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Have you ever found yourself seeing a playful animal in the clouds or a familiar face in the swirls of your coffee? Well, you're not alone. If you see faces and shapes in everyday objects, then it means you have experienced a phenomenon called pareidolia.

For some people, the ordinary things in life transform into the extraordinary with a dash of imagination. Join us as we delve into these quirky, imaginative sights from around the globe. From bags resembling frogs to curvy carrots, the Bored Panda team has compiled some of the most beautiful examples of pareidolia. Pandas, get ready to see the world through a whole new set of eyes!

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#3

Murmuration Of Starlings Portraying A Horse While Horses Gallop In The Background

Murmuration Of Starlings Portraying A Horse While Horses Gallop In The Background

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A person experiencing pareidolia sees something meaningful in random everyday objects. Our visual system is hardwired to search for faces quickly; hence, it sometimes activates even if there isn’t any real face.

In a 2020 study published in the journal Psychological Science, the authors mentioned, “The human brain has evolved to rapidly detect the presence of other people in our environment and to make inferences about qualities such as their personal identity, emotional state, and direction of attention on the basis of specific sensory cues.”

#4

I Saw This Face On An Iceberg In Antarctica. Thought It Was Pretty Cool

I Saw This Face On An Iceberg In Antarctica. Thought It Was Pretty Cool

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#6

Guinea Pig's Muzzle Looks Like A Mandrill’s Face

Guinea Pig's Muzzle Looks Like A Mandrill’s Face

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To put it simply, pareidolia happens when our brain tries to make sense of the world by finding familiar faces or patterns, even where they don't actually exist.

Imagine walking along a dimly lit street late at night, and you notice a figure standing under the streetlamp. Instantly, your mind would start to assess their posture and facial expressions. Based on these sensory cues, one could infer that there is a person over there. However, when you go closer, you realize that it is nothing more than just a shadow made by a tree branch.

#8

Today, My Lava Lamp Threw Me The Peace Sign

Today, My Lava Lamp Threw Me The Peace Sign

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Instances of Pareidolia go back many years. In 1976, a space celebrity was born when a scenic view of Mars was captured from orbit by NASA's Viking 1 mission. During a press release back then, NASA said the formation "resembles a human head." In the picture, there was a standout surface element that looked a lot like a face.

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Later, NASA explained how some data had gone missing when the spacecraft transmitted the image to Earth. They mentioned, “Bit errors comprise part of one of the 'eyes' and 'nostrils' on the eroded rock that resembles a human face near the center of the image. Shadows in the rock formation give the illusion of a nose and mouth.”

#12

I Was At The Beach And Found A Shell With Barnacles On It That Makes It Look Like An Anatomically Correct Heart

I Was At The Beach And Found A Shell With Barnacles On It That Makes It Look Like An Anatomically Correct Heart

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Another picture released by NASA that gained attention within days after being taken by the Chandra X-ray Observatory shows a spinning neutron star surrounded by a cloud of energetic particles about 17,000 light years away from earth. When the photo was released in 2009, many people saw a hand-like structure in the X-ray emission.

#13

Be Careful Of What You Whisper In The Forest, Because Trees Have Ears

Be Careful Of What You Whisper In The Forest, Because Trees Have Ears

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Mark (it/urgh)
Community Member
3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They call them jelly ears for a reason. They also call them something else but considering the current climate; I won't divulge the alternative name.

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People have noticed pareidolia even on banknotes due to the intricate engravings and printing designs. One example is the 1954 Canadian dollar bill series, which was known for the "Devil's Head" variety among collectors.

On the front of these notes, patterns in Queen Elizabeth II's hair looked like a grinning face. This got so much attention that the design was modified in 1956 so that it did not have this effect anymore.

#16

This Tree I Found Hiking Looks Like A Forest Monster Watching Over You

This Tree I Found Hiking Looks Like A Forest Monster Watching Over You

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#17

The Spirit Of A Dog Reincarnated As A Door

The Spirit Of A Dog Reincarnated As A Door

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Renaissance painters and illustrators often employed pareidolia.

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According to his writings, Leonardo da Vinci described pareidolia as something that could be useful to artists. He noted, “If you look at any walls spotted with various stains or with a mixture of different kinds of stones, if you are about to invent some scene, you will be able to see in them a resemblance to various different landscapes adorned with mountains, rivers, rocks, trees, plains, wide valleys, and various groups of hills. You will also be able to see diverse combats and figures in quick movement, strange expressions of faces, outlandish costumes, and an infinite number of things, which you can then reduce into separate and well-conceived forms.”

#19

Nobody Knew How Happy These Tires Were Until It Snowed

Nobody Knew How Happy These Tires Were Until It Snowed

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#20

Eye In A Wood

Eye In A Wood

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Pareidolia objects are quite popular in online marketplaces and attract collectors and enthusiasts who are fascinated by these unintended visual effects. For instance, a chicken nugget that looked like President George W. Bush sparked a bidding war on eBay in 2012.

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After the auction featuring more than 70 offers, the presidential poultry was ultimately sold for an astounding £5,000 (approximately $6,479 today).

#22

I Think This Rock Looks Like A Bear Every Time I Walk By It And I Finally Stopped To Take A Picture

I Think This Rock Looks Like A Bear Every Time I Walk By It And I Finally Stopped To Take A Picture

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#23

Somehow The Shaving Cream On My Razor Blade Formed Into The Shape Of A Cat

Somehow The Shaving Cream On My Razor Blade Formed Into The Shape Of A Cat

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#24

Ever Had A Lemon Take A Bite Out Of You?

Ever Had A Lemon Take A Bite Out Of You?

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Diana Duyser, from the US, put a grilled cheese sandwich up for auction on eBay in 2004. The sandwich, which she claimed bore the image of the Virgin Mary, garnered 1.7 million hits. It eventually sold for a whopping $28,000.

#26

The Marbling On This Cake Looks Like A Skunk

The Marbling On This Cake Looks Like A Skunk

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#27

The Trees Cast A Shadow That Look Like An Artistic Portrait

The Trees Cast A Shadow That Look Like An Artistic Portrait

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Pareidolia objects are not only entertaining but can also help you earn a quick buck. Which one of these photos left you mesmerized? Have you ever noticed a face on some unusual object? Tell us all about it in the comments below!

#31

A Bit Of Toothpaste That Looks Like A Baby Monkey Holding Onto My Toothbrush

A Bit Of Toothpaste That Looks Like A Baby Monkey Holding Onto My Toothbrush

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#32

Tell Me This Doesn't Look Like Little Screaming Skulls

Tell Me This Doesn't Look Like Little Screaming Skulls

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Malakai
Community Member
3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

snapdragon! very well known for this, actually! it's blooms are beautiful when healthy and in bloom

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#33

It Feels Like He’s Going To Give Me A Quest

It Feels Like He’s Going To Give Me A Quest

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#34

I Was About To Bite Into This, And Then I Saw It

I Was About To Bite Into This, And Then I Saw It

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Sandy D
Community Member
3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think I'd break that part off to inspect before eating, just in case a mo7se or rat somehow got in the batter and got baked in

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#35

The "Scream" On The Wings Of A Butterfly In India

The "Scream" On The Wings Of A Butterfly In India

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#36

This Smoke Cloud Looks Like A Bear Holding A Flower

This Smoke Cloud Looks Like A Bear Holding A Flower

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#37

Creepy Skull In A Tree

Creepy Skull In A Tree

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#38

I Spilled My Coffee And Accidentally Created An Art

I Spilled My Coffee And Accidentally Created An Art

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#39

My Trousers Caused My Heart To Stop

My Trousers Caused My Heart To Stop

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#40

The Embers Of My Bonfire Look Like The Eye Of Sauron

The Embers Of My Bonfire Look Like The Eye Of Sauron

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#41

The Shadow Of This Banana Looks Like A Woman With Long Hair

The Shadow Of This Banana Looks Like A Woman With Long Hair

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Kayleigh haigh
Community Member
3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Shes got a arm outstreched and another at the side she is serenading the plug sockets and they are in awe of her

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#42

My Mom Found A Flamingo In Her Bell Pepper

My Mom Found A Flamingo In Her Bell Pepper

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#44

There's A Face On My Dog. Looks Like An Old Wizard

There's A Face On My Dog. Looks Like An Old Wizard

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#47

My Shaving Gel Looks Like A Little Chicken

My Shaving Gel Looks Like A Little Chicken

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#48

My Girlfriend Found This Rock That Resembles Me

My Girlfriend Found This Rock That Resembles Me

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#49

I Was Putting Together A Turkey Sandwich When I Noticed Something Interesting

I Was Putting Together A Turkey Sandwich When I Noticed Something Interesting

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#50

My Egg Cooked In The Shape Of A Chicken

My Egg Cooked In The Shape Of A Chicken

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Note: this post originally had 117 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.

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