A few days ago I asked why people always claim to see the Virgin Mary in random shapes, because it’s such an easy shape to get naturally.
But a good scientist always looks to the contrapositive: what about other familiar shapes that are not easy to make? How common are they?
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Turns out, pretty common. The fun website Strange Maps has some good examples of countries and continents appearing in bread, rocks, and clouds. My favorite is Australia in a puddle. What are the odds?
I’d say pretty good. It’s what our brains do. We should use those very same brains to understand that the brain tricks us sometimes.
Tip o’ the naan to BABloggee Lunar Mark.
January 22nd, 2009 at 1:09 pm
My kids like to play “what state is this?” with graham crackers as they eat. We get an awful lot of Wyomings and Colorados, but there are plenty of Virginias, New Hampshires (or Vermonts, depending which end is up) and Nevadas.
January 22nd, 2009 at 1:12 pm
The US is a discarded and forgotten leftover. It’s so…poetic.
January 22nd, 2009 at 1:13 pm
i think this looks more like a shark’s head rather then the US…
January 22nd, 2009 at 1:38 pm
Warning – risque joke below….
Reminds me of a B. Kliban cartoon, showing a drawing of both sides of the Atlantic. A speech balloon was coming from the Northeast US, stating “Hey Europe! Eat my Florida!”
January 22nd, 2009 at 1:40 pm
There’s always the Illinois cornflake. It’s not as impressive as the Australia puddle, but that puddle will never fetch $1,350.00 on eBay.
January 22nd, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Looks like Jaws to me
January 22nd, 2009 at 1:58 pm
meh, Photoshop.
January 22nd, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Why did I see a sleeping, sprawled out polar bear?
January 22nd, 2009 at 2:23 pm
Sadly I have NEVER been able to really, or quickly, see odd crap in clouds, wood, bread, etc… I can’t even see those old 3-D images that were really popular back in the 90’s. My wife has to point out where most of these ‘faces’ are to me, otherwise I just see what it really is. I guess I am ‘broken’ that way, but I find it nice that my brain isn’t trying to trick me due to some outdated evolutionary left-over.
January 22nd, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Just makes me wonder… how many times have we looked at clouds, or pizzas, or potato chips, or the pattern of feces in out cat’s litterbox… and been looking at something that looks EXACTLY LIKE an alien from another star system… except we don’t have a frame of reference for comparison?
Yeah, deep, I know…
(Later at the party, I’ll enthrall you with my ideas about how the universe is actually a molecule in someone else’s coffee table.)
January 22nd, 2009 at 3:13 pm
Hmm, so I guess this isn’t an astronomy blog anymore? Seriously, enough with the religious stuff. We get it, your an atheist. Lot’s of people are, lots of people aren’t, no one cares(at least they shouldn’t). We come here for astronomy so please give us that.
Anyone agree? Or am I just crazy to expect astronomy from a blog called “Bad ASTRONOMY”.
January 22nd, 2009 at 4:06 pm
Ben,
It’s always been a blog for debunking crap, and it branched out into all kinds of crap (as opposed to just astronomy-related crap) very early on. Pareidolia is a particular interest of Phil’s. I don’t find these posts all that interesting myself, but there’s plenty of astronomy posts to read along with, so you don’t see me complaining
January 22nd, 2009 at 4:08 pm
@Ben… How long have you ben following Dr. Plait? He even has an entry about his “non-astronomy” related posts. I suggest you read it…
January 22nd, 2009 at 5:13 pm
This reminds me of an old NZ comedy series (Funny Business for all you Kiwis there) where they were doing a fake advert for “PUD Pads” (Post Urinal Drip) for guys.
“That’s right – no more maps of Australia on your undies!!!”
Colin
January 22nd, 2009 at 6:58 pm
When I was an elementary school age kid, I and a friend would break up the ice on frozen puddles and look for states in the resulting debris.
January 22nd, 2009 at 9:19 pm
Larian
You have a point. I haven’t been reading this for very long, I guess that’s why it’s a little annoying to see posts like this. Being a new reader or not, I’d imagine one expects astronomy from an astronomy.
January 22nd, 2009 at 9:25 pm
Is that garlic naan? There is no such thing as leftover naan. Mmmmm….
Ben, a theist can realize that the brain is wired for discerning familiar shapes in random occurrences. This really has nothing to do with whether or not you believe there is a god.
January 22nd, 2009 at 9:32 pm
Ben, you might want to read http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/07/15/politics-science-me-and-thee/
January 22nd, 2009 at 11:06 pm
I emailed that to you like 2 weeks ago, I guess you don’t check your mail.
January 23rd, 2009 at 8:36 am
If you take two well-placed bites out of a hamburger, you can make it look like a Cardassian starship.
January 24th, 2009 at 7:53 am
Did someone say “starship”?
Be sure to check out the next three strips as well.