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How many animals can one find in a random image?

Posted 8 years ago
POSTED BY: Michael Trott
5 Replies

I think this paper has some relevance:

Seeing shapes in seemingly random spatial patterns: Fractal analysis of Rorschach inkblots

Taylor RP, Martin TP, Montgomery RD, Smith JH, Micolich AP, Boydston C, et al. (2017)

PLoS ONE 12(2): e0171289. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0171289

with popular account given in Nature: Fractal secrets of Rorschach's famed ink blots revealed

POSTED BY: Vitaliy Kaurov

So it's true! Weird creatures are everywhere.... Even in random images :) If 1 random image can already create so easily these beautiful shapes it really makes you wonder about how wired we are to see stuff that's not there. Or is it? The shapes are there observed by an algorithm that observes a bit like us. It's again all about context. Can't wait to start playing with your posted notebook!

POSTED BY: l van Veen
Posted 8 years ago

They are similar to the symbols from Pre-Columbian cultures like the Incas, Mayans and Aztecs. Maybe this code could moonlight as a hieroglyph translator.

enter image description here

POSTED BY: Billy Shore

This is absolutely marvelous! I did see quite a few nicely "recognizable" shapes. That is the same story of seeing shapes in the clouds or constellations in stars. But what it really reminds me of is shadowgraphy or ombromanie:

enter image description here

POSTED BY: Marina Shchitova

enter image description here - Congratulations! This post is now Staff Pick! Thank you for your wonderful contributions. Please, keep them coming!

POSTED BY: EDITORIAL BOARD
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