To be perfectly honest, I really detest the part of a cave tour when some teenaged guide who knows nothing of the geology goes on and on about how a particular cave decoration (speleothem) looks like a dragon or a elephant or whatever. On the other hand, the human mind has a great capacity for constructing forms and patterns out of totally random scenes. So, in honor of All Hallow's Eve I offer a picture I snapped in Lewis and Clark Caverns in Montana. I don't know about you, but I see at least one scary looking ghost and a cackling witch. What do y'all see?Watch out for that candy coma tonight, and don't run over any trick or treaters!
the human mind has a great capacity for constructing forms and patterns out of totally random scenes.
ReplyDeleteYes, it's called pareidolia, and it seems to get disproportionately applied to geological material, particularly things people think are fossils, though obviously things called, for example, "The Devil's Thumb" are also results of this...!
I totally agree -- that's absolutely the worst part of a cave tour for me too! I start squirming and rolling my eyes. Good thing it's dark -- I might offend someone!
ReplyDelete