Our pattern-recognizing brain can be a little too eager to help us and will just tell us what it thinks we see. As a result, we’ll happily accept a further on, black cat as just a shadow and a series of scratches on a boat as a wonderful image of a tropical island. So it would be best to always look twice, not just when crossing the street, but when seeing almost anything.

The mildly interesting subreddit, on top of being quite humble, gathers the best happy little coincidences our brains and eyes put together. So scroll down and get comfortable, since you’ll probably be staring at some of these for a bit. Make sure to upvote your favorites and if you want some more things that look like other things, Bored Panda has got you covered, you can find them here and here. 

#1 I Present To You The Rare And Wonderful Dogtopus

Image credits: lospolloshermanas

#2 The Sunset Lighting Makes It Look Like Firebreath

Image credits: PoonSwoggle

#3 My Friend’s Snake Has The Superman Logo Naturally Emblazoned On Its Skin

Image credits: backdoorwolf

Some illusionists even try to get people to “fall” for these tricks through knowledge of psychology and clever design. One of the better-known, intentional examples is the Rabbit-Duck illusion, which is a sketch of either the head of a rabbit or a duck. The same person can respond that they see different woodland creatures at different times of the year, though this may be because there is no actual reward for saying that you can recognize both, just the expectation that you see something. 

In the case of the rabbit-duck, duck-rabbit, or however you prefer to call it, the brain is creating a full image out of disparate pieces. Like the images here, it’s just our mind trying to figure out what is going on, while filtering everything through what we already know. Unfortunately, our brain can only work with what our senses give it, and once it’s made up its (or our) mind, it might be disinclined to help you see what’s actually happening. So in the case of the two cats, it might not notice the second cat because it’s already ‘established’ that the first cat’s shadow is visible.

#4 My Cat’s Shadow Is Actually My Other Cat

Image credits: IAMGodAMAA

#5 The Inside Of My Red Onion Looks Like A Lotus Flower

Image credits: Ban_Pending

#6 Random Blister That Looks Like An Exclamation Point Appeared On My Finger

Image credits: ZeloChief

Camouflage works in similar ways, by hijacking the methods our mind uses to determine what is what. Once we have accepted that a clump of bushes is a clump of bushes, it will fade into the back of our minds. We might only start to see the hypothetical camouflaged man if we are actively looking for someone or something that may be hiding in the clump of bushes. Animals use this strategy to great effect, while humans, as usual, just copy their homework to replicate the patterns, colors, and shapes found in nature.

#7 These Fishnet Stockings Made From The Table’s Shadow

Image credits: Nicky-Al-Dente

#8 I Got A Chicken Tender Shaped Like Africa

Image credits: Mute_Jammer

#9 Shadow Follows

Image credits: easymichelle

Sometimes nature itself conspires to trick and confuse us. For example, a mirage is caused by light bending in such a way that a human, normally depicted as tired and thirsty, sees reflections of things further away or in the sky. Often in popular media, the person, no doubt wandering through the desert, sees an oasis and drags themselves towards it only to find more desert. This is actually not a mirage, simply some sort of psychosis. A real mirage is just the bending of light that can actually be caught on camera. Mirages aren’t limited to the desert and can be found near large bodies of water as well. 

#10 This Basket, Flattened By A Semi-Truck, Now Looks Like A 3D Picture Of A Basket

Image credits: BRQuick

#11 Sunlight Through This Fountain Looks Like It Is Pouring Lava – l’Aquila, Italy

Image credits: daenel

#12 This Agate That Looks Like A Wildfire

Image credits: Magnetron85

Mother nature wasn’t done with just mirages, certain illusions can also be found near obstructed horizons, where our brains create a slope on a hill that is actually stable. This is sometimes referred to as a gravity hill, though it’s a lot less sci-fi than it sounds. It is also sometimes called a magnetic hill, though neither gravity nor magnets have anything to do with it. It’s caused by surrounding items appearing straight when they are actually leaning, making the ground appear like it’s sloping in one direction or another. 

#13 The Way The Light Shines Through The Bookcase Makes A Cityscape Shadow

Image credits: Mitchdavismann

#14 The Colors In This Piece Of Agate Look Like A Sunset

Image credits: forged_elements

#15 Looks Like They’re Flying To The Moon

Image credits: weII_then

We sometimes create these illusions ourselves, like the watercolor effect. It comes about when a colored line on a white background appears to ‘bleed’ parts of itself into the white area. Our eyes see this similar to a watercolor painting, where the edges of the brushstroke are lighter than the center. While this actually happens when using watercolors, in the watercolor illusion, the colored lines do not actually have a pale border of any sort. While it is less understood than the others mentioned here, scientists believe it could be a result of our brain ‘splitting’ the image into a background and something placed upon it, i.e. the line. 

#16 My Blinds Reflection Looks Like Lunar Phases On My Wall

Image credits: spaniard702

#17 This Man Stopped By My Friends’ Vintage Clothing Store, And Their Ring Light Looks Like A Halo Above His Head

Image credits: tolegittoquit13

#18 My Blue Moon Beer Has An Orange, But It Looks Like There Is A Fried Egg On Top

Image credits: reddit.com

The simplest way a layperson can go about making something confusing would be to apply something called contour rivalry, which is also a great band name. Simply put, it’s the process of using shared indents, lines, and groves to create a series of images that change when viewed from different angles. This method has been known for over two thousand years, but creative artists can still use it to trick and confuse viewers. 

#19 The Way The Paint Dried In This Old Bottle Looks Like A Tidal Wave

Image credits: Epotheros

#20 After Five Years Of Use, My Pizza Stone Looks Like The Moon

Image credits: chestertravis

#21 The Way The Sunlight Reflects Off My Vase Makes It Look Like Smoke

Image credits: SimpleSpyder

#22 Coco Biting On A Toy Lightsaber, Looks Like He’s Shooting His Laser Beam

Image credits: cokeplusmentos

#23 The View From My Friend’s Room Makes It Look Like His Light Is In The Middle Of The Sky

Image credits: always-broke

#24 The Sunset Looks Like A Forest Fire

Image credits: Jinglebell727

#25 The Tree Outside My Kitchen Has An Almost Perfectly Pi Symbol Shaped Branch

Image credits: LifeSupreme

#26 This Tree Outside My Bedroom Shaped Like Australia

Image credits: ohkazzy

#27 Cat 3000 Heat Radiator

Image credits: avantgardecats

#28 Freezing Rain On Tree Branches Look Like Blood Vessels

Image credits: grafxguy1

#29 This Pot I Was Letting Soak Formed A Yin Yang In The Grease And Soap

Image credits: call_it_sleep

#30 The Dust A Flag Left On My Wall, Makes It Look Like The Wall Is Fabric

Image credits: MereCoincidences

#31 My Peas & Lentils Look Like An Ishihara Test

Image credits: betterwatchnow

#32 Light Reflected Onto This Wall Looks Like Chromosomes During Meiosis

Image credits: wheeliechacha

#33 Chipped Paint On This Propane Tank Lid Resembles A Globe

Image credits: laaaabe

#34 Accidental Map On A Dish Soap Bottle In The Kitchen Of A Car Workshop

Image credits: raikster

#35 A Cloud That Looks Like A Hat

Image credits: SequenceStar

#36 My Tanlines Make Me Look Like I’m Wearing Necro-Pants

Image credits: elite4caleb

#37 The Shadow From This Plant Makes It Look Like There’s A Decal On My Friend’s Car

Image credits: fidlarla

#38 I Took A Picture Of My Dog And It Looks Like She’s Smoking A Cigarette

Image credits: pogvaq

#39 A Moth On My Mini Buddha Statue Makes It Look Like Buddha’s Wearing A Coat Or Cape

Image credits: ScruffyTree

#40 This Frozen Puddle Looks Like A Topographic Map

Image credits: kmgenius

#41 This Mold On My Pumpkin Looks Exactly Like A Beard

Image credits: d-nihl

#42 My Cat Looks Like A Deer Trophy Here

Image credits: plantdrew3

#43 My One Dog Looks Like My Other Dog’s Shadow

Image credits: cheesewit40

#44 Pen Made Of Recycled Water Bottles Casts A Shadow Of A Water Bottle

Image credits: Tyler__Harris

#45 I Found A Rock Shaped Like A Heart

Image credits: Archalon

#46 Cheesecake Factory Looks Like The Eye Of Sauron

Image credits: knuckle-headdit

#47 A Spider Whose Shadow Looks Like Corona Virus

Image credits: jeannie15

#48 The Shadow From A Rivet Makes It Look Like Sacajawea’s Smoking A Blunt

Image credits: pillowcurtain

#49 The Ice On This Street Lamp Makes It Look Like The Light Is Dripping Out

Image credits: str4wbewwymiwk

#50 This Mirror Makes It Look Like The Entire Bathroom Is In The Tub

Image credits: ThunderBaee

#51 This Tree Looks Like It’s Sprouting Black Leaves, But It’s Just Full Of Crows

Image credits: RJthewizard

#52 Unintentional WiFi Sausage

Image credits: BubbatheWrench

#53 My Cherry Tomato Turned Over And Had A Naturally Made Number On It

Image credits: Danman500

#54 My Lawn Made A Natural Yin-Yang Symbol After A Pool Stood There

Image credits: TheQueenIsDown

#55 My Gummy Bear Coke Bottle Looks Like A Revolver

Image credits: Babb1234

#56 I Was Taking A Picture Of This Cloud That Looks Like A Feather When A Bird Flew Into The Shot

Image credits: TedTheHappyGardener

#57 My Thumb Looks Like A Toe And Is Exactly 1 Inch Wide

Image credits: Scurried

#58 This Grape That Looks Like A Pumpkin

Image credits: UnbrokenBrown

#59 Three Guys That Accidentally Looked Like Alvin And The Chipmunks

Image credits: Low-Satisfaction-127

#60 The Frozen Windows On My Plane Made It Look Like We Were Flying Through A Nebula

Image credits: ramence

#61 Cactus Fruit That Looks Like A Mini Pineapple

Image credits: ckduke1

#62 The Center Of This Tree Looks Like A Heart

Image credits: Icilypuff

#63 This Square Cloud Looks Like A Giant Rug

Image credits: Airspeed12

#64 Camera Flash Made My Cat’s Eyes Look Like Flames

Image credits: DIY_Cosmetics

#65 This Skyscraper In Houston Looks Like A PS5

Image credits: rxckyrxbles

#66 My SO’s Mother Has Cutting Boards That Look Like Books When They’re Put Away

Image credits: mosoriaa

#67 Frozen Feature Shaped Like A Mushroom

Image credits: pete_ohara

#68 The Shadow Of Two Mailboxes Makes A Perfect Up Arrow

Image credits: merax_cc

#69 My Dog’s Shadow Makes An Almost Perfect Arrow

Image credits: kibitzor

#70 Around 2 Pm Every Sunny Day, There’s A 1 Shadow On My Floor

Image credits: sleeptrouble

#71 Perfectly Shaped Toothpaste Ball, Looks A Bit Like A Hard Candy

Image credits: Limoniv

#72 One Of My Onion Rings At Burger King Came Out In The Shape Of An Infinity Sign

Image credits: crumbles–

#73 This Onion Ring Shaped Like A Perfect Treble Clef

Image credits: childofthemoose

#74 This Perfect Heart Shaped Cactus I Found

Image credits: ArgentinaMalvina

#75 Tiny Natural Geode Shaped Like Foot Prints

Image credits: reddy_freddy_

#76 This Stump I Came Across That Looks Like A Wooden Sarlacc

Image credits: Viacra

#77 The Sun Hit This Cloud Just Right To Make It Look Like The Mountain Is On Fire

Image credits: lenaxjoha

#78 Small Island In Sweden Looks Like A Map Of Scandinavia

Image credits: Republiken

#79 The Seed Cones Of The Toxic English Yew Look Like Christmas Ornaments

Image credits: acqz

#80 These Poles Look Like 2 Massive Cigarettes

Image credits: OppositeSail4948

#81 A Cloud That Looks Like An Explosion

Image credits: irimahaha

#82 This Muscular-Looking Tree I Saw On My Walk Today

Image credits: llamastronaut

#83 Bird Dropped A Quarter-Note Turd On My Windshield

Image credits: Doublix

#84 The Benches’ Shadow Makes It Look Like This Canal Is A Two-Lane Road

Image credits: csengedi

#85 This Tree Looks Like A Map, Complete With Political Borders

Image credits: SmeagoltheRegal

#86 This Trashcan Reflects Light In Such A Way That Makes It Look Like A Solar Eclipse

Image credits: Avoideris

#87 My Office Window Curtains Are Sunlit In A Weird Angle, Making It Seem Like Windows XP Logos

Image credits: bmb445

#88 The Mushroom On This Dog’s Snoot Looks Like An Upvote

Image credits: PaperTronics

#89 The Snow In Salt Lake City Today Looks Like Dippin’ Dots

Image credits: keith_jobs24

#90 Pineapple?

Image credits: heraldedplaying

#91 This Oil Stain In The Parking Garage Could Not Be More Perfect

Image credits: broccolivacuum

#92 I Spent About Two Minutes At A Red Light Trying To Figure Out What Kind Of Shoe This Is. It’s A Bag

Image credits: tweekyn

#93 Got Paint On The Window Screen While Painting, Now Looks Like An Atari 16-Bit Tank Game

Image credits: Elsafy-ahmed

#94 This Bubble In A Frozen-Over Ice Fishing Hole Looks Like The Moon Rising Over A Forest

Image credits: JephriB

#95 The Shadow Of This Juice Glass Looks Like A Rose

Image credits: SMatyac

#96 The Shadow Is A Different Number

Image credits: fill0016

#97 Changing My Friend’s Car Radio When I Noticed This. The Shadow Looks Like An Alien Language

Image credits: dr1fter11

#98 The Cutlet I Bought Has The Shape Of Australia

Image credits: PropertyMountain1234

#99 Perfect Heart Shaped Strawberry

Image credits: beanyways

#100 Milk In My Coffee Made A Tiny Guitar

Image credits: Fearless-Cake7993

#101 Cloud Formation Looks Like Waves

Image credits: ApprehensiveBox3148

#102 These Pretzels From A Bag Of Chex Mix Are Stuck Together And Kind Of Look Like A Satellite

Image credits: Ninjazowski

#103 This Carrot Looks Like A Carrot Wearing A Carrot Suit

Image credits: melllis

#104 Baby Carrot Shaped Like A Boot

Image credits: TRF1981

#105 These Opals Look Like Mini-Hatching Dragon Eggs

Image credits: smm2194

#106 Flowers That Look Like Cabbages

Image credits: TitaniumGoldAlloyMan

#107 Rain And Ice Formed What Resembles A Fur Tree On The Side Of A Condo’s Roof

Image credits: OldWrangler9033

#108 This Tree Looks Like It’s Smoking

Image credits: International-Gur993

#109 My Tortilla Kinda Looks Like Jupiter

Image credits: TheOneWhoDings

#110 My Cousin Found This Adorable Heart Shaped Potato

Image credits: justcallmeseech

#111 A Texas Shaped Puddle In A Texas Parking Lot

Image credits: youngvaliant

#112 The Pattern On This Hospital Floor Looks Like A Bloody Trail

Image credits: Cartapouille

#113 A Moss That Looks Like Golden Hair

Image credits: TheSacredPug

#114 My Moldy Baked Beans Look Like Brains

Image credits: bikeonachrist

#115 These Ice Crystals On Branches Look Kind Of Like Cactus Needles

Image credits: freeman5117

#116 The Way The Light Is Hitting My Smoke Detector Makes It Look Like It’s Sliding Across The Ceiling

Image credits: Pocketfiender

#117 The Way The Ice Frozen The Saucer Makes It Look Like A Rose

Image credits: therobotsmind

#118 The Snow On My Deck Looks Like Morse Code

Image credits: DystopianAdvocate

#119 Unintentional Human Heart-Shaped Pancake I Made Today

Image credits: Kojiro12

#120 This Briar Pipe I’ve Been Working On Looks Like A Earbud

Image credits: buttershudders

#121 This Little Rock I Once Found That Looks Like The Danish Flag

Image credits: villasukkalol

#122 The Lid Of This Popcorn Makes It Look Like It’s Spinning At High Speed

Image credits: aMac_UK

#123 Eczema Mark On My Hand Looks Like A Landmass So I Turned It Into A Map

Image credits: sukuro120

#124 USA Rye Swirl

Image credits: ncuke

#125 Chex Mix Shaped Like California

Image credits: KipperOrigin

Source: boredpanda.com