22 Times People Got Freaked Out By Optical Illusions In Everyday Things

Maybe we watched too many horror movies as kids, or maybe it’s just an evolutionary advantage to be wary of danger when it isn’t necessarily there, but we can all remember that sudden feeling of terror when the shadow of a tree flashes across a window.

“Who’s there!” Is our first reaction. Because we are programmed to see faces and other human features quickly, that innocent branch swaying in the wind can quickly become the sinister hand of an ax murderer. It works for other threats too. Are you afraid of spiders? Then perhaps you might begin to ‘see’ them everywhere until you get a closer look and realize that it’s just a hairclip. Better to be safe than sorry though, am I right?

We here at Bored Panda have compiled a list of times when people got freaked out by everyday things and while some of them are understandably scary, others are just plain hilarious. Scroll down below to check them out for yourself, and share your own stories in the comments!