The world is full of secrets. Some of them surround stuff you’ve probably wondered about before, while others are totally unexpected. Either way, we have the pics to show you what’s really going on behind the scenes.
Turning off the tap
Back in the 1960s, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers constructed a cofferdam in the Niagara River that diverted all water over Horseshoe Falls, leaving the American side dry.
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That iconic face
Here’s a view of the Statue of Liberty that very few people have ever seen: a close-up of Lady Liberty’s face, viewed from the inside of the massive statue.
Roughed in
When Mount Rushmore was carved out, there was also a Hall of Records planned for the top of the monument. This never came to fruition, but you can see the entrance to the unfinished area to this day.
So flat
The Hollywood sign is an iconic sight, but it only really “works” from certain angles. Viewed from the side, the sign becomes all flattened out and hard to read.
Tippy top
This shot, which must have been snapped by a drone, shows the capstone at the top of the 555-foot-tall Washington Monument. Construction began in 1848, but wasn’t finished until 1884.
This is illegal
This innocuous photo is actually illegal. That’s because it shows the backside of a North Korean statue of Kim Il Sung. Photographing the backside of one of these monuments isn’t allowed.
Powerful beams
The lights of the 9/11 memorial travel far into the sky, cutting through Manhattan’s light pollution. This close-up photo of the massive rig shows just how powerful the lighting is.
So it was always empty
The briefcase in Pulp Fiction was a device to drive the plot forward, and it was never revealed what was inside, other than brilliant golden light. Well, here it is.
Cyborg Lincoln
If you’ve ever wondered what’s behind the animatronic presidents at Disney World, here’s your answer. Basically, it’s nightmare fuel and I wish I had never seen this pic.
Before the flood
Hoover Dam was an absolutely massive construction project when it was completed during the Great Depression. Before the reservoir was filled with water, someone snapped this photo of the dam.
Behind the scenes
A big theater production entails a lot of moving parts and shifting scenery. Even though the stage itself may be comparatively small, the area behind it is cavernous.
Big skeleton
When the Hindenburg caught fire in Lakehurst, New Jersey, the massive airship didn’t disintegrate entirely. The next day, its full, collapsed frame was in full view.
Backstage
This pic needs no description because it shows the instantly recognizable wheel on The Price is Right . Everything’s all glitzy on TV, but behind the scenes is a different story.
Any way the wind blows
This pic shows Queen as they filmed the music video for Bohemian Rhapsody back in 1975. I guess all you need to shoot an epic video is lots of dust.
So they didn’t actually shrink her
This is Barbara Eden, who played Jeannie in I Dream of Jeannie. Anyone who’s seen the show knows that Jeannie is often seen inside a bottle. Here’s how they filmed those shots.
No overlaps
This image shows GPS tracking data from Voyageurs National Park of six different wolf packs. As you can see, each pack mostly stays away from the others.
The puppermaster
Caroll Spinney, a masterful puppeteer behind many Sesame Street characters, is still wearing his Big Bird legs as he operates the Oscar the Grouch puppet.
It curves
At first glance it looks like another pic of the Washington Monument, but that’s only because of the perspective. This is actually the St. Louis Arch, viewed from the side.
Alright, now jump
What we’re seeing here is the positively stomach-churning view that Olympic ski jumpers see from the top of that jump right before they push off to go flying downwards.
Warped stairs at the Great Wall of China
While this Reddit user speculated the stairs appear this way after so many years of feet climbing them, others have pointed out such warping is more likely due to water erosion.
Either way, an incredible, typically unseen view of a Great Wonder.
A torch-eye view
We’re used to seeing the Statue of Liberty from the ground, or from a distance. But this is actually what the statue looks like if you were looking down at it from the torch.
Fit for a king…or a pharaoh
You would recognize the front of this mask, but how about the back? As it turns out, this is the back of Tutankhamun’s mask.
I don’t know about all of you, but I can say I have never seen this before, and have never even thought about what it looks like.
Before he started painting happy little trees
![Image credit: Reddit | [user deleted]](https://static.diply.com/i8yYanaJ9T1oAsF46EBT.jpg)
I’d argue it’s downright impossible to recognize Bob Ross without his iconic fro and facial hair. And this photo of the man himself certainly proves that, because there’s no way any of you knew who this was just by looking at him.
So *that’s* how he got around so quickly!
What we’re looking at here is a piece of the set from the 2017 film, It . Specifically, this is showing the sewer tunnels that were constructed for the movie, and for the villainous clown Pennywise to lurk around in in search of his unsuspecting victims.
Can’t tell if she’s smiling or not from back here
You may not recognize it right away (which is certainly understandable), but this is the back of the famous Mona Lisa painting, something which I’m positive none of us have ever seen before.
It’s spectacularly unspectacular, isn’t it?
Stay Puft wasn’t that big after all
The end of 1984’s Ghostbusters was an epic set piece with the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man destroying New York. As this pic shows, it was pulled off using scale models.
Wired in
TV reporters do a pretty good job of keeping the amount of wires, battery packs, and microphones they need to lug around hidden from viewers. Just look at her back.
Not quite as magical, is it?
This is the back of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle in Disneyland. As this Reddit user shared, this was originally what designers planned on using as the park’s entrance, but when Walt Disney saw the concept sketch for the reverse side, he decided that would be used as the entrance instead.
An excellent choice, Mr. Disney!
