The Parthenon’s architectural illusions are a myth

Written and edited by the WorldPing NewsdeskPublished Tue, 15 Sep 2026 23:01:00 UTCUpdated Tue, 15 Sep 2026 23:01:00 UTCOriginal reporting: New Scientist

What happened

Optical illusions thought to have influenced the design of the Parthenon in ancient Greece are not backed up by evidence or are too small to have an effect…

Key facts

Reported by New Scientist and published Tue, 15 Sep 2026 23:01:00 UTC.

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The original report was published by New Scientist. WorldPing does not claim that reporting — this page summarises and contextualises it.

Read the full report at New Scientist

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UK mathematician debunks myth around Parthenon’s optical illusions

Study challenges belief that temple’s curves were designed to correct optical illusions that would have ruined its clean lines A mathematician has uncovered what may be one of the longest-running myths in history after studying optical illusions and…

Brief by WorldPing · Original reporting by The Guardian