The science and art of silhouettes: what squiggly lines teach us about face recognition, fine art, and astronomy

Silhouettes have mesmerized people for centuries, appearing in 18th-century art as well as contemporary advertisements for mp3 players and basketball shoes. Silhouettes have also become a cultural force, appearing on Disneyland's Main Street and the fine art created by Kara Walker. But until recently, no one has figured out how the brain can identify a human face in a bare line. Recent studies at Stanford University, the University of California Los Angeles, and Vanderbilt University, however, have begun to unlock the mystery of silhouettes and face recognition.