The image moves or does not move based on very small movements of the eyes. If one is rested and not stressed then the eyes focus and hold focus more precisely and with little or no effort. As one is more weary from lack of sleep or stress, the focus of the eyes become less stable and requires more effort to maintain and there are involuntary micro movements as you strain to keep focus. This micro movement causes slight focusing adjustments and movement of the eye that are not noticed when looking at normal everyday objects and scenes, but become very apparent while looking at this image due to the design.
I think the theory is more like those 3d images you can get where you look into the distance and your eyes adjust the image.
If you're tired, your eyes relax more, so the detail starts to double up with the next piece of the pattern, and then when you focus on an area it stops moving again.
Man I miss those old 3d books.
You defocus when tired too. I notice it moving constantly when reading the text below but when looking at the image it was stop/start and depended where i was looking.
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