This Viral Photo Of A Lamppost Is Creeping People Out

Salem, Massachusetts, may be known for witches and sorcerers, but that's all just Halloween marketing and a way for the city to rake in the tourist dollars, right? Well, there may be something wicked in Salem, after all.

According to Hello Giggles, the city's mayor, Kim Driscoll, posted a seemingly ordinary photo of a lamppost from the streets of her fair city, but upon closer inspection, she realised that she may have captured something more sinister in the quick snapshot.

Of course, she posted the image to Twitter, where it's becoming a viral sensation.

"Anybody else see a face in this light?…Totally eerie, eh," Driscoll captioned her tweet.

No question necessary, honourable mayor. It's obvious that there's something not normal about the lamppost, because it clearly has human features. But let's not jump to supernatural conclusions just yet. While many people on the internet seem convinced that Mayor Driscoll captured an apparition, a gateway to a ghost dimension, or simply a spirit, there's a very real explanation for it.

You can blame this spooky figure on a phenomena called pareidolia. According to the BBC, it's "the imagined perception of a pattern or meaning where it does not actually exist." The network explains that the human brain is wired to look for patterns — like faces — in everything, from the moon to tortillas and hills on Mars. That explains why some people spot the face of Jesus on their quesadillas and others claim that there are ancient alien civilisations on the red planet. It also explains why Mayor Driscoll and plenty of other people are seeing Lord Voldemort in this particular lamppost.

For anyone who wants to investigate for themselves, the Boston Globe identified the lamppost as one that resides at J. Michael Ruane Judicial Center, specifically on the corner where North and Federal streets meet. But before you grab your EVP recorders and spirit boxes, maybe get your eyes checked.