EIGHT SPECIAL NATURAL EARTH ILLUSIONS
A anomaly called PAREIDOLIA is what makes us interpret random stimuli as something meaningful - it is some thing like believing a grilled cheese sandwich resembles the Virgin Mary and is suddenly worth $28,000. In less extreme versions, the phenomenon simply makes us recognize faces and familiar shapes in random shapes. But even if you know that the resulting illusion carries no deeper meaning, they are still fun to look at. Here are eight fantastic examples of the phenomenon in nature.
Special thanks to Mollusions.com which features one of the best illusion collections on the net.
1. THE SLEEPING INDIAN:
The SHEEP MOUNTAIN in Wyoming goes by the far more descriptive name of "THE SLEEPING INDIAN" when viewed from the nearby JACKSON HOLE valley. The mountain looks like an Indian chief with a full head dress laying on his back.
2. THE DINOSAUR LAKE:
This BRACHIOSAURUS - SHAPED LAKE can be found in ZAGRED, CROATIA. If you want to find it for yourself in Google maps, use the latitude and longitude of 45.78231 N, 16.024332 E.
3. THE DRAGON OF SASKATCHEWAN:
If you happen to be visiting a farm in MEDICINE HAT, SASKATCHEWAN, be sure to check your location on Google Earth. who knows, you could be standing right in the mouth of this gorgeous plot of land naturally shaped like a dragon. Find it for yourself on Google at 50°01'45.29 N, 110°13'20.59 W.
4. THE BADLANDS GUARDIAN:
This is one of the most famous Google Earth Illusions, THE BADLANDS GUARDIAN was discovered in 2006 by LYNN HICKOX at 50 degree 0'38.20''N 110 degree 6'48.32''W. While the chief and his headdress are all natural, humans have added one fitting touch to his appearance - the line that looks like an earbud attached to his ear is actually a road to an oil well. Interestingly, although the image appears to be small mountain range when viewed on Google, it is actually a valley.
5. THE OLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAIN:
This is the only rock formation on this list that you can no longer see with your own eyes cause the rocks making up the OLD MAN collapsed in 2003. The illusion, located on CANNON MOUNTAIN in NEW HAMPSHIRE, was first noted in 1805 and became the state emblem in 1945. Fans of the rock formation are working to create a memorial monument at the base of the mountain.
6.THE APACHE HEAD IN THE ROCKS:
Those who regret not getting to see the OLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAIN while it was still can console themselves by seeing one of the many similar rock formations located around the globe. THE APACHE HEAD IN THE ROCKS located in EBIHENS, FRANCE, is always a great alternative.
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7.THE ALIEN IN THE DESERT:
This one is not as clear as many of the other illusions but with its massive head and eyes paired with a tiny mouth and chin, this face shape in the desert looks a lot like the stereotypical description of alien visitors. Fittingly, this alein head illusion can be found just outside of Ares 51 in Nevada, giving conspiravy theorists even more evidence that "they" are among us - even if only in the sand. You can find this one on Google map at 37 degree 13'31, 115 degree 53'27.06 W, but be warned - the face is upside down on the map.
8. MOTHER NATURE CRYING:
It is easy to imagine MOTHER NATURE CRYING after all the pain she has been suffering througout these years, which is why MICHAEL NOLAN'S gorgeous image of a weeping face in a glacier immediately makes people think of Mother Nature. In the photographer's own words,
"This is how one would imagine Mother Nature would express her sentiments about our inability to reduce global warming. It seemed an obvious place for her to appear, on a retreating ice shelf, crying."
