At a performance of Circus Roncalli, in Germany, an elephant stands on its front legs. But it’s not a real elephant. It’s a hologram, a 3-D image made of light!
The hologram is created by 11 projectors. They shine light onto a special see-through surface around the ring. The surface absorbs and reflects light, or causes it to bounce in different directions. That creates holograms of elephants, horses, and even a giant goldfish.
Circus Roncalli replaced live animals with holograms in 2018 in part because of public concern about the animals’ health. Plus, the holograms are new and exciting, says Markus Strobl, Circus Roncalli’s chief digital officer. “Kids want to take selfies with them!”