Incredible gifs for exploring time and space

While gifs are most commonly used to snapshot small snippets of film for epic memes, some talented wranglers out there are using the format for a higher purpose.

Infinity Imagined

Using images both found and created, Infinity Imagined answers questions such as "What is the universe?" and "What is consciousness?" It shows, rather than tells, and the result is a beautiful and profound experience.

As the planets orbit the sun and the moons orbit the planets, they describe a four-dimensional fractal helix moving through space.
(Credit: Infinity Imagined)

Astro Anarchy by J-P Metsävainio

Finnish astronomical photographer Metsävainio takes nebula photographs and turns them into large, and beautiful, lenticular gifs that show how nebulae, usually viewed by human eyes as two-dimensional flat images, might look in three dimensions. The answer: simply stunning. Don't forget to check out his incredible photography portfolio.

Mr Div's geometrical gifs

Matthew DeVito, or Mr Div, is a motion-graphics designer who experiments with 4D film-making. He also makes animated gifs that explore geometry and physical space. It started as a small experiment, but then he just kept making them — and they're absolutely wonderful. Hit up his Tumblr page for more.