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Knowledge

A bit of knowledge on optical illusions. Or scroll down to see what you came for.

Is this a bird or a rabbit?

Ambiguous illusions

How to create optical illusion photos (for social media)

Can animals see optical illusions? Hosico cat shows it with optical illusion rug

Animals and optical illusions

optical illusions with Category: Nature

Nature is full of mysteries and marvels, and one of the most fascinating phenomena is the occurrence of optical illusions in the natural world. From animal-shaped clouds in the sky and trees with faces on them to the camouflaged creatures on the forest floor, nature’s illusions are everywhere. We have collected some nice ones here at EyeCon.

Lenticular Clouds
Lenticular Clouds look like UFOs invading – image by Paul Kirtley

One of the most common forms of optical illusions in nature is pareidolia. Our brains like to make sense of random patterns and nature has a lot of random patterns; in the clouds, in rock formations, in bushes and in gravel.  

Another common type of optical illusion in nature is reflection. Surfaces of ponds, lakes, and rivers can reflect and distort images that deceive even the keenest observers. And when talking about deceiving, we cannot forget about mimicry and camouflage in nature. Animals (and even some plants) are always busy deceiving predators or their prey by blending in with their surroundings, or pretending to be something else. These illusions are not just trickery, but the result of millions of years of evolutionary fine-tuning

From the whimsical figures we see in the clouds to the ingenious disguises of animals and plants, and most of all the trees that have faces on them, we collect them all to share here with you.

Click on the images below to see the larger version and guess what you are actually looking at. If it is too hard to guess, you can read the explanation of the optical illusion in nature by clicking the red button.

These optical illusions in nature were all posted on social media and we work very hard to find the original post and give credit to the rightful source. If you want to share these images on social media or use them for other purposes, please make sure you give the credit to the rightful owners of the images as well.

Not into nature that much? No worries, we also have a great collection of optical illusions with buildings in them. And even collections of optical illusions with cars or boats.

tree eye

Eye of a tree

The eye of a cyber poppy

Cyber Poppy

This fire demon signals the apocolypse

Fire demon

Funny tree with a face

Funny tree with a face

A dock to the sky

Dock to the sky

Snapdragon seed pods looking like pixy skulls

Pixie Skulls

a giant in the forest or real life ent

Giant in the Forest

This is the volcano Mount Etna in Sicily erupting. The bright lava against an almost invisible mountain looks like a Phoenix (or Mutalisk)

Phoenix rising

Jupiter close-up

Jupiter

This is Cascada la Novia (Waterfall of the Bride), a cascade in Peru.

Bride Waterfall

Giant broccoli trees

Giant Broccoli

Beach at Night

Beach at Night

Giant moon reflection optical illusion

Giant Moon

troll in the park

Troll in Allegany State Park

Aerial view of a beach

Aerial View of a Beach

Not a brick

Tree mural

Tree Mural

The sun eclipsed by a basketball

Solar Eclipse

Canoeing in a winter wonderland

Canoe in the Winter

Tornado icicle

Winter Tornado

Grate view of Central Park

Grate View of Central Park

This optical illusion of an ominous bird is actually a moth orchid

Ominous bird

The underwater waterfall in Mauritius is a landmark that is an optical illusion

Underwater Waterfall

Mimetolith

Green Kong

Sexy Birch Tree

Sexy Birch

This photo was taken in Kazakhstan and quickly named 'Eye of God' by people online. Obviously, this is just a case of pareidolia.

Eye of God

Bushfire optical illusion

Bushfire

Yosemite Firefall is a landmark that is an optical illusion

Firefall

cactus rock climbing

Rock Climbing

This fungus is named Xylaria polymorpha, but more commonly known as dead man's fingers. This example is a perfect illusion, with 5 digits and more shaped like a hand than other specimens. It really looks like a zombie is going to rise up from the ground.

Dead Man’s Fingers

This dancing twigs art is an example of pareidolia

Nature’s Dance

This mangrove tree is leaving the beach on tippy toes.

Tippy toes

AI flower bed or camouflage?

AI flower bed?

Floating tree

Floating tree

sorrowful rock face pareidolia

A sorrowful rock

mysterious tree pareidolia

Mysterious tree

painting of the ocean

Painting of the Ocean

Mother nature breastfeeding

Mother Nature

Volcano ash cloud pareidolia

Magayon and Pangaronon

The top of a tree blew off in a storm and fell upside down. Now it looks like an Ent walking in the forest.

Ent walking

The indentations look like footprints in the sand or artificial leather.

Artificial Leather

tree search for water

In Search for Water

Floating Ice

Trees wearing a tutu

Rice field looks like reflection

Reflected rice fields

A floating island

A Flying Island

Prehistoric snake

Prehistoric Snake

A starry night sky optical illusion

A Starry Night Sky

The white egret flower, or Pecteilis radiata is a species of orchid found in China, Japan, Korea and Russia.

White Egret

Galaxy far away at Burning Man

A Galaxy Far Away

Tree grows through car

Parked too long?

This optical illusion is actually an aerial shot of BLM protests in Boston in 2020.

Gravel flower bed

grumpy tree illusion pareidolia

Grumpy tree

blend with nature

Blend with nature

The pensive olive tree

The Pensive Olive Tree

Tree feet wide afro.

Afro tree

Guarana grows in the Amazaon and is best known for the seeds of the fruits, looking like eyes.

Eyes of the Amazon

Realistic painting

Realistic Painting

An Ent named Laurel

Laurel the Tree

Tsunami in Ohio

Tsunami in Ohio

River in the sky illusion

River in the Sky

Goofy tree with a face

Goofy Tree

  • Pareidolia
  • Physical illusions
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