The Dress took the internet by storm when the photo first posted on Tumblr social media site in February. For some people, the stripes of the dress were white and gold, for others blue and black.
However, scientists now say that the garment in the original picture was made up of pixels that were blue and brown. The difference in what people saw was down to the way their brains filter light and if they are more accustomed to processing outdoor or indoor light.
Scientists performed a study to solve the mystery behind the color of the garment. More than 1,400 individuals participated in the survey and half of them were newcomers to the dress.
Scientists observed that individuals saw three different colors in the dress. Around 30 percent of people said its gold and white and 11 percent said its brown and blue. However, the largest ratio was of individuals who saw the dress black and blue. Experts concluded that the photo plays with brain filters of viewer.
The dress color depends on the expectation of the brain, Los Angeles Times reported. If the brain is expecting to see artificial light, the garment will look black and blue. According to US neuroscientist Dr Bevil Conway, individuals who perceive gold and white stripes may be more attuned to daylight while individuals who see a black and blue dress are more attuned to indoor lighting.
Scientists also discovered that perception differed by sex and age, according to Mirror. Women and older individuals were more probably to report seeing white and gold, while younger individuals saw blue and black.