Ghost Hunting and the Science of Seeing things that aren’t there

Seeing animals in clouds, or a face in the moon, are examples of pareidolia. Look here for photos and to test your own ability to see things that aren’t there.  In ghost investigations many of us think we see faces in windows or in designs on a wall. Here's an article from Earthsky.org that explains what's going on, with lots of amazing examples. - Rob

Ghost Hunting and the Science of Seeing things that aren’t there

By Larry Sessions in EarthSky.org

Blogs | Human World on Jun 16, 2014

Maybe you’ve seen the proverbial bunny in a patch of clouds, or a clown’s face in a mud splatter on the side of your car? Seeing recognizable objects or patterns in otherwise random or unrelated objects or patterns is called pareidolia. It’s a form of apophenia, which is a more general term for the human tendency to seek patterns in random information. Everyone experiences it from time to time. Seeing the famous man in the moon is a classic example from astronomy. The ability to experience pareidolia is more developed in some people and less in others. LOOK AT THE PHOTOS IN THIS ARTICLE TO LEARN MORE AND TEST YOUR OWN ABILITY TO SEE THINGS THAT AREN’T THERE.

FULL ARTICLE: EarthSky: Seeing Things That Aren't There

CAPTION FOR PHOTO (LEFT)

The “face of Jesus” in this photo is actually a child with a bonnet, and the hair is vegetation in the background. Anonymous Swedish photograph from the late nineteenth century via Wikimedia Commons