Have you ever seen hidden faces in things? We are going to talk about seeing faces in objects and places. You may have looked up to the sky and thought you were seeing a face inside the clouds. This is not uncommon because virtually everyone has experienced it at some point in their lives.
So have you ever wondered why people see these different faces? We will share information regarding the science and possible reasons this experience can occur. We also put together a list of 20 images with faces in objects and also places around the world. After viewing them, you will definitely see that it is possible for one to see a face in virtually any place or thing imaginable.
Why Do People See Lifeless Faces?
“Mondgesicht” by Pietz is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Pareidolia is a psychological phenomenon. The phenomenon usually involves a vague and random image or sound that is recognized as significant. We briefly talked about pareidolia in a previous post. Although the stimulus may seem to be significant, it is nothing more than meaningless data.
The common examples of pareidolia in images are when one sees an image of a face or animal somewhere in the clouds. An example in sounds would be when one hears hidden messages on a record that is being played backwards. So basically, pareidolia is the experience of seeing patters (or connections) in random or meaningless data. It is truly an extremely fascinating phenomenon.
So What Is The Explanation For The Pareidolia Phenomenon?
There have been studies conducted to determine the explanation for pareidolia. The spectacular scientist Carl Sagan had once hypothesized that from birth, humans are “hard-wired” to identify the human race. Sagan stated that it is a survival technique that allows humans to use only a minimal amount of details to recognize faces from a distance (as well as poor visibility conditions). However, this survival technique also has the potential to lead to people interpreting random images (including patterns of light and shade) as being faces. This technique makes perfect sense.
Because humans are able to quickly and accurately recognize a friend from an enemy, they have a better chance at survival. If they were to identify an enemy as a friend, they have a greater chance at putting themselves in danger. They also will have a greater chance at getting themselves killed.
Pareidolia Seen In Art
A woman is gazing into her dressing room mirror, forming the shape of a skull.
18th Century Art
16th Century Art Of Animals Composing People
The Carrot (1699)
“A-ero g2” by Martins de Barros is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
20 Pictures Of Hidden Faces
Faces In Things
“Lifeless Face” by Nottsexminer is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
A Bright Smile
“Lifeless Face 022” by Nottsexminer is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Big Bug Eyes
“Lifeless Face 038” by Nottsexminer is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
A Face Found In Scrap
“Lifeless Face 043” by Nottsexminer is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
A Face On Rusty Machinery
“Pareidolia” by Thom Quine is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
A Face On A Door Handle
“Lifeless Face 050” by Nottsexminer is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Liberty Island “Aliens”
Liberty Island In New York Harbor
A Robot Face On A Tequila Package
“Aghast Tequila Robot” by Kencf0618 is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
A Face On A Tree Resembling A Lioness
“Lifeless Face” by Nottsexminer is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Pareidolia In Clouds: A Common Phenomenon
“Pareidolia Clouds” by Danamania is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Faces In Places
“Xcaretface” by Dylanpack is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Indian Chief Head On Gran Canaria (Island In Spain)
“Canaries Pareidolia” by Aleph79 is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
A Rock Face In The Colorado Rockies
“Rock Face” by Aleph79 is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Piedmont, Italy
Susa Teatro Civico (Piedmont, Italy)
Benevento – Complex of St. Augustine
“Benevento-Complesso di Sant’Agostino” by Adam91 is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Château d’Arques: A Ruined 14th Century Castle
“Château d’Arques” by Mathieu MD is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Civita di Bagnoregio Italy – Entrance Gate
“Civita di Bagnoregio – Entrance Gate” by Yellow Cat is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Bab al Futuh: Old City of Cairo, Egypt
“Cairo-Bab-al-Futuh” by Baldiri is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Baclayon Church: The Alleged Face Of Padre Pio
“Baclayon Church – Alleged face of Padre Pio” by Malou Buenconsejo is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
The Martian Face
Martian Face (image of NASA)
The “Face on Mars” was not exactly a face. At one time, it was unmistakably thought to be. Many had hypothesized that it was the actual work of an advanced extraterrestrial civilization. However, later images had revealed it to be nothing more than a face-like feature caused by the angle of the Sun. The little black dots that you see spread throughout the entire image are just data errors.
More Hidden Faces
The Conclusion
Now that you have seen so many pictures of hidden faces in things and places, you may find yourself making faces out of almost everything for a while. This also includes things you may have already seen. You may now see a face in things you see everyday. For example, you may open your front door and make a face out of the door handle. You may even see a face in your stove.
Have you ever experienced this fascinating phenomenon? Chances are, you have experienced it at least a few times in your life. Feel free to share some of the types of faces you have seen. Was the face of a popular cartoon character or maybe an actual person? Was it a hidden face in a thing or a place? Thank you for reading our post on the hidden faces people see in many things and places.