How Does Google Know What a Red Panda Looks Like?

You search for “red panda,” and the right photos appear almost instantly.

But most of those pictures do not have the words “red panda” written on them.

So how does Google know what is actually inside each photo?

Does it see the animal, or is it using clues hidden around the image?

And how can it tell the difference between a bear, a costume, and a cartoon character?

It all begins with tiny colored squares and a huge picture-sorting system.