40 Times People Experienced ‘Pareidolia’ And Managed To Snap A Photo For All To See

Have you ever looked into the sky and noticed some familiar figures in a patch of clouds? Or maybe a face in a mud splatter on the side of your car? This phenomenon is called pareidolia and everyone experiences it from time to time. Experts say that this psychological phenomenon is a consequence of the brain’s information systems. It causes us to see patterns in otherwise random or inanimate objects.

Wherever you are, or whatever you’re doing, you can experience this phenomenon. But don’t let it shock you because this is a normal human tendency. Although it rarely happens, we tend to perceive specific images in random stimulus when we least expect it.  It’s not often that you look at a slice of toast to find Jesus’ face on it. Or find a slice of banana bearing the face of your dog. Most of these occurrences are coincidental, indeed. This is why people make sure to snap some photos of it whenever they come across one.

 

Amazing Pareidolia – Dragon Tree

dragon tree wooden charizard
nelad1234

Human brains are able to construct these illusions because we are primed to see images in every corner of the visual world. This explains why we have a natural tendency to see faces where there are none. The word itself is derived from the Greek words para, meaning something faulty, and eidolon, meaning image. It often has religious undertones which explains why religious people and those who strongly believe in the supernatural are more likely to experience it.

 

“I thought that lady was a Muppet”

funny pareidolia muppet lady
brockomaba

 

“When the dog looks like your slice of banana.”

funny pareidolia dog banana slice
CloudyAero

 

“These Two Rocks Look Like A Mother Breastfeeding Her New Born Child”

rocks look like breastfeeding baby
xaeminn

Sometimes, artists take advantage of this phenomenon to embed hidden images in their works. This technique adds a bit of mystery to their artwork. In the field of psychology, the phenomenon is often used to gain insight into a person’s mental state.

 

“I Want To Believe”

pebble looks like alien head
mattythedog

 

“Let Us Out!”

funny pareidolia bell peppers screaming
kabloona

 

“Pulled The Door Handle Off And He Was As Shocked As I Was.”

broken door knob is shocked
MonsterPooper

However, this phenomenon is not only limited to visual perception. There’s also auditory  pareidolia where listeners are able to perceive hidden messages in popular music. Allegations of backmasking in popular music have stirred controversy in the past. One of the most controversial cases is the song ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ by the Beatles. When you play the song backwards, you can hear the words ‘Paul is dead’ which sparked the infamous urban legend that Paul McCartney has already died and has been replaced by a lookalike.

 

Baked Potato

funny pareidolia baked potato
meebit

 

“Pigeon Poops Portrait Of Itself On A Leaf”

funny pareidolia pigeon poop portrait
Koda_Has_A_Top_Hat

“There Is A Lion Wearing Sunglasses On The Belly Of This Grasshopper”

grasshopper body lion wearing sunglasses
opi_q

 

“A Cute Dog But Actually Just Rust”

funny pareidolia dog tile rust
XiaoRJ

 

“The Snow On Top Of This Mountain That Looks Like A Lizard”

snow lizard on top of mountain
mcspecies

 

“This Overflowing Cupcake Ended Up Looking Like An Elephant”

overflowing cupcake looks like elephant
Skyblue_Monty

 

“I Found A Piece Of Driftwood That Looks Like A Dragon’s Head”

driftwood looks like dragon head
MarliePwns

 

“This Boiled Egg Exploded While Cooking And Looks Like A Snail.”

funny pareidolia cracked egg looks like snail
monkeyman9608

 

“Looks Like There’s A Goddess In This Orange”

goddess inside an orange
theone1221

 

“I’m Flying!”

flying projector mount looks happy
claporga

 

“My Car Seems Pretty Happy About The Snowstorm”

funny pareidolia snow covered car smiles
nearpractical

 

“What house would you belong to? I found this behind my office.”

traffic cone wizard sorting hat
tiatiaaa89

 

“Bubbles That Form A Little Cat Shape”

funny pareidolia tea foam forms a cat
HowAboutNo69

 

Funny Pareidolia – T. Rex Cactus

t-rex-shaped cactus
P10_WRC

 

“This Shadow Looks Exactly Like A Man’s Head. Lone Peak, Big Sky, Montana”

funny pareidolia man head shadow mountain
clarkbarniner

 

“I Wonder Which Song Was On”

dancing poles funny
Axel-Magoche

 

“Dog Stick I Found”

funny pareidolia dog stick
AidanOrsargos

 

“The Pattern On My Dog’s Chest Looks Like A Cat Mid Sneeze.”

dog chest fur cat pattern
VintageRice

 

“She’s Having Twins”

funny pareidolia knee baby faces
plazma421

 

“This Orchid Really Looks Like An Eagle.”

orchid looks like an eagle
kYlejAEnz

 

“And that’s when I stopped washing my hands”

bahtroom sink face with runny nose
HashTheDankEngine

 

Alien Pickle

pickle alien head
MaxMelisson

 

“My drink looks like a crocodile is looking at me.”

canned drink has crocodile illusion
wikings2

 

“The Ice In My Glass Sort Of Looks Like A Face”

ice in the glass looks like man face
HOOKMAN-BUTTZ

 

“This Pure-Bread My Friend Got At A Restaurant”

flat bread looks like a dog
HolyCoconuts

 

“Found A Rock That Looks Like A Shark”

rock looks like a shark
gdarb

 

“Stupid Sexy Flanders”

funny pareidolia stupid sexy flanders
abdlforever

 

“How Fast Was The Ostrich Running When It Hit The Tree?”

wood plank ostrich
woopow8

 

“The most terrifying half-tomato I’ve ever had.”

funny pareidolia crying tomato slice
MattWelch

 

“An affectionate, but slightly nosey tin man comforts a disused industrial building…”

giant tin man checking a building
GrimArtGroup

 

“I’m a happy li’l monitor stand, yup, yup, yup.”

happy monitor stand
JeffDuntemann

 

“Waterfall of the Bride – Peru”

waterfall of the bride peru
brigtejinder

 

“Whatever This Chair Is Going Through, I Can Relate.”

 

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