53 Mind-Blowing Photos That Made Me Stop And Go "So THAT'S What That Looks Like"

1.It genuinely did not occur to me that lizards shed, but this is not how I would have expected it to look if it had. It's kind of...terrifying but cute at the same time?

A close-up image of a person's hand gently holding a small gecko with part of its old skin shedding off
u/Soloflow786 / Via reddit.com

2.I also didn't know cats could deal with Myostatin-related muscle hypertrophy, so this picture of an absolutely BUILT cat kind of blew my mind.

A hairless cat, known as a Sphynx, lounges on a white cushion near a sunny window, basking in the sunlight
u/Sea_Land_1944 / Via reddit.com

3.Did you know there are alarm clocks specifically for Deaf people? This one goes on your wrist and vibrates to wake you up.

Close-up of a wrist wearing a Shake-n-Wake alarm watch displaying the time 10:16:55
[deleted] / Via reddit.com

4.Ever wondered what a volcano eruption outside your door looks like? The answer is "extremely awesome."

A black cat sits on a windowsill, looking out at a scenic view of a sunset with vibrant clouds and distant flames. Decorative items are placed on the sill
TheIntellekt_ / Via reddit.com

5.If you're like me, you've never been inside a sperm collection room. I'm kind of creeped out by it, TBH.

A small, modern medical room with a black examination chair, a cabinet with medical supplies, a wall-mounted TV, and framed artworks on the walls
u/hellointerwebs3 / Via reddit.com

6.I...wish I had never seen what an owl without feathers looks like.

A small, dinosaur-like model with prominent eyes and clawed feet, standing on a green pedestal. The model is displayed against a plain backdrop
u/ImprovedDig / Via reddit.com

7.I also wish I had never seen what newborn horse hooves look like.

Close-up of the lower legs and hooves of a dark-furred animal standing on grass
u/literally_anything8 / Via reddit.com

8.I wish I had never seen this!!!!

Hairless cat's paw with extended toes. Tweet by Delaney King reads: "A reminder that your floofy cat's adorable toe beans look like this without fur. You are welcome."
u/furball555 / Via reddit.com

9.I never considered that eye tests using letters would be useless for children who can't yet read, so it's super cool to see this test chart that uses shapes instead.

Kindergarten vision test chart featuring various symbols such as a sailboat, circle, star, heart, plus sign, moon, and flag
DontBeDummo_BeWiseau / Via reddit.com

10.I had also never wondered what a pregnant guinea pig looks like, but now I am so, so glad I know. I want to roll it across soft grass.

A girl holds a fluffy guinea pig with her hands gently supporting it. The guinea pig has a rounded body and dark eyes
u/oligarchyoligarchy / Via reddit.com

11.This person found a literal hippopotamus tooth, and I would not have expected it to look like that.

A hand holding a fossilized rock resembling animal paws encased in darker material
u/randumbum / Via reddit.com

12.Bodies often have to be transported across states or even countries. And guess what? They basically just go in with the bags.

Airport ground crew loading luggage and a large box marked "HEAVY" onto a Southwest Airlines plane, viewed from a plane window
u/IncelDetectingRobot / Via reddit.com

13.Speaking of airports — this is how bags are moved around.

Packages moving along a conveyer belt in a warehouse or shipping facility
u/HotTelevision911 / Via reddit.com

14.I'm willing to bet you've never gotten close enough to a reindeer to see their eye color, which means you probably don't know that they turn bright blue in winter. This helps them see better in the dark by capturing more light.

Close-up of a deer’s eye (left) and the same eye with a purple hue (right) showing a different perspective or possible alteration
u/De4dvoice / Via reddit.com

15.TIL Beluga sea whales look wildly like mermaids from below.

A dolphin is swimming upwards towards a bright light source at the water's surface. The image is captured from below
u/Opposite-Baby565 / Via reddit.com

16.For some reason, this is NOT how I imagined power line towers being installed.

Five workers in safety gear observe a helicopter airlifting a power line structure
u/Newcool1230 / Via reddit.com

17.Great, I'm even more terrified of snakes after seeing what a cross-section of a rattlesnake's tail looks like.

A person's hand touches a cross-section model of a rattlesnake rattle, demonstrating the interlocking segments that create the rattling sound. Text: "Please touch!"
u/dr-boofenshmirtz / Via reddit.com

18.I'm also newly terrified of eagles after seeing how big their talons are.

Close-up of a person's hands inspecting the curved black talons of a large reptilian or bird-like claw
u/louiebaur / Via reddit.com

19.For anyone wondering, this is what the inside of an air mattress looks like.

Close-up of an intricate weaving pattern with numerous threads running vertically and horizontally. The threads are part of a fabric or textile machine
u/ImKindaEssential / Via reddit.com

20.And this is what microwave popcorn looks like inside the bag.

Partially popped microwave popcorn with many unpopped kernels, in a brown paper bag
u/swooooot / Via reddit.com

21.I've never seen a shaved cat, and I find it kind of shocking that cats' fur patterns occur on their skin, as well.

A cat with a shaved spot on its side reclines on someone's lap
u/robrobxD / Via reddit.com

22.Ever wondered how they keep corpses' mouths and eyes closed at viewings? They use these babies!

A hand holding two silicone nipple shields and a brown plastic breastfeeding shield
undertakerdave / Via reddit.com

23.Here's how small lobsters are when they're three weeks old.

Close-up shot of a hexagonal patterned structure with a circular opening in the center, illuminated by ultraviolet light
u/Minniemoose1336 / Via reddit.com

24.This is what 5-day-old hedgehogs look like, and I'm gonna need 20 immediately.

Hands holding a small group of newborn hedgehogs curled up together
u/Zuntic / Via reddit.com

25.Did you know this is how owls sleep? Me neither!

Five images of sleeping owls in various positions, including lying on their stomachs and sides
u/SonoriousRBLX / Via reddit.com

26.This is what a lucky rabbit foot looks like without the fur...it doesn't look so lucky anymore, tbh.

A purple skeletal hand keychain is attached to a beaded chain, lying on a textured surface with dark purple powder around it
u/dfiorentine7005 / Via reddit.com

27.For years, the mystery of what goes on behind the back wall of the bowling alley has haunted and plagued me. How are the pins replaced? What mechanism brings the balls back to you? Now, I no longer have to wonder.

Rows of pinsetter machines in a bowling alley mechanical room, showing the complex mechanisms for resetting pins. No people are visible

28.It never occurred to me to wonder how music was typed back in the day, and I actually think it's so cool now that I know.

A vintage mechanical stenography machine mounted on a wooden board with a sheet of music behind it

29.Huh. So that's what the inside of a credit card looks like.

A damaged RFID card with intricate patterns and a barcode is held by a person's hand. Background is dark wood
u/eatandreddit / Via reddit.com

30.And this is what the chip looks like individually.

Close-up of a fingertip holding a small microchip
u/dsmaxwell / Via reddit.com

31.I actually think this Catscan machine without its cover looks super cool, like it belongs in a steampunk movie, though if I were inside it, I might feel differently.

An intricate machine with various components, likely an advanced medical imaging device or scientific equipment, displayed in a lab environment
u/NRGpop / Via reddit.com

32.This cross-section of a sub also looks wildly steampunk.

Close-up of the inner workings of a submarine's engine room, filled with complex machinery, pipes, and controls. An individual stands at the bottom for scale
u/AnonymousFairy / Via reddit.com

33.This is how thick the cables are on the Golden Gate Bridge.

Model of the Golden Gate Bridge's main cable on display with a sign detailing its dimensions. Trees and a bridge are visible in the background
u/nextgeneric / Via reddit.com

34.I bet you've never seen an airplane without seats! Here's what one looks like.

The image shows the interior of a commercial airplane with empty seats, configured for cargo or other non-passenger uses. Markings on the floor illustrate different sections
u/coolhunt12 / Via reddit.com

35.No one was gonna tell me telephone cables have THIS MANY individual cables inside?

Close-up of a multi-colored, cross-sectioned fiber optic cable on a work surface
u/Littlecat10 / Via reddit.com

36.Y'know, I never thought to wonder what shark skin looks like under a microscope, but I'm glad I know now.

Close-up microscopic image of shark skin, showing the detailed structure of overlapping, teeth-like scales known as dermal denticles
BrazyBookie / Via reddit.com

37.I am...kind of disturbed to see what a bear looks like without fur (don't worry, this poor girl recovered).

A spectacled bear with patchy fur stands on a brick structure, looking to the side
Sebastian Willnow / DDP/AFP via Getty Images

38.Have you ever wondered how koalas are weighed? The answer is wildly cute.

A person holds a baby koala while looking at another koala sitting on a branch attached to a weighing scale
VastCoconut2609 / Via reddit.com

39.This is how big gasoline containers are underneath gas pumps.

A crane lifts a large, cylindrical object as construction workers guide it with ropes at a construction site. Several vehicles and equipment are nearby
u/restless_corpse / Via reddit.com

40.And here's what the inside of a gas pump looks like.

Conoco gas pump with exposed mechanics and displayed gas prices: $3.23 regular, $3.12 plus, $3.27 premium
u/Zacharacamyison / Via reddit.com

41.Let's pull back the curtain on a classic child's toy — here's what an etch-a-sketch looks like under the screen.

Close-up of a red Etch A Sketch toy with scribbles on the screen
Bodega7 / Via reddit.com

42.This escalator with the belt removed is giving dystopian mall. (The Last of Us, anyone?)

An escalator under construction in a shopping mall with visible metal framework and no steps installed yet. Another operational escalator is on the right
[deleted] / Via reddit.com

43.Now ya know how park benches are anchored to the ground!

Several wooden benches overturned on a grassy field near a fenced area with trees in the background
u/Swisskommando / Via reddit.com

44.Have you ever wondered how drinks are loaded into soda machines? Now, ya know!

An open Coca-Cola Freestyle machine being serviced, revealing the internal components, with a person's arm visible on the side
u/SlimKognito / Via reddit.com

45.And here's how Redbox DVDs are loaded!

A person is crouching and repairing a Redbox DVD rental machine outside. The interior mechanics of the machine are visible
[deleted] / Via reddit.com

46.This is how massive an IMAX screen looks when it's delivered to a movie theater.

Large IMAX film reel on a patterned floor, labeled "FRAGILE" and "STRONG," with visible shipping details
u/Tpechner123 / Via reddit.com

47.This is not where I expected sesame seeds to come from.

Three small, green pods with seeds inside placed on the palm of a hand
u/WasInprogress / Via reddit.com

48.As a spinach artichoke dip lover, I'm shocked I've never seen what a bloomed artichoke actually looks like.

A blue crate filled with artichokes with purple flowers displayed at a market, price signs visible but not fully legible in the background
u/qalmakka / Via reddit.com

49.This fossilized dinosaur skin looks pretty similar to how I would've imagined it, but it's still cool to see.

A piece of fossilized beehive tissue with a honeycomb pattern on a denim-like fabric backdrop
u/Justme222222 / Via reddit.com

50.I never wondered how bonsai roots grew, yet I'm still shocked by the answer.

Close-up of hands holding a plant with its roots exposed, showing a dense, tangled network of roots. The top part includes a small stem
u/damagedmonkey / Via reddit.com

51.A peeled lime just looks wrong to me, but I'm glad I now know what it looks like.

A peeled citrus fruit being held between a person's fingers
u/Djungel_skoggy / Via reddit.com

52.I never thought about the workers who paint lines on airport tarmacs, which makes it even more interesting to see the fake road on which they practice their painting.

An optical illusion of painted lines on a road creates a 3D effect, making the surface appear uneven and wavy under a clear sky
u/Responsible-Mail7927 / Via reddit.com

53.There are also USPS training areas with fake mailboxes – here's what they look like.

People lined up outdoors near USPS training sign, awaiting instruction beside a postal delivery vehicle and cones in an overcast area with trees
u/kg_digital_ / Via reddit.com