Stripey things like escalators and Venetian blinds can cause migraines. It turns out that our brains are simply unable to process incredibly uniform stripes, particularly vertical stripes. They increase something in our brains called gamma oscillations, which is one of the leading causes of migraines and even seizures. We’re not sure why, but it’s only artificial stripes that set us off, while the irregular stripes of a zebra are easy on the eyes.