An inferior mirage is an optical phenomenon that occurs when layers of air at different temperatures create a distortion of light. This typically happens on hot days when the ground heats the air directly above it, causing the lower layer to be warmer than the air above. As light travels through these varying temperatures, it bends, making distant objects appear displaced or even inverted. Commonly seen on roads or deserts, inferior mirages can make it look like there are pools of water or shiny surfaces in the distance. This effect is often mistaken for actual water, but it is simply a trick of light caused by the refraction of rays, not a real reflection like in a superior mirage.