We’re used to conceptualizing things in a certain way: visualizing statues from the front, or weather systems from the air, for instance.
But really, there’s no shortage to the ways we can look at something. All that’s needed is someone with a camera in the right place at the right time.
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Make way.
It’s weird to see something as high-tech as a space shuttle juxtaposed against an ordinary urban backdrop, but that’s exactly what happened when the shuttle Endeavour made its way to a museum to be displayed.
The daintiest drill bit.
I don’t know much about tools but I can safely say that this drill bit — measured at 0.004 inches — is the most delicate and thin tool I’ve ever seen.
Enough for everyone.
You’re probably thinking that this looks like a beer keg, but it’s way too big. Well, friend, I’ve got news for you: this is, in fact, an absolutely massive beer keg.
It can be found at Heidelberg Castle in Germany.
Don’t look down.
This work crew is proudly posing atop their latest creation: the Wilshire Grand Center in downtown Los Angeles. They’re perched more than a thousand feet above the ground.
Absolute unit.
This bull, known as “Field Marshal,” tips the scales at an astounding 3,689 pounds. He also stands a full head taller than the average adult.
Building bridges.
For a bridge to be structurally sound, it’s often necessary to dig deep underground — through deep water — to build its pylons. This example is from the Rio-Antirio bridge in Greece.
Cute little bus.
This mining truck looks like a pretty standard-issue piece of construction equipment. Then you look behind it, see the regular-sized school bus, and start to wonder how big a truck could possibly get.
Life support.
Space travel is tricky business because space is totally inhospitable to human life. To keep humans alive in orbit, a lot of tech needs to be packed into each space suit.
Standing tall.
This offshore natural gas platform, known as Troll-A, will eventually look more like a conventional rig. But until its legs are drilled down to the ocean floor, it’ll stand an incredible 1,500 feet high.
Manhattan from above.
This pic of Manhattan from the air gives a great sense of how vertical most of the buildings on the island are — along with demonstrating how much of an urban oasis Central Park is.
The eye wall.
It might look like ordinary clouds but they’re actually part of a hurricane. This weather plane flew into the eye of the storm to get this remarkable pic.
Pluto vs. Australia.
Pluto has lost its planet status and given its small size, it kind of makes sense. Here’s what it looks like compared to Australia.
Complicated business.
This pic from the set of I Love Lucy shows just how much work — and how much rigging — was needed to get these old-timey single set shows on the air.
Nevermind…
Nirvana’s Nevermind had an aquatic visual theme, from its cover to the music video for “Come As You Are”. Here’s what the shoot looked like from the surface.
Peek-a-boo.
We’re so used to seeing Mount Rushmore from a head-on angle that this shot from the side — featuring a coy glance from George Washington — just doesn’t look right.
Kayak vs. aircraft carrier.
A kayak is a small, single-person boat. The USS Midway was once the largest ship in the world. Here they are together.
Is this a medieval alehouse?
Acoustic instruments need some interior space to get their rich sound. If you poke a camera lens inside a cello, the interior looks almost like an empty house.
From the back.
The Taj Mahal is known as one of the most sublimely beautiful structures in the world. But the view from the back tells a different story.
3D eye.
This is a horse’s blue eye, viewed from the side. It’s incredible how much the eye pops out of its socket compared to a human’s eye.
The echo chamber.
This is a massive spillway, the part of a reservoir that allows water to flow from one area to another. I’m really glad this guy’s wearing a safety harness.
