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Offer void where prohibited by stupidity

To visualize depth from a flat picture requires each eye to see from a slightly different view.

How do the eyes tell when things are closer or farther away?

Try this simple experiment:

Hold your hand about six inches from your face. Keep it still and close one eye. Now open the other eye. Switch from one eye to the other. Notice what happens to the background. Notice that some things are completely covered when viewed from one eye, but are totally visible when viewed from the other.

Confused yet?

You soon will be.

When you view objects using either glasses with red and blue lenses or instruments like ViewMasters and Stereoscopes, your eyes are given filtered information. Each eye has the proper perspective that is achieved in nature. 3D images are like actually standing in the spot where the photograph was taken since each eye is given the proper information to see depth.

Just as in the experiment, object close don't change their placement from one image to another, but background objects change drastically. In viewing properly rendered 3D images your eyes are fooled into thinking they're at the scene.

Cool, eh?... Huh?... Sure!

So what's the deal with no glasses?

Let's face it, this is the Internet. Things are supposed to be free, or at least accessible. If each person had to send $1.99 or 146p for some flimsy cardboard glasses with cellophane lenses of red/blue (red/green) or attach some gadget using the USB or FireWire port, there'd be only a few privileged/patient souls to view these images.

Did you say FREE???

Isn't there a catch, like some freakin' ad banners for Hair Replacement on billiard balls or something equally banal?

O.K. Here's the deal:. This is a free service. The site features views of one of the most peaceful places on our troubled planet. It you feel you want to pay for the service, donate money to the charity of your choice. You may also give positive thoughts or prayers for peace.

That's all. End of guilt trip.

Cut to the chase, already!!!

If this is like one of those headache-producing freaky Magic Dot things, I'm out of here.

It's not. Not really. Although if you really give spirograms a chance, they, too, are awesome.

This is much simpler, although you will have to do some tricks with your eyes to compensate for not being where the pictures were taken. In just three easy steps you'll be ooooooowwwwwwing and aaahhhhhhhhing at the different levels of depth you'll witness from viewing these side-by-side images.