By Vurdlak on November 1, 2010, with 148 Comments
There was an interesting article on PsychWorld last week. It points out how us humans, as intelligent creatures, have a pretty remarkable ability to recognize faces. But what would happen if the faces we see got obscured in some way? Like upside-down heads with inverted eyes and lips? How about if they were made into pixelized blocks, for instance? Would we still able to make out who might be depicted in those obscured images?
These pixelized block portraits were inspired by Leon Harmon and Bela Julesz’s 1973 Lincoln Illusion. If I’m right, there should be no problem for you to recognize who are the famous people in the following images.
Try squinting your eyes as much as you can, or look from afar if you need to. The only thing that might prevent you from recognizing the correct celebrity, is if you are not very familiar with American culture
I just can’t believe our brain’s ability to pick up a face from such intensively reduced images! When you think about it for a second, these images are consisted of just a few single-colored squares! Also, be sure to notice, how photos become almost sharp if you squint your eyes enough. Solution can be found inside article’s tags…
(57 votes)
Alex- the use of the word…Good Lord I cant even say it… is so innapropriate for this forum, you should be ashamed of your self…Do not judge others lest you be judged..The Bible!!!
Greg44Jack, but the bible is a large collection of fairy-tales, not a collection of facts backed up with solid evidence… you can’t tell him he should be ashamed of himself when you are forcing your beliefs on him, i am too actually but i lack any care for people who push their religion on others
the bible is not a collection of fairy tales, but its not true facts. its a belief that you have no right to insult
You have the right to insult anyone or anything you want, it’s in the constitution, freedom of expression. You may be offended by what someone says, but nowhere in the constitution does it give you the right not to be offended.
i thought #4 was michael jackson?
While they are all good, the Clintons and Conan stand out and come into an amazing focus from about 2 meters away. The smaller squares make these images that much better. Excellent.
what a doosh bag!!!
Actually, if you think about it, the answer is right in front of you. Everyone is familiar with icons/avatars. You can almost always recognize the item/person in them. These pictures are just blown up in size so that you can see the pixels. By standing far away, you are reducing it’s size back to what you would be familiar with in an icon. :-)
For example, if you’ve seen the movie “Bambi”, you will recognize Thumper.
This is probably my favorite post, and I’ve been coming here daily for about 2 years now. Very nice one, Vurdlak.
I thought the last one was George Washington??
I hate to say it, but I think you’re all wrong about that last one being Albert Einstein. Looks more like George Washington to me. it’s the shape of the mouth that gives it away.
GW. was known for ‘not smiling’. I think because he had bad, or wooden teeth. :\
If you’re short sighted and wear glasses (not so easy if you have contacts) take your glasses off and you’ll see the faces much more clearly
wow, I got em all, first try
I got mostly all of them, except for the Elvis one. I thought that was Michael Jackson
This is cool… but have nothing to do with an illusion !
the first one is Marin Luther King jr, the 4th one is elvis. the last one is albert einstien, i know this because of Vurdlak’s pic
oh! and second to last is mona lisa
Gee whiz,
If Bret Farve had just used this, he wouldn’t be in as much trouble!
I know that people are saying #4, the one below conan obrien is Elvis presley, but this picture could also very well be James Dean.
They are very similar and there are many pictures taken with Dean in this pose.
After searching the Net however, i believe the picture is elvis because i found a pose of him in what appears to be the exact angle and colored black shirt. Although the James dean pictures are nearly 100% identical.
Also, it could be Mario from Super Mario Bros for nintendo.
It definatly isnt mario, but most certainly has a mario appearance.
I’m rather shortsighted and I have to agree about the glasses part. Without them, I get the pictures very easily. Elvis was a little too blurry, but recognizable.
Taking off your glasses really works! Especially with Albert Einstein.
the elvis one was hard, i had to cheat to get it right, and i thought the einstien one was george washington :P
this Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton
that is awesome! But you shouldn’t squint your eyes it’s harmful!!!
So how come Japanese people live so long then?
take your cell phone and look at it on zoom from at least 5 feet away its awesome <3
without squinting or anything i knew 2 of them were albert enstien and the mona lisa, the others couldnt figure out squinting or not lols
retrying and i do see elvis presly, bill clinton and martan luther king actually but cant make out the other one :(
i think its Cohan or something like that, its the hair
This isn’t the ability to recognize a face, it’s an ability to recognize a famous picture. If it was just some random ordinary picture of Einstein, you wouldn’t recognize it.
It’s the fact that each of these are relatively well known photos, or they provide some fairly unique details (the combination of style of dress, hair color, and relative height in the case of the Clintons, along with hair and skin tone in O’brien’s case)
In no case are we recognizing the face.
it was so easy its martin luther king, bill clinton, conan o brian, elvis presly, mona lisa, and i think george washington i could find this all out and im only 13!!!
George Washington? lmfao that’s Albert Einstein.
@ laura haha!! good 1!! ya sure it was soo easy tht you just mistakenly put george washington 4 albert einstein!! lol :D
Heheheh….
1st: Martin Luther King Jr.
2nd: Bill and Hilary Clinton
3rd: Conan O’Brien
4th: Elvis Presley
5th: Mona Lisa
6th: Albert Einstein
in case no one else wrote it down
thats what i got
I am from other country, the ability to see the picture, regardles of who is, is what is all about. You get it.
the question is does this work with less famous photos of people… IE. not the washinton found on the bank note, and not the most famouse picture of elvis or a famour picture like the mona lisa… Dose this work with a picture of a person you know but never seen that picture before?
WOW so cool get ur phone and ul see the image a bit clear LOL> i got it all too except luther but ive seen that picture, Well im an asian though :D
um im eight years old, born in good ol’ Kansas, USA, and i didnt recognize Martin Luther King Jr. i could recognize i think George Bush, Mona Lisa, George Washington all without squinting
Not recognizing Martin Luther King… from Kansas… hmm, i am not surprised
Guys if you’re near sighted and wear glasses take off your glasses and you well see the pictures like they were regular pictures. I guess the blur blends in the pixels and their colors to make it more detailed
Squinting helps a lot for these.
Squint
I thought the Elvis one was James Dean!
Zoom your browser way out (Hold CTRL and – ) 8 times, and you will see them all perfectly clear.
or CTRL+scroll_down to zoom out
I got MLK, Bill Clinton ,Mona Lisa and Albert Einstien
is it just me or does no. 3 look a little bit like barney stinson? i no he is conan ‘o brien tho