It’s all well and good to want to study up and learn about the world, but sometimes you just have to appreciate the cool stuff that’s out there. And hey, if you can do both at the same time, even better.
These pics play that role — they enlighten and they entertain, the best of both worlds.
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How you shave matters.
If you think there’s a noticeable difference when you shave with a razor vs. an electric shaver, you might be onto something. Seen under magnification, the beard hair on the left was cut with a razor – the one on the right is from the electric shaver.
Do with that what you will.
I would try these on a burger, for sure.
Yes, there are such things as purple tomatoes. The uploader identified these bright beauties as “Indigo Rose” tomatoes, but noted that the flesh inside is more red than purple.
Heads up!
Yes, that’s a watermelon. Yes, they usually grow on the ground. However, in this case, the watermelon’s vines have wrapped around a tree, and it sprouted well above the ground.
Here’s hoping someone harvests it before it can clobber anyone in the noggin.
Putting on a light show.
This is a long exposure picture of fireflies — or, if you prefer, lightning bugs. Their flashes of light are usually momentary, but as this image shows, they do tend to get around while they’re lit up.
Not nearly as scary as you might think.
Sure, you might not enjoy a close encounter with this guy, but it’s harmless all the same.
This dog-faced bat is known as a Buettikofer’s epauletted fruit bat, which should tip you off about how likely it is to take a bite out of you.
Okay, I’m impressed.
Space flight is just as impressive from this angle at 34,000 feet as it is from the ground. In the middle of the image is NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center.
The two structures down the road from it are launch pads.
The things you see out an airplane window.
Sure, most of the flight you want to be out cold so it can go by as quickly as possible, but you don’t want to miss out on sights like this: Japan’s Mt. Fuji clearly cutting a path through clouds.
That’s one way to do it.
In the Western Sahara, you might have to cross this thing: the world’s longest conveyor belt.
It stretches 61 miles, from a phosphate mine in Morocco at one end to the ocean at the other end.
User experience-based design.
Rather than creating designated walking paths around campus, the University of Ohio let students dictate where they should go.
When enough students crossing campus had worn the paths they needed in order to get around, the university paved over the paths.
This is a sport.
The tradition of building human towers or “castells” up to 10 layers tall began as a feature of cultural festivals in Catalonia way back in the early 18th century. Today, it’s a sport with an annual championship.
To build human towers so tall, the spots at the top are usually children because they’re so small and light – and yes, they wear helmets.
Maker’s mark.
The glass blower who made this object signed off in Braille. That’s not only an accessible way to sign your name, but also a clear sign of craftsmanship, too.
More than you bargained for.
It’s unclear if this was wild salmon or farmed salmon, but it came with an unexpected bonus: this RFID tag, similar to what you get when you chip your dog or cat.
So, at the very least, someone out there was interested in this fish’s fate.
Ssssweet.
It’s hard to even imagine how many hours or palm leaves went into creating this snake dress, but it’s absolutely incredible work.
Bloomin’ stinky.
The corpse flower got its name with good reason — it stinks up a stench that’s often compared to rotting beef.
And yet, people will gather around to see it open up and unleash that horrific stench because they tend to only bloom once every eight years, and only open up for about a day when they do.
“Same whale, 35 years apart.”
The markings on the tail check out, much like a fingerprint. It seems that, if nothing else, this whale likes the warmer waters off Mexico’s Pacific coast, as it was spotted just outside the Baja on both occasions.
The perfect camouflage.
Nature isn’t the only creator of things that blend into the background. If not for the plate underneath it, you might not even know there was a pesto pizza on this countertop.
What a shame that would be, too, because it looks delicious.
Swim with care!
If you even want to brave the icy waters of Lake Superior, that is.
But, if you’re feeling extra warm, you’d still want to be careful around this abandoned silver mine shaft near Thunder Bay, Ontario.
Gross, but still kinda cool, too.
Somebody making pizza dough took a pause to note how it had created this glutinous, stringy mass. Not sure if that’s a good sign for the pizza’s future, but it IS fascinating in a purely clinical sense.
“My grandpa in front of the plane he flew in World War II. He is 97 now.”
Very few people are able to say that something that was a part of their life ended up in a museum. He looks so proud!
“2,200 year old Greek armbands.”
This is the sort of extravagant, borderline tacky jewelry I think should make a comeback. Tell me you wouldn’t feel fancy wearing these.
“Stone Sculptures Created by Jose Manuel Lopez Castro.”
Be it a full-blown statue or artworks like this, anyone who manages to make a rock look soft has my respect.
“This window makes [my] back yard look like it’s in 4 different seasons.”
That tree on the far right is either ahead of the autumn game, or way behind on the spring and summer game.
“Bulgarian men in Babugeri costumes […].”
Used in a ceremony that’s performed to drive away evil spirits, these costumes look even more incredible in motion!
“This beehive that looks like [it’s] melting.”
Seeing photos like this, I fully believe those artists who drew futuristic, hyper-modern cityscapes got their inspiration from bees.
“The way the veins on the leaf align with the creases in the hand.”
Obviously, this is a purposefully artsy shot, but seeing how close the human body can relate to things found in nature is still pretty neat.
“Village in Romania where it’s mandatory to keep the tradition of painting houses.”
Can we bring this tradition to the rest of the world? It would liven up my neighborhood a lot.
“Girl buried with a crown of ceramic flowers. Patras, 300-400 B.C.”
Many pointed out in the comments that the existence of the crown at all makes it clear that she was very loved. A crown fit for a princess.
“This incredibly fluffy bird is called a white-browed tit-warbler (credit: Hiuying Tse).”
I can’t get over how cute this bird is. The colors alone are stunning, but its little round shape too? Immaculate.
“Made from old car & motorbike tyres.”
Man, he looks mad as hell. Forget a guard dog, I just want him in front of my house to intimidate away any intruders.
I think they’re gonna get some weather, eh?
Taken over Brockville, Ontario, a lucky resident captured this incredible view of an incoming storm system.
It’s one of those pics that’s great to get, and then makes you go right back inside before all hell breaks loose.
“This is an armadillo girdled lizard, they’re usually found in the deserts along the western coast of South Africa. They look kind of like little dragons.”
And this one looks like a little ouroboros. Be careful, buddy! You don’t want to become too cyclical!
“Crows love to pull tails. It’s a strategy they use to distract an animal from eating so they can steal its food, but they’ve also been known to do it just for fun.”
Any time I gain new knowledge about crows, it’s always something like “they mess with humans and other animals for kicks.” Crows are the coolest birds out there.
“This is what my [parents’] bar gives you if you spill a drink (baby bottle).”
Actions have consequences, and sometimes those who dish out said consequences love a good laugh.
“October-octopumkin.”
This jack-o-lantern essentially carves itself!
