Evolution, development, and random biological ejaculations from a godless liberal
PZ Myers is a biologist and associate professor at the University of Minnesota, Morris.
…and this is a pharyngula stage embryo.
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No church has all the truth, and no school either. So-called religion merely shows where the search after truth ended. But truth is the infinite reality, and it will always be for man to find.
[Lemuel K. Washburn, Is The Bible Worth Reading And Other Essays]
Chance and regularity in the development of the fly eye
Polar lobes and trefoil embryos in the Precambrian
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Category: Weirdness
Posted on: March 23, 2006 5:52 PM, by PZ Myers
John Stone sent along another example of pareidolia. He says it's Christ on a crotch, and that he's going to clean up on the t-shirts and licensing…but I'm pretty sure he's completely wrong, and he's targeting the wrong market. Look closely.
It's definitely a Wookie with a blaster.
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Comments
Posted by: Efogoto | March 23, 2006 6:01 PM
Definitely Bigfoot! Proof at last!
Posted by: Curmudgeon | March 23, 2006 6:08 PM
Yup, I'm down with the wookie thing.
Posted by: jrochest | March 23, 2006 6:09 PM
Nah, it's a boreal version of the Shroud of Turin.
Who knew the 2nd coming would be a tree?
Posted by: PZ Myers | March 23, 2006 6:11 PM
Hey! YOU'RE ARGUING WITH ME.
How can it be bigfoot or the shroud of Turin? It's got a blaster.
Posted by: IAMB | March 23, 2006 6:11 PM
Bigfoot? Somebody'd better call Dr. Meldrum.
Posted by: Efogot | March 23, 2006 6:16 PM
Sorry PZ. I just wanted to present both sides of the issue.
Posted by: Dustin | March 23, 2006 6:19 PM
I can't help but slip into utter disillusionment over the fact that people can think that Jesus intervenes in worldy affairs to present his likeness in drywall following a devastating hurricane that he couldn't be bothered to stop.
Really, that's pretty messed up.
Posted by: idlemind | March 23, 2006 6:24 PM
That, friends, is a mermaid. And a pretty well-endowed one, too.
(I was referring to the tail fin.)
Posted by: plucky punk | March 23, 2006 6:28 PM
Don't wookies carry like crossbow type things?
ACK! I am a geek.
Posted by: Dr. Squid | March 23, 2006 6:31 PM
It looks more like Divine on the movie poster for Pink Flamingos.
Complete with gun.
Posted by: Rick @ shrimp and grits | March 23, 2006 6:34 PM
It's the space shuttle blasting off.
Posted by: PenetratingShaftOfTruthAndSemen | March 23, 2006 6:39 PM
Looks to me like a phallus with a swollen glans.
Posted by: Kagehi | March 23, 2006 7:07 PM
Bah!! You are all wrong. Its Merlin. He was sealed in a tree remember.. The whole cave version was made up by evil anti-Merlin heretics.
Posted by: Sean Foley | March 23, 2006 7:07 PM
How can it be bigfoot or the shroud of Turin? It's got a blaster.
The astonishing technology of the Bigfoot Civilization (like blasters, pyramid building spaceships, and the Loch Ness Monster) far outstrips our paltry scientific advances.
Posted by: The Brummell | March 23, 2006 7:07 PM
Plucky, it's called a "bowcaster". I think I outrank you, geekwise.
I agree: Wookie with a blaster (who said they HAVE to carry a bowcaster?)
Posted by: dAVE | March 23, 2006 7:25 PM
wookie - just 'cause Chewbacca used a bowcaster (jeez! you ARE a nerd, The Brummell) doesn't mean EVERY wookie uses one. That's just stereotyping!
Posted by: plucky punk | March 23, 2006 7:27 PM
You've uncovered my secret anti-wookie stereotyping. I am so ashamed...
Posted by: Zeno | March 23, 2006 7:44 PM
Well, I've heard the expression "Christ on a crutch" before, but "Christ in a crotch" is a new one.
I doubt it will catch on.
Posted by: decrepitoldfool | March 23, 2006 7:49 PM
The face of Mary is clearly visible on its left shoulder. It's Chewbacca with a Mary-shoulder.
Wait - we don't know what Mary looked like.
Posted by: PZ Myers | March 23, 2006 7:52 PM
What, Zeno, you've never heard a woman in the throes of passion cry out "Oh, God" before? What do you think she's talking about? It's a good name, beats "Floyd" anytime.
Posted by: Sarahkm | March 23, 2006 8:53 PM
Perhaps because I'm an oversexed grad student, but I definitely don't see Jesus or a wookie.
Posted by: Interrobang | March 23, 2006 9:28 PM
I don't want to argue with you, PZ, but that's definitely a leftover from a production of Hamlet -- for sure it's Hamlet's father's ghost. The figure is wearing a crown, has its hands crossed over its chest like a corpse, and has no feet. QED. *grin*
Posted by: Christian | March 23, 2006 9:51 PM
Has anyone sent this yet to FARK to be photoshopped?
Christ on a Crotch would be a lovely theme.
Posted by: ivan | March 23, 2006 10:11 PM
true nerds know that it's spelled Wookiee. *ahem*
Posted by: Frumious B. | March 23, 2006 10:32 PM
I got yer Christ on a crotch riiiight here.
Posted by: Chris Clarke | March 23, 2006 10:36 PM
You guys are on crack, allayez.
It's obviously one of the Tnuctipun with a bunch of helium balloons.
Posted by: Opiwan | March 23, 2006 10:43 PM
Heh, Chris... you sure it's not just a ptavv with a disintegration beam?
*pushes the button and turns on the Slaver stasis field*
Oops, I did it again!
Posted by: idlemind | March 24, 2006 12:21 AM
Oh, I get it! A mirror image of the pattern continues underground. It's a playing card. The King of Spades, I believe. A bit elongated in the picture, but from a bird's-eye perspective it would look in proper proportion.
Maybe he should start looking carefully at the other trees along that street. Could be a winning "hand" in some state lottery! Or crows engaging in cartomancy...
Posted by: plucky punk | March 24, 2006 12:26 AM
I can't believe there's a wikipedia article about wookie(e)s...
Posted by: Azkyroth | March 24, 2006 12:38 AM
I'm gonna cast another vote for "phallus"-synonym here.
"Christ on a crotch?" Hardly. Now, "Christ's crotch" might at least fit the visual evidence...
And a tree is the perfect place for that sort of apparition; he was a carpenter after all.
Posted by: Zeno | March 24, 2006 12:58 AM
Damn. I just knew my virginity would eventually cause me trouble.
Posted by: jc. | March 24, 2006 2:32 AM
Itīs definitely not Christ. Iīve scientifically checked this image with every existing photograph of our Lord and they just donīt match up. Ditto with the virgin.
Posted by: rubberband | March 24, 2006 4:56 AM
The "face" is pure Creature from the Black Lagoon.
However, what appear to be mammaries must then be something else, because no way was the Creature a mammal (scales, gills).
Folded arms, with elbows prominent?
It does appear to be praying. . . .
Lastly, I ABSOLUTELY SAW a perfect image of the FSM the other night in my, uh, spaghetti. Proof positive of the validity of that faith.
(I ate it.)
Posted by: Carlie | March 24, 2006 5:46 AM
"Perhaps because I'm an oversexed grad student, but I definitely don't see Jesus or a wookie."
How on earth can anyone be an oversexed grad student? I never had any time...
Posted by: Lya Kahlo | March 24, 2006 6:32 AM
It's CLEARLY a wookie! And if anyone diagrees with me I'll have the Holy Tree Crotch Wookie smite them!
Posted by: Platypus | March 24, 2006 7:18 AM
OK, it's not quite the same thing, but if we're going to have pictures of trees whose shape suggests something else then I just have to include this: Packing Wood.
Posted by: Carla78 | March 24, 2006 10:07 AM
Hehe...the phrase "Christ on a crotch" is just darn funny.
Posted by: BronzeDog | March 24, 2006 10:22 AM
I vote Wookiee, too. He looks like he needs to go to the bathroom really badly, though.
Posted by: Webs | March 24, 2006 10:58 AM
I can see the whole wookiee thing, but I still think its proof that trees have a penis.
Posted by: Keith Douglas | March 24, 2006 11:10 AM
I thought mermaid too, for some reason.
Posted by: King Spirula | March 24, 2006 12:37 PM
I see a tree sporting a woody.
Posted by: Norm | July 8, 2006 7:56 PM
www.scienceblogs.com/pharyngula
!Under no circumstance should I be noticing BigFoot at the door but there he goes Hmmmmm, What to think ? Either it was him or the farm laborers are decked out in black :~ Shocking! At the risk of spam, Please Get a "good read" TODAY It's sure to talk , almost solely, about radiocarbon [C14]"dating". This is something you've got to know about :~ Get the Insider's dope on the Hoax Relic, in a find With the purchase of :The Rape of the Turin Shroud. Mr. Custodian, surely could have come up with a more representative title for the work done on it ( in the restoration). One will find, it unrivaled & surpassing anything! It's unfortunate such serious accusation are made I don't think they should be made lightly. However if not for serious inquiry; you can count the number time the term "C-14" is cited Once you've completed counting then contact Ripley's Believe It or Not! It's a Worlds Record! :) I'm saying he's Still Crazy After All These Years Where simply can you find a collection of "should've, would've could've" in all of existence? Tell me! Although, in places, it's a godawful book; It's really worth picking-up