MIT study: Removing eyebrows makes faces harder to recognize than removing eyes
aakashgupta · x · 2026-10-28
- Referencing Jennifer Lawrence's new photos for The Cut that left many asking "who is that?", the author explains a classic MIT study.
- In 2003, three MIT researchers altered celebrity photos two ways: erasing the eyes (filled with skin) or erasing only the eyebrows.
- Counterintuitive result: people could still name 56% of celebrities with eyes removed, but only 46% with eyebrows removed.
- Pixel-by-pixel measurement showed brow edits changed less of the image than eye edits, yet erased more of the person's identity.
- Takeaway: eyebrows are a critical facial recognition cue, explaining why Lawrence's brow-less photos confused so many.
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