Why Do You Zebra Cross the Road?

Imagine looking at a zebra through a window that is shaking. When the zebra stands still, you see clear black and white stripes. But when it starts to run, those stripes look like they are blurring together into one big gray blob!

This trick helps zebras hide from lions. Lions have trouble seeing exactly where a moving zebra is because the stripes move so fast against each other. The lion cannot judge the speed or direction correctly. This confusion gives the zebra just enough time to dart away to safety.

We use this same trick on roads! You see zebra crossings with thick white lines across the street. Cars seem to slow down because the stripes look like they are rushing forward, telling the driver to stop. It is a clever visual game that works for both animals and humans.