Sometimes, a meaningful image can be found in a random pattern. Those who know what we're talking about have experienced the phenomenon called "pareidolia." Here are some of the funniest cases we've seen...
The Sneezing Cat
We know it's hard to look at anything other than the adorable puppy eyes this dog is giving. But those who can tear their eyes away from the cute expression on this dog's face might be able to spot a peculiarly shaped patch of white fur on its chest.
The white area on the puppy's chest is shaped like a cat in the middle of a sneeze. The photo was shared on Reddit, where the dog gained a lot of adoration from users on the platform. And the cat also received a "Bless you, dog chest kitty" from a user named MadXanSi.
The Elephant Cupcake
This funny-looking cupcake reminds us of an elephant that looks rather snug in the little baking cup. The cupcake batter seemed to flow perfectly over the side, turning the dessert into an elephant body, complete with a head, trunk, and tiny black eye.
The photo was posted on Reddit, where users in the comments section thought it was quite hilarious. "If someone could do that on purpose every time, it could be the next trendy thing," one user commented. Definitely a great idea for a theme party, in our opinion!
A Good Boy Named 'Rusty'
Cases of pareidolia in houses aren't uncommon at all. Seeing faces in wood or tile patterns is something probably most people have experienced. And sometimes, it's rust that has us seeing unexpected images in the corners of our homes. Take a look at this example posted by a Reddit user.
"A cute dog, but actually just rust," the user explained in the caption. On what appears to be a bathroom wall, the face of a dog seems to have formed from the rust. The dog looks so real that some Reddit users in the comments section actually named the dog "Rusty." LOL.
A Snow (B)lizard
Catching sight of lizards slithering on mountain slopes isn't out of the ordinary. But this giant lizard made of snow was spotted from more than a mile away by this Reddit user, who posted the photo to the amusement of several people on the platform.
What makes the sight even more interesting is that there doesn't seem to be another spot of snow anywhere else on the mountain! As one user named SisterAimee put it, "That lizard looks like the remains of a blizzard." The only remains, by the looks of it!
A Puppy Face on a Banana
Pets seem to always follow their owners everywhere - and we mean everywhere. This little pupper, for instance, couldn't even let its owner eat a banana without its little face popping up on the fruit.
In our opinion, this tiny slice of banana didn't do the dog justice - but nevertheless, there's no denying the resemblance. The beady black eyes and button-like nose reappeared on the small piece of fruit and carried the same expression as the one on the little dog's face. Hilariously adorable.
The Driftwood Dragon
This unusual piece of driftwood certainly had us doing a double-take. For those who look closely, a figure that looks a lot like a dragon's head is just discernible between the many cracks in the wood. And it also actually appears to have a blue eye with a fierce look.
The bottom part of the wood looks like the two rows of teeth this dragon might have had, and the image includes the fictional animal's nose as well. But the resemblance may not have been apparent to every observer. One user commented, "This is one of those things I would never spot, but I can't unsee now that I've seen it."
A Snail in an Egg Shell
This snail-like figure crawled out completely unexpectedly - and not from its own shell. The egg white seems to have hardened outside of the shell and formed into the shape of a snail head along with a pair of eyes. And in our opinion, the result looks too perfect to miss.
The photo was posted on Reddit to the amusement of several users in the comments section who were not disappointed by the image. One user commented, "Friendly little snail has decided to come out of his shell," while another joked, "So which came first, the egg or the snail?" LOL.
The Orange Goddess
It seems almost perfect that this image would coincidentally form from the spongey pith in an orange instead of any other fruit. The woman inside the orange - which looks like the planet Venus, or perhaps the sun - appears "goddess-like." And that's exactly what the original poster called it in a caption on Imgur.
Users in the comments section seemed to be amused by the image, with one person commenting, "Praise the sun!" and another calling the figure a "Flame Princess." What's for sure is that once we saw the magnificent image hidden in the orange, we couldn't unsee it.
The Ballerina Projector
Despite being an inanimate object, this projector mount looks like it was feeling a little graceful about itself. With two beady eyes, a white button nose, and an adorable smile on its face, the projector mount gained a lot of attention and adoration from Reddit users in the comments section.
"That thing looks adorable," one user commented, to which another replied, "I know! I want to SQUISH him!" Another person wrote, "Can't... stop... laughing." Honestly, neither can we. The tiny ballerina-projector mount certainly put us in a good mood with its elegant leap.
The Smirking Car
For those who live in regions with heavy snowfall every winter, a snowstorm is hardly something to be happy about. However, this car looks like it's actually enjoying itself - smothered in a blanket of snow that just so happened to fall in a way that gave the vehicle eyes, a nose, and a mouth.
Even the shape of the eyes - flat on the top and rounded at the bottom - gives the face an expression that looks like a smirk. The shape of the mouth - curled almost into a half-smile - helps make it even more convincing. We definitely can't unsee it.
The Categorizing Cone
"You may call me worn and ragged, if that's all you truly see." Fans of the Harry Potter series would probably see something other than a damaged cone when looking at this photo. The bends in the red plastic cone look like a mouth, and a pair of eyes formed into a frown most of us know all too well...
This cone looks like it's about to tell us which Hogwarts table we were destined to sit at. When this cone that looks like The Sorting Hat from Harry Potter was posted on Reddit, several users got creative in the comments section. One person called it 'The Categorizing Cone.' LOL.
The Cat in the Tea
Is anyone else seeing a bunch of tiny bubbles in the shape of a cat floating around in this person's tea? Complete with a tail and a pair of ears, the image looks exactly like a little kitty looking up with large eyes at whoever's about to take a sip out of the cup.
The photo was posted to Reddit, where users had fun making jokes about the quirky little image. One person wrote, "It looks shocked," to which another user replied with, "Because its tail fell off!" A third person joked, "It's shocked and terrified, both that it exists, and that it's apparently now vanishing."
A Shocked Doorknob
Ever yank a doorknob just a little too hard? This Reddit user posted a photo of such a situation, and the doorknob seems to be hilariously surprised at what had happened. The nails, dents, and gaping hole left behind where the knob was, make the perfect 'face' to go with the circumstance.
"Pulled the door handle off, and he was as shocked as I was," the Reddit user captioned the post. LOL. In response to one of the comments on the post, the image's owner hilariously wrote, "Like stealing a dummie/pacifier from a baby." We definitely see it!
A Ty-cactus-aurus Rex
Most of what we know about the dinosaurs that roamed the earth millions of years ago comes from the fossils these predators have left behind. But after seeing this photo, we think maybe some desert plants might be trying to help us better understand what they looked like.
This cactus looks like the king of dinosaurs, tyrannosaurus rex, with its jaws, green color, and a pair of hands that are too short to clap together. And we think the desert's most feared plant imitating the tyrant of all reptiles makes it all the more amusing.
Pole Dancing
In the words of the great William Shakespeare, "The course of true love never did run smooth." And these two passionate poles are showing us that soulmates will always find a way to dance their hearts out, even through the challenges of life's many chains.
Someone spotted these two lovebirds out on the dance floor and posted this photo to Reddit with the caption "I wonder which song was on." And after seeing the romantic photo, we're sort of wondering as well. One user in the comments section guessed, "The chains of love" - and we think it sounds convincing!
A Breastfeeding Infant
For those who observe closely, nature is filled with surprising coincidences. And for observers with a sense of humor, sometimes those coincidences turn out to be too funny not to share. This was the case with this Reddit user, who posted a photo of these two rocks.
Because of the way they're positioned, the two rocks together look like a little infant having lunch. Some Reddit users also joked that the baby looked "kinda old to be breastfed" since the varying colors on the rock make it seem like the baby has grown a beard. LOL.
The Twin Knees
We didn't think that knees could have facial expressions, but ever since we saw this photo, we were forced to change our beliefs. This woman was spotted with what looked like the faces of two babies carved into her knees. Here's a little peek at how they looked.
The photo of the woman's knees was posted to Reddit by a user named plazma421, who captioned it, "She's having twins." LOL. Although it's always hard to tell with babies, we can definitely see that these two faces look strikingly similar. We'll never look at knees the same way again.
The Slumping Chair
We all know the feeling of coming home after a long day, feeling exhausted, and wanting nothing more than to just slump down into a chair. But after seeing this photo, we have to ask - when a chair is going through the same thing, what does it slump into?
We never thought we'd ever end up sympathizing with a chair, but here we are. Slouching on the floor, it looks like it's been through an ordeal - a feeling that's a little too familiar to many of us. One Instagram user hilariously commented, "Sometimes chairs need to sit down too."
A 'Runny' Faucet
"And that's when I stopped washing my hands." LOL - we don't blame this person! We couldn't imagine getting ready to wash our hands and looking down to see this face staring back at us. The photo was posted to Reddit, where the platform's users did what they do best.
"My nose in the springtime," teased one user, while another commented, "Wow it's really running." In a funny way, looking at the photo, we almost feel sorry for the sink. We couldn't help but agree with the sympathetic user who joked, "Get the guy a tissue."
The Eerie Soda Ice
We'll probably be having nightmares for a while after seeing this picture of a drink with ice that looks like a face. And after the photo was posted on Reddit, the platform's users began to share their different perceptions of the glass - and they were pretty diverse.
Some users thought that, through the soda-filled glass, the features looked rather eerie - like a face out of a horror movie. But others saw different things, including Mark Zuckerberg, Ted Cruz, and Michelangelo's 'David.' Whoever it was, we're hoping the next time we spot them won't be in our drinks!
A Rock or a Fossil?
Sometimes we find the strangest patterns hidden in nature. We're not always sure exactly how or why these specific images form, but most of the time, we make sure to stop and appreciate them. That's what this person did when they stumbled upon a rock that looked like a shark.
The tiny gray rock seemed to have the whole package - an eye, a small hole for a nose, and most importantly, a set of very sharp pearly whites! After posting the photo to Reddit, users were so amazed at the perfect resemblance that a few even suggested the rock could actually be a fossil!
The 'Cracks' in the Bricks
The cracks in this brick (no pun intended!) were a little too funny for this person not to photograph and post on Reddit. They seem to run through the brick to perfectly form an unclothed human figure. And when Reddit users spotted it, they remembered a very specific Simpsons episode.
"It feels like I'm wearing nothing at all, nothing at all! nothing at all!" one user laughed in the comments section, while another joked, "Stupid sexy Flanders!" LOL. But there was one person who didn't seem to agree, commenting, "Am I the only one who doesn't see Ned Flanders?" He might be one of the few!
'Croc-A-Cola'
Whether they were true or made up, we've heard a few stories over the years of people opening their soda cans to find strange and unexpected objects floating inside. But looking into a soda and finding what looks like a crocodile swimming in the drink wins the prize, in our opinion.
One Reddit user joked, "Croc a Cola," in the comments section of the post. The bubbles in the soda look so much like a crocodile that another user commented, "I was like… there absolutely is like a lizard in your drink. Then my old eyes realized it's bubbles… sadly just bubbles."
Loyal Even in Stick Form
They say dogs are a human's best friend - and indeed, in our darkest times, we find that we can always count on our little puppers to be there for us when we need someone to lean on. And the metaphor turned quite literal when someone found this long stick with a "dog head" that could be used as a cane.
The picture was posted to Reddit, and users on the platform got straight to work coming up with puns and hilarious phrases to match the image. One person wrote, "To fetch the stick, I must become the stick," while another simply commented, "Bark!" LOL.
Mortified Bell Peppers
We're not sure who left these bell peppers in the refrigerator drawer like this, but we can imagine the scare this person had when they opened the fridge. These three bell peppers look like they've been trapped in there for a long time, and we think we have an idea of how the experience felt.
The three sweet peppers look almost ghost-like, with a pair of tiny black eyes, wide-open jaws, and several little seeds that look like rows upon rows of teeth. And although they probably tasted as delicious as sweet peppers are supposed to, we're sure their faces haunted this person for a while.
The Alien-Shaped Rock
We've seen some pretty bizarre-looking rocks, but we have to admit that this one comes out on top. We assume that Reddit user mattythedog was walking along a shore when they discovered this rock that looks like its transportation to the beach was a UFO. Here's a little peek at how it looked.
The peculiar rock seemed to nail all the common features we see in depictions of aliens. The distinctive shape of the head, in addition to the wide eyes, seems all too familiar. And probably the cherry on top is the spiral pattern in the eyes - definitely something extraterrestrial going on there.
A Forest Dragon Tree
They say wandering in the forests alone can be pretty dangerous - after all, we never know what might be lurking among the trees. But this funny coincidence might answer that question. We can imagine this dragon-shaped tree gave the person who found it quite a scare - or perhaps a laugh...
Trees are usually associated with peace and tranquility, but it appears this one is a bit feistier than the rest. It looks like a dragon getting ready to attack, and we'll admit we kind of wish there was a bit of fire coming out of its open "jaws." Even the moss is giving the "dragon" a perfectly green glow.
A Pigeon's Self-Portrait
This pigeon accidentally painted a remarkable self-portrait when it went #2 on a leaf. The resulting work of art is this image of seemingly a pigeon's head, complete with a beak and everything - probably looking a lot like the bird that dropped it.
The Reddit user who stumbled upon the masterpiece posted it along with a caption that read, "Pigeon poops portrait of itself on a leaf." LOL. One user named Daniel Mason hilariously commented, "This isn't necessarily the best bird art I've seen, but it's certainly number two.."
This Grasshopper's T-Shirt
Sometimes nature takes two images we'd never expected to see together and throws them in our path in a bizarre combination. Case in point: this grasshopper that looks as though it's rocking its favorite T-shirt that features a picture of a lion wearing sunglasses.
Not only does the wild cat appear to be wearing a pair of shades, but it also looks like it's sporting a tie to complete the look. We have to admit, the image seems like a pretty awesome tattoo to be born with, and it'll probably have this grasshopper looking cool for the rest of its life.
A Very Baked Potato
By the looks of it, this baked potato appears to be a little too, um, baked. The nodules in the potato, as well as the wrinkles visible on it, are giving us a face that expresses exhaustion. But several people online thought it resembled a villain we know all too well...
"Never saw Voldemort smile this way," one user joked in the comments section. And for those who didn't see Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, we get why the resemblance would be easy to miss - but we definitely agree that in his weakest state, Voldemort looked a lot like this potato.
Smiley Mountain
A common theme that's seen in cases of pareidolia is faces. It's often an easy thing to recognize for humans. Because, after all, it only consists of a few obvious shapes. For example, one look at this image, and we can easily spot how the rocks have accidentally formed this happy coincidence.
Located in the Coast Mountains, Pemberton, in British Columbia, Canada, lies a pretty obvious smiley face. We can see how the rocks from the summit have come together to create this shape that sits atop the mountain. Nature truly works in remarkable ways!
Spotting Sid In a Tree
Fans of the movie Ice Age may have done a double-take looking at this picture. Because somehow, this tree has formed the shape of one of the film's characters so accurately. The accidental creation looks nearly identical to Sid, the sloth. We can't unsee it!
With his big distant eyes, large nose, and arguably easy recognizable grin, it's almost as if someone had drawn it out! Except no one did - this is just another fascinating case of pareidolia. We wonder if Manfred may also be out there on another tree...
Man on the Mountain
This giant shadow has us stunned by how incredible coincidences can be. Pareidolia is truly messing with our eyes right now because, well, how can the sun and a mountain be so accurate with accidentally forming the shape of a man's profile? The resemblance is uncanny!
The distinction between the nose, mouth, and chin is quite obvious. Even the tiny eyelashes sticking out can be seen. But where exactly did this large shadow come from? Because based on this Reddit user's snap, there is nothing above the snow-covered mountain. We guess we'll never know...
Eagle Flower
Orchids are beautiful flowers, with their vibrant colors and petals - but this specific one blossomed a bit differently than others! One quick glance and we can tell that the inside of this pink flower has a face, but it's not just a regular human face.
Instead, it is the shape of an eagle, from the pointy beak to its beady eyes. The flower has accidentally even made it seem like the bird has its wings! It is phenomenal how two natural species can come together and form a case of pareidolia that messes with our eyes.
The Smiling Onion
We all know chopping onions is a direct invitation for the waterworks to roll in. The vegetable is infamous for the effects it has on our eyes and noses, making them uncomfortably watery. But it looks like these rings of onion didn't share our pain, appearing to form an image of a person smiling.
With the two core circles in the middle, as well as the oval-shaped hole in the middle ring below them, the onion appears to be smiling at whoever is taking the picture. Although it doesn't look like an evil smile, we're thinking the onion still probably left the person who chopped it in tears.
The Cheerful Sunflower
Could this sunflower be any cuter? The centers of sunflowers, called "disk flowers," are supposed to be filled with tiny flowers that mature into fruits (which then turn into seeds). It looks like this particular plant had a few flowers missing in the middle - and in just the perfect spots, we might add!
The absence of the flowers in the middle form a smile that looks warm like the sun. As if sunflowers could be any more pleasant to look at. It's a good thing someone was ready with a camera in hand to photograph it, because it certainly brightened up our day!
Too Confused
We're not sure what's going on here, but we have to admit, this is a pretty hilarious image to come across when looking at a tree. It appears to have two circular patterns that look exactly like a pair of eyes, complete with the iris, the pupil, and a mouth.
Without a nose between the hazel eyes and the mouth, the face could almost belong to an alien. But we must say, it would probably be a pretty confused one - at least, that's the vibe that we get from the pattern behind its eyes that makes it seem like they're spiraling forward. Or maybe we're just confused.
Grandmother Willow
If anyone else is getting Pocahontas' "Grandmother Willow" vibes, please let us know we're not the only ones. Although we have to admit, this one probably looks a lot more surprised than the wise old Disney tree ever would. And we can't help but wonder what caused this expression on its face.
The three holes seem to have formed in just the right places - two at the top, like a dark pair of eyes, and one below them, with a circular shape like a mouth. Together, they look like that surprised emoji we use when we can't believe what we just read. And those tufts of green between the eyes look a lot like a unibrow...
The Relaxed Hammock
This hammock looks like it's almost inviting us to come spend a relaxing afternoon in the outdoors, gazing at the sky. Place strategically in front of a wooden building with two large square holes for windows, the entire image seems to form... a smile?
The windows look like a pair of square eyes in the background, but the hammock adds a nice curve that completes the face with a pleasant smile. Honestly, it's a pretty convincing image - we'd definitely drop whatever we're doing to spend some time chilling here!
The Eerie Pool
Whoever's thinking of taking a nice, pleasant dip in this here pool should think twice - this tiny circular pool looks like it's about to cause trouble for anyone who dares to enter. We'd be extra cautious of it - the floor at the bottom looks a little too eerie. Just us?
The water in the shallow pool is quite easy to see through, and the suspicious face on the floor of the pool is clearly visible to us. The two square drains look like a pair of eyes, and the pattern along the bottom looks like a mouth that's not too happy. We just hope any swimmers who dare to enter tread lightly...