103 Times The Universe Seemed To Line Everything Up Just For One Photo

“What a coincidence!” I’m sure you’ve heard someone say this before; perhaps you’ve uttered the phrase yourself. But are coincidences real? Or are humans just choosing to place meaning where it doesn’t exist? According to Paul Brooks at The Guardian, believing in coincidences may be a “necessary illusion, rooted deep in our evolutionary history.” 

He explains that maybe there’s not some greater purpose or entity out there causing coincidences, but the experiences themselves that cause us to wonder if there’s something magical at play. Brooks also notes that many phenomena fall under the umbrella of “coincidences,” including cosmic events to a husband and wife having the same birthday.    

Some moments truly do feel serendipitous. But whether they’re pure luck or mystical coincidences is hard to say. Brooks discusses how some seem to be the universe pulling practical jokes on us, while others feel “inherently macabre.” 

But a lot of coincidences purely come down to the perspective of the person experiencing it. For example, if you don’t notice a coincidence or you don’t believe that it had any meaning behind it, you might not consider it to be one. On the other hand, research suggests that people who score higher on measures of schizotypy, which includes similar symptoms to psychosis, may be more prone to experiencing coincidences and magical thinking.   

The concept of synchronicity was actually developed by psychiatrist Carl Jung in the early 1900s. He believed in the idea of “meaningful coincidences,” so he wrote in depth about the topic. But whether or not synchronicity is real is debatable. Psychology Today notes that many modern researchers consider it to be pseudoscience. But still, people can believe whatever they want to believe. And it’s a fact that humans seek out meaningful patterns, so maybe there is something to it.  

Psychology Today explains that the human brain is hardwired to spot patterns, even when they don’t really exist. This is likely because ancient humans needed to rely on pattern recognition to be able to spot potential threats. And if you feel like you do happen to see the same word or number all the time, it’s possible that it’s simply confirmation bias. If you began to look for another number, you might start noticing that one all the time too.     

Whether or not coincidences are some sort of sign from the universe is up to each individual to decide for themselves. A scientist would likely say “absolutely not.” But if you find it helpful to believe that these synchronicities have some deeper meaning, go ahead! In fact, a 2025 survey by the Pew Research Center found that nearly a third of Americans consult astrology, tarot cards, or fortune tellers. And 43% of women under the age of 50 say they believe in astrology. So it’s not too farfetched for these people to believe in signs from the universe and synchronicity as well.   

If you’re wondering what the most commonly noticed coincidences are, Bernard D. Beltman, MD, actually wrote a piece for Psychology Today discussing them. According to research from the University of Cambridge, the top coincidences are sharing a birthday with someone, connections involving books, TV, radio, or the news, vacation-related coincidences, meeting people in transit, and coincidences related to marriage or in-laws.