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We’ve all been there. You see a lone trash bag on the corner of a street, waiting for the salvation of being taken out of sight, and for a moment, you’re like 99.9% sure it’s a dog. In fact, a dark-haired Australian shepherd. It’s still a bag, but you’d bet on your soul it’s not.

First, you’re not going mad and second, the chances are, you have just experienced a phenomenon known as pareidolia. It happens when you see inanimate objects with faces or bearing some human-like appearance. And it’s something our crazy brains were wired to do and that’s looking for familiarity in virtually everything, even the most random and strange stuff.

So fasten your seatbelt, we’ve got you a fresh batch of hand-selected examples of pareidolia as compiled by Bored Panda to feast your eyes on. Psst! Check out more of this amusing stuff in our previous posts here, here, and here.

#1

Sometimes Mother Nature Can Be Creepy (Chesaning, Mi)

Sometimes Mother Nature Can Be Creepy (Chesaning, Mi)

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    #2

    I Found A Mushroom That Looks Like A Little Owl

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    Previously, Bored Panda spoke with professor Kang Lee from the University of Toronto about seeing objects with faces, a phenomenon which has a perfectly scientific explanation.

    "Pareidolia illustrates the interaction between the visual cortex and the frontal cortex of the human brain. It suggests that our brain is highly sensitive and expecting to encounter and process some special classes of objects in our environment because they are biological and socially important to our adaptions to the environment," Professor Lee explained to us.

    In fact, our inner intention to detect things and patterns familiar to us is so strong that we often see them where no such thing could possibly exist. And we’re aware of it! "However, for some people, their frontal cortex’s expectation for certain objects becomes so high that they see faces in many situations where no faces exist."

    #3

    I Have This Trunk Knot On A Tree In My Backyard That I Always Thought Looked Like A Regency Era Couple Kissing. Today, I Decided To Bring Them To Life

    I Have This Trunk Knot On A Tree In My Backyard That I Always Thought Looked Like A Regency Era Couple Kissing. Today, I Decided To Bring Them To Life

    chiquitamichi Report

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    Although seeing things where they don’t exist, and especially human faces, may sound and feel like you’re going mad, Professor Lee assured us the phenomenon is totally normal and happens to many of us.

    “There is nothing wrong with these individuals," he stressed. Turns out, “Pareidolia is different from paranoia or delusion or abnormal vision of individuals with psychosis.”

    In fact, “a recent study shows that those people with pareidolia tend to be more creative,” the professor added. Also, some people can be more prone to seeing things than others, like those who are very religious, since they “may be able to see religious icons in non-face objects as well."

    #5

    Cat Is Surprised By The Atomic Explosion

    Cat Is Surprised By The Atomic Explosion

    smartyy Report

    #6

    Turtle With A Reflection That Resembles A Face Of A Man

    Turtle With A Reflection That Resembles A Face Of A Man

    Gatimon Report

    #7

    The Way My Ice Pack Is Defrosting Looks Like A Polar Bear

    The Way My Ice Pack Is Defrosting Looks Like A Polar Bear

    EricDangerRose Report

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    #8

    This Rock That Looks Like A Severed Head

    This Rock That Looks Like A Severed Head

    VVHYY Report

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    #9

    The Pattern On My Dogs Chest Looks Like A Cat Mid Sneeze

    The Pattern On My Dogs Chest Looks Like A Cat Mid Sneeze

    VintageRice Report

    #10

    This Jalapeño Looks Like A T-Rex

    This Jalapeño Looks Like A T-Rex

    AberrantDevices Report

    #12

    My Brain MRI Looks Like The Grinch

    My Brain MRI Looks Like The Grinch

    indiaisthebestalways Report

    #13

    Woke Up And Discovered My Wife Moved Our Coat Stand Yesterday

    Woke Up And Discovered My Wife Moved Our Coat Stand Yesterday

    gruesomeflowers Report

    #14

    Cat Formed By Cracks Above My Light Switch

    Cat Formed By Cracks Above My Light Switch

    spedzop Report

    #15

    My Potato Looks Like It's Trying To Escape Itself

    My Potato Looks Like It's Trying To Escape Itself

    Moonri Report

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    “If someone reports seeing Jesus in a piece of toast, you’d think they must be nuts,” professor Lee previously told BBC Future. “But it’s very pervasive. We are primed to see faces in every corner of the visual world.” According to him, our imaginations exert a very powerful influence over our perceptions.

    #16

    You Know You're In Trouble, When Your Mom Strikes This Pose

    You Know You're In Trouble, When Your Mom Strikes This Pose

    EvansBrad Report

    #17

    This Blob Of Hand Cream I Squeezed On My Hand Looks Like A Kitten

    This Blob Of Hand Cream I Squeezed On My Hand Looks Like A Kitten

    yum_disc Report

    #18

    Whilst Walking Into A Kitchen I Saw This Guy

    Whilst Walking Into A Kitchen I Saw This Guy

    teamoth Report

    #19

    Sun's Reflection On My Drinking Glass Creates Bart Simpson’s Skull

    Sun's Reflection On My Drinking Glass Creates Bart Simpson’s Skull

    0zymandias21 Report

    Another theory about why we see faces in random objects and places has to do with the belief that we developed pareidolia as a survival mechanism. For example, Carl Sagan, an astronomer, suggests that pareidolia helps us recognize faces from a far distance and determine whether it’s the enemy or an ally we’re looking at.

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    He also believes that the feature was more prominent in babies. “Those infants who a million years ago were unable to recognize a face smiled back less, were less likely to win the hearts of their parents, and less likely to prosper." Some even claim that therefore, this survival allowed pareidolia to go through generations.

    #22

    There’s A Sid On My Sister’s Floor

    There’s A Sid On My Sister’s Floor

    DuckRubberDuck Report

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    #27

    This Tree Looks Like Swamp Thing

    This Tree Looks Like Swamp Thing

    arkan01d Report

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    POST
    Eva the Egg
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    just imagine looking out of the window at night and seeing that monster...

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    #28

    The Piece Of Paper That Is Frozen To The Back Of My Fridge Looks Like A Wiener Dog

    The Piece Of Paper That Is Frozen To The Back Of My Fridge Looks Like A Wiener Dog

    nighteeeeey Report

    #29

    Accidentally Created A Porcupine By Pouring Instant Coffee Over An Americano

    Accidentally Created A Porcupine By Pouring Instant Coffee Over An Americano

    fishdust Report

    #30

    After My 17th Near-Heart-Attack, I Realized- I Really Need To Move My Lamp

    After My 17th Near-Heart-Attack, I Realized- I Really Need To Move My Lamp

    5_Frog_Margin Report

    #31

    Happy Water Buffalo I Found

    Happy Water Buffalo I Found

    Harcourtfentonmudd1 Report

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    POST
    Raine Soo
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If this is a dentist's office, this might be the only happy thing you'll ever find.

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    #33

    This Snowman Air Bubble In My Soy Sauce Packet

    This Snowman Air Bubble In My Soy Sauce Packet

    WillBrozInc Report

    #34

    Butterfly Looks Like An Animated Fox

    Butterfly Looks Like An Animated Fox

    Kachowski_god_666 Report

    #35

    This Knot In The Wood Looks Like A Frog

    This Knot In The Wood Looks Like A Frog

    ____Io_oI____ Report

    #36

    Dog In A Dog

    Dog In A Dog

    jacobyh7 Report

    #37

    Recently Made Cupcakes And This Piece Of Snail-Looking Burnt Dough Scared The Hell Out Of Me

    Recently Made Cupcakes And This Piece Of Snail-Looking Burnt Dough Scared The Hell Out Of Me

    hjvpp Report

    #39

    Ice Ghost Inside My Water Bottle

    Ice Ghost Inside My Water Bottle

    oddball2194 Report

    #40

    This Grumpy Pie

    This Grumpy Pie

    Niyi_M Report

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    #41

    Blanket In My Dog's Bed Looks Like A Dog

    Blanket In My Dog's Bed Looks Like A Dog

    emopriest Report

    #43

    This Purple Carrot Looks Like A Bartender Ready To Take Your Drink Order And Listen To Your Troubles

    This Purple Carrot Looks Like A Bartender Ready To Take Your Drink Order And Listen To Your Troubles

    nancyxxu Report

    #44

    This Chip In My Window Looks A Bit Like A Cat

    This Chip In My Window Looks A Bit Like A Cat

    andysschlong Report

    #45

    This Rock That Looks Like A Hippopotamus

    This Rock That Looks Like A Hippopotamus

    ME_2017 Report

    #46

    My Stapler And I Feel Similarly About Conference Calls

    My Stapler And I Feel Similarly About Conference Calls

    erineestevenson Report

    #47

    This Sweet Potato Flower Looks Like Little Groot Heads

    This Sweet Potato Flower Looks Like Little Groot Heads

    bayrho Report

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    #49

    A Girl In My Class Looks Like A Dog In This Angle

    A Girl In My Class Looks Like A Dog In This Angle

    falakro25 Report

    #50

    My Bacon Grease Looks Like Lionel Richie

    My Bacon Grease Looks Like Lionel Richie

    Nongfuspring07 Report

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    #51

    My Dog Has A Cat Singing Opera Following Him All The Time

    My Dog Has A Cat Singing Opera Following Him All The Time

    thelospike Report

    #52

    Took A Picture Of My Daughter Lighting A Campfire - It Appears She Is Summoning The Spirit Of A Unicorn

    Took A Picture Of My Daughter Lighting A Campfire - It Appears She Is Summoning The Spirit Of A Unicorn

    goonie_lover Report

    #53

    This Curtain Pattern Looks Like Squidward

    This Curtain Pattern Looks Like Squidward

    MouseHouseWithYogurt Report

    #55

    Two Sides Of The Same Rock Found At The Beach

    Two Sides Of The Same Rock Found At The Beach

    nosnikreplliw Report

    #56

    This Orthodontist Chair That Looks Like A LEGO Man Sitting

    This Orthodontist Chair That Looks Like A LEGO Man Sitting

    Prismeou Report

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    #57

    House Kinda Looks Like It's Giving The Finger

    House Kinda Looks Like It's Giving The Finger

    unicornfartutopia Report

    #59

    My Sweet Potato Looks Like A Sea Lion

    My Sweet Potato Looks Like A Sea Lion

    cheese--girl Report

    #60

    Grains On This Wood Plank Resemble An Ostrich

    Grains On This Wood Plank Resemble An Ostrich

    CommonSchemeForYou Report

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    POST
    Raine Soo
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Do you suppose that it will eventually go and bury its head in the sawdust?

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    #62

    There's An Elizabethan Tomato Growing In My Garden

    There's An Elizabethan Tomato Growing In My Garden

    LJT1228 Report

    #63

    My Homemade Orange Juice Smiled Back At Me This Morning

    My Homemade Orange Juice Smiled Back At Me This Morning

    Squapple_ Report

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    #65

    This Birch Tree In My Neighborhood Looks Like An Annoyed Cyclops

    This Birch Tree In My Neighborhood Looks Like An Annoyed Cyclops

    TheBinzness Report

    #66

    That Folded Dog Food Bag On The Top Of The Shelf Looks Like A Dog From This Angle

    That Folded Dog Food Bag On The Top Of The Shelf Looks Like A Dog From This Angle

    asmazona Report

    #67

    The Thorax Of This Bug Looks Like A Cat With Sunglasses

    The Thorax Of This Bug Looks Like A Cat With Sunglasses

    yogas Report

    #68

    This Jalapeno Has Been Training Really Hard

    This Jalapeno Has Been Training Really Hard

    DonZenova Report

    #69

    It Looks Like There's A Dog Trapped In This Tree

    It Looks Like There's A Dog Trapped In This Tree

    jellyclaws Report

    #70

    Possibly The World's Best "Have I Found A Baby Dinosaur?" Looking Rock I Have Ever Seen

    Possibly The World's Best "Have I Found A Baby Dinosaur?" Looking Rock I Have Ever Seen

    dean_r_lomax Report

    #71

    My Grass Compost Pile Looks Like A Grass-Covered Gorilla

    My Grass Compost Pile Looks Like A Grass-Covered Gorilla

    principled_principal Report

    #72

    My Nail Polish Chipped Into The Profile Of A Man

    My Nail Polish Chipped Into The Profile Of A Man

    mormonsandmarmots Report

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    #73

    My Morning Coffee Had A Flying Unicorn In It

    My Morning Coffee Had A Flying Unicorn In It

    TykoTaco Report

    #74

    Oh My God! They Killed Kenny! You Bastards

    Oh My God! They Killed Kenny! You Bastards

    rfedortsov_official_account Report

    #75

    My Coiled-Up Headphones Look Like The Cookie-Monster

    My Coiled-Up Headphones Look Like The Cookie-Monster

    BlueStarFern Report

    #76

    These Flowers Look Like They Are Fleeing The Flowerpot While Screaming

    These Flowers Look Like They Are Fleeing The Flowerpot While Screaming

    SpryArmadillo Report

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    POST
    Lauren Caswell
    Community Member
    4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    These are pansies, apparent some people can see the grumpy face, others can't. Ie I can, but my mum doesn't see them as faces

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    #78

    "The Lone Man On The Mountain" A Natural Shadow On Lone Peak In Big Sky, Montana

    "The Lone Man On The Mountain" A Natural Shadow On Lone Peak In Big Sky, Montana

    GandalfdaWizardt Report

    #79

    My Parents’ Cactus Looks Like A Person Waving

    My Parents’ Cactus Looks Like A Person Waving

    Theprofessor123 Report

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    #81

    The Way This Tomato From My Garden Looks Like A Giant Ant Is Eating It

    The Way This Tomato From My Garden Looks Like A Giant Ant Is Eating It