Tonight’s artwork by Bob Eggleton
So, while I should have been writing my blog entry for the day, I was actually watching this video about how mirrors, the ones that we use in the bathroom, *actually* flip images as opposed to how we *think* they flips images.
See, they seem to flip things horizontally. The classic “FOOD” written on a piece off paper looks like “DOOF” with backwards letters in the mirror. It’s flipped on its horizontal axis. But, see, that’s actually not correct. A mirror doesn’t flip anything horizontally…WE flip something horizontally to then see it in a mirror. We write it on a piece of paper, and then we TURN IT AROUND to face the mirror to then see it in the mirror. We just flipped it horizontally, the mirror didn’t do shit.
Take that even a step further: if I were to write “FOOD” on a transparent piece of plastic or glass and hold that up to a mirror, not flipping it around since I can see through it, it would say “FOOD.” No flipping at all…
SO…what DOES a mirror do? It has to be flipping SOMETHING right? After all, if I were to duplicate myself and stand face to face, if we mirrors were to raise mirrored hands to each other, I would be raising my left hand and my mirror self would be raising his RIGHT HAND. Not the same hand! So what is happening, then?
Well, the mirror used an example of pointing an arrow. If I point an arrow left or right, I still see an arrow pointing left or right. Same thing with up an down. But, if I point that around directly towards the mirror, then arrow is now suddenly pointing right back at me. And there’s the rub: a mirror actually flips things along the Z-AXIS…which is to say light that is traveling towards it. And, to explain how that whole my hand is the left hand and my mirror’s hand is the right hand thing…she used an example of a glove. On the inside of the glove I write “Right”, and the outside of the glove I write “Left.” I put the glove on my left hand and it shows “Left” for the proper hand. Then I extend my hand out directly towards the mirror…what the mirror then actually does is turn that glove INSIDE OUT for my mirror counterpart, so that effectively, the inside writing “Right” is showing on my mirror’s hand. The correct hand for my mirror.
That last bit is still hard for me to understand, to be honest, concretely speaking anyway. But I *think* I get it. That’s what it means to flip things along the z-axis; they’re turned inside out. Not turned (x-axis) around or flipped upside down (y-axis)…but inside out. Crazy, right?
Anyway, it’s time for beds. Work day was good, helped to Ho with audition stuffs, and now the sleeps are upon us. Good night!