d. They are not warnings about the future or indications of the waywardness of our ways. They are simply the result of coincidental patterns that the human mind chooses to interpret in particular ways.
It goes without saying, I hope, that this just happens to be a photo from the tragic bombing of Nagasaki, but has nothing else to do with Nagasaki or even with the atomic bomb. Similar patterns can be found in many many other images and natural formations.
In some ways, the pareidolic images we discover tend to indicate things about which we are most interested, whether they be people, puppies or planes. Finding such “embedded” images can fun and interesting, almost a hobby for some. But for some they can also fuel obsessiveness and paranoia. Enjoy finding your own pareidolic images, but keep in mind that what you are seeing is not really there, but in your mind.
Now, if you did not successfully see the lady in the Nagasaki image, click on the image above for a larger annotated image. (Can you also see the puppy in her hair?)
Bottom line: Seeing recognizable objects or phenomena in otherwise random or unrelated objects or patterns is called pareidolia. It’s a form of apophenia, which is a more general terms for seeing apparently meaningful connections between unrelated patterns, data or phenomena. Everyone experiences it from time to time. Nearly everyone occasionally sees animal or human shapes in clouds, for examlpe. This post contains photos that let you test your ability to see things that aren’t there.