Plenty of photographs and images are more or less self explanatory. But sometimes, there are other ways to conceptualize things in a way that elevates a photo. Let’s check out some cool pics — and add a little perspective while we’re at it.
Black holes, 1979 style.
It was big news when scientists were able to create the first photo of a black hole. But before those fancy algorithms, we had this visualization. Every tiny dot was manually plotted onto the paper by hand.
RELATED STORIES
Some context.
The 2019 black hole image is a gamechanger, but it’s tough to visualize it in terms of space. Here’s a handy little guide. Long story short: it’s really, really big.
Curiosity killed the cat.
If you’re the type of person who would absolutely push this button despite the warning, just know that you’re not alone. To date, the button has been pushed more than 100,000 times, despite the clear warning.
Vineyards are lit.
It might look like a city from the air, but each point of light is actually a controlled fire, used to protect vineyards from frost. It’s amazing how fire can be so helpful and so destructive.
Together we stand, divided we fall.
This is an awesome school exercise. So long as everyone is holding up their end of the deal by hanging onto their length of rope, the student can stand. If anyone lets go, he’ll fall.
Alien blood?
You’re looking at a small cut. This person bleeds red blood and there’s no camera trickery, so what gives? Turns out red light can only penetrate 30 feet underwater, so anything that’s red on the surface will appear green below this depth.
It’s never too late.
Have you ever failed to return a library book and just kept it because you’re too ashamed to return it super late? Just read this letter. This person is working to right their wrong, decades after it happened.
Australia, man.
I’ve seen these fire risk signs in my neck of the woods, but because everything is more dangerous in Australia, this is what their signs look like. Yeesh. The second “safest” level is high .
Fire and ice.
It doesn’t seem possible to build a shelter out of snow, then to warm it with fire. The outside of this igloo looks incredible — and rather than melting, the snow provides insulation.
I’m anxious.
I don’t like small spaces, so the idea of an alley so freakin’ narrow that it literally needs its own traffic light is not my idea of a good time.
Life finds a way.
This tree rudely took out a few sections of wooden fence when it fell. But because of the precise way that it fell, the fence doesn’t even need to be replaced.
You can see the divide.
Berlin has been united since the Berlin Wall fell three decades ago, but you can still see evidence of a divided Berlin. This aerial shot shows that the former East Berlin has yellowy-orange lights, while the former West Berlin’s lights are more white.
Better see a doctor.
You know how infections can feel hot? Turns out it’s not an illusion. This heat map of an infected hand shows just how hot things can get when a body part is inflamed.
Facepalm.
In our efforts to be more environmentally friendly, there are bound to be missteps. This company is making a bold statement with its “Say no to plastic” straws…that are wrapped up in plastic.
On that note…
The flip side of that same coin is this supermarket somewhere in Asia. Instead of the standard plastic produce bags, large leaves are used to wrap veggies up in a more sustainable way.
Friends til the end.
This absolutely heartwarming comparison shows anthropologist Grover Krantz and his Irish Wolfhound, Clyde — in life and in death. You can see the display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.
Can anyone guess what this is?
Despite the fact that it looks like a cigarette, it’s actually a rolled up train ticket. Odd that the colors line up in the exact same way.
This isn’t just any old blood.
Scientists in Siberia found a 42,000 year old foal that still had liquid blood in its body.
This sample of blood is the oldest blood in the world.
Anyone need an Advil?
This isn’t some odd execution method. It’s actually a treatment for headaches in 1895.
Correct if I’m wrong, but wouldn’t that make things worse ?
Think you’re looking at the sky? Look closer.
This is a photo of the Moravian fields.
I can see the grass now, but I originally thought it was the northern lights.
Buckets of rice? Bugs? Rocks?
They’re actually buckets of 420,000 counterfeit Xanax pills seized by police off of the Dark Web. The drugs in this photo add up to an estimated street value of 3 million dollars.
Practical effects.
We’ve all seen Elf , right? I wasn’t sure how they made Will Ferrell look so much bigger than everyone else, but I would have never guessed it was simple forced perspective.
How is that house not falling over?
It’s actually a cabin with mirrors attached to it in the middle of the desert, meant to elicit an optical illusion.
My guess is either a flower or a sea creature.
Nope. It’s a mosquito’s foot at 800x magnification.
I’m afraid to see what the rest of him looks like.
How many heartbeats are too many?
This stethoscope is specially made for teaching purposes, so multiple students can train with it at once.
Yecch.
On the left is a clean water filter cartridge. On the right is one that’s been filtering city water for three months. I’ll brb, because suddenly I have the urge to change my Brita filter.
Maybe we’re not so smart.
We humans have big, beautiful brains that allow us to be smarter than all the other animals, right? Well, comparing a human brain (left) to a dolphin brain might challenge that assumption.
I’m old.
I actually remember using floppy disks. Then CD burners were the big thing. Then there were USB thumb drives with, like, 256 megabytes of data. Now we live in the future and I’m really, really old.
