[metadat]

Humans are pattern recognition machines. We are so good at it that we even pickup on what seem like patterns but are actually random noise.

Maybe not the best example (please chime in if you have a better one!), ha you ever shopped for a specific model of used car? Once you're on the hunt, suddenly you'll start seeing them everywhere when you're out and about, even though previously you didn't notice. There aren't more of that vehicle on the road than before, but now you're attuned to the pattern.