen how they make disco balls in the last American mirror ball factory; now see how they do it in Japan. Nissho Co., Ltd. makes shiny spheres by bending sheet metal into domes, screwing them together, hand-cutting and gluing hundred of round mirror tiles then filling the gaps with grout. Note that the tiles are different sizes depending on their placement.

AMCLUBShop proves anything can be a disco ball if you cover it with enough mirrored tiles. Among the many sparkly things in their Etsy shop is this ridiculously awesome disco ball in the shape of a shark. The 22″ long fish is the perfect excuse to have a dance party during Shark Week, and a great piece of decor for marine biologists and choreographers alike.

When you apply a curve to a mirror, it distorts the image it reflects. In these two videos, Dr. Boyd F. Edwards shows some of the strange visual effects that happen when an object is placed in front of a large concave mirror. Objects can appear upright, inverted, magnified, or minified depending on their distance relative to the mirror’s focal point.

The makers of the HyperCube infinity light are back with two new conversation pieces. The app-controlled HyperHedra and HyperPyramid are triangular mirrored structures illuminated with hundreds of colorful LEDs inside. Thanks to their angled frames, the 11″ tetrahedron and 15″ pyramid produce even more kaleidoscopic patterns than the cubes.

AshelArt makes unique round coffee tables with a built-in light show. Underneath its glass top are two circles of RGB LEDs and a mirror creating the illusion of depth. There are numerous animations to choose from which can sync with music. The base and frame are made from wood and come in 20″ and 25″ sizes.

Ideal Idea set out to build a unique terrarium inspired by infinity cubes. By upping the complexity to a 20-sided shape, he provided enough space for the plants to thrive. He cut the sides from acrylic and 3D printed the structure, which is held together with cord. The infinite illusion was created using reflective film and LED lights.

Geek out as a team of scientists remove the old coating and apply a new one to the mirror from the Air Force Research Lab’s huge Advanced Electro-Optical System telescope. The process must be performed from time to time to ensure the telescope remains functional in its job of tracking low-earth satellites and ballistic missiles.

Placing a one-way mirror in front of a regular mirror can create an infinite reflection illusion. It’s typically used to make glitzy disco-style lighting, but in this video from Wiz’s Woodwork, he shows us how to use the effect to make it look like his coffee table leads down a very long mine shaft.

Artist Leandro Erlich is known for large-scale installations incorporating optical illusions. This simple yet effective illusion combines an image of a building with mirrors at a 45º angle, turning visitors on the floor into wall-climbing Spider-People. It’s on display at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston through 9.15.22.

Military vehicle camouflage typically relies on paint or netting, but that limits safe movement. French defense company Nexter is testing an adaptive camouflage system that uses moving mirrors to reflect and blend into its surroundings. We’re not sure how well it works when viewed from different angles though.

Bring a colorful splash of light into any space with this trippy tabletop lamp. It uses a combination of reflective acrylic, dichroic filters, and an LED light source to create the illusion of multiple cubes inside. Measures 8.6″ L x 8.6″ W x 9.4″ H.

Matt Pritchard’s trick chess set took home first prize in the 2021 Best Illusion of the Year Contest. Using a mirror and an anamorphic camouflage shield, the moving white queen only appears in the mirrored image. Gizmodo compiled more of the year’s best illusions here.

Artist David Hughes created this incredible light-up showpiece using bespoke 2-way glass mirrors to produce an endless array of patterns. Its custom circuit boards power 960 colorful LEDs, which come to life to produce its hypnotic designs. It’s built with a sturdy, anodized aluminum frame and is limited to 500 pieces.