When What Is Being Seen Isn’t What It Actually Is

By Jhoana C

This article was originally published on docjournals

Once in a while, we find ourselves going down the rabbit hole of the Internet, and we come across some of the most amazing and downright weird images that have a way of burrowing deep into our brains. These are the photos that make us say, “Really?” The Internet is a repository of funny, cool, and sometimes weird pictures that are given misleading thumbnails. A little search will yield plenty of results. They grab your attention, but once you look at the bigger picture, it’s entirely different from what you first thought it was. Sometimes, they can fall into the category of optical illusions. We have compiled such images for you. There are some times when what you think you see isn’t exactly what you get.

Want some Nutella with your baguette?

This is another proof of “Where I fits, I sits.” Well, in this case, little kitty is not sitting down but sleeping in a loaf pan. If you don’t take a closer look, you’ll probably believe that it’s a baguette with fur.

Image courtesy of spaztronomical/Reddit

Well, that baguette looks extra furry right now, and the Nutella jars look a bit dry. Perhaps, because they’ve been left outside for too long? You must really cover the Nutella jars to prevent that gooey spread from drying out.

Choo choo train speeding a tunnel

Some people have nightmares of being run over by a train. But we won’t mind if the train is this cute. Just look at those big eyes. We’re quite sure that this kitty train loves the smell of tuna and chasing mice around the house.

Image courtesy of sgibbons746/Reddit

We also bet that this train likes squeaky toys and scratch posts. However, that train tunnel looks a bit dirty and is badly in need of a good washing. Or perhaps it’s just the lighting that’s making it look extra dirty?

This yummy lunch salad though

Contrary to what most people believe, salads don’t have to be bland and don’t have to seem like you are just eating grass. The secret is in choosing a variety of greens seasoned with just the right amount of salt and pepper, the right dressing, and the addition of different textures such as nuts and croutons.

Image courtesy of sgibbons746/Reddit

Well, this is a salad we would be eager to devour until we took a closer and longer look at it. Yes, those are not greens but birds. They’re looking extra crunchy; however, they look like their bowl is too small, and somebody’s getting sat on.

Have some pasta and guacamole

Who doesn’t love pasta? We think anyone who doesn’t like pasta should be sent to jail. Seriously though, it’s one of the best comfort foods you can ever have, especially when cooked by an Italian grandma. Guacamole is everyone’s favorite food too. We just can’t resist avocados.

Image courtesy of mcampo84/Reddit

However, this is one spaghetti and guacamole pairing we just can’t eat, no matter how much we want to. Toads are just a no-no for a healthy diet. Some of them are poisonous. However, they look snug and comfortable in their bowls.

Those are nice curves

We love curves, especially if they are all in the right places. When we saw this picture, we were instantly reminded of Kate Winslet’s pose in Titanic when she asked Leonardo DiCaprio to draw her like one of his French girls.

Image courtesy of paperwasp/Reddit

It is reminiscent of her lying on that sofa and posing wearing nothing but the Heart of the Ocean diamond necklace around her neck. But these curves don’t belong to any woman. They’re glaciers, but they’re damn sexy ones, though.

Wow, that girl can do an impressive split!

We know a lot of you were frustrated as children when you couldn’t do the splits. Being able to do the splits was a much-coveted skill back then. How we wished we could all do the splits like this bride. Damn, she has long legs!

Image courtesy of hobocheese88/Reddit

We don’t know what the photographer was thinking when he asked the couple to pose like this. He mustn’t have thought how the photo would look from afar. It doesn’t look safe either. What if the wood plank she was sitting on were to break?

Wow you have a big nose!

What happened to the dog’s nose?! That’s the first thing that we thought of when we saw this photo. It looked horribly deformed and just too large for the dog’s small face. Take a closer look, and you’ll see a hamster or similar small critter hanging on there for dear life.

Image courtesy of cullenscottt/Reddit

We have to commend the dog, though, for being extra patient with his playful little friend. The photo was a little terrifying to look at- at first, but when you take a closer and longer look, you’ll realize that it’s really super cute.

I wouldn’t wear anything like that

If you haven’t clicked on this picture and just looked at the thumbnail, your first thought would be, “What a trashy bride? Why would she wear something like that on her wedding day?” Well, you need to hold your horses.

Image courtesy of vidoardes/Reddit

She’s not trashy at all. It’s another woman’s shoulder and arms accidentally getting into the, Uhm, wrong places. This is a perfect example of why you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, or in this instance, a picture by its thumbnail.

The wood is splitting apart because of the heat

Gathering and splitting firewood is a task not enjoyed by millennials, but ask the older generation, and they’ll tell you it’s one of those jobs that just had to be done. Not only do you get a sense of accomplishment, but you also get to exercise your arms.

Image courtesy of Tgumpsta/Reddit

But this firewood doesn’t need splitting. They can split and move all by themselves. See those legs? It’s a group of meerkats trying to warm themselves under a light. Or maybe they are also discussing their future winter plans?

Those bananas are looking delicious

According to reports, more than 10 billion bananas are consumed all over the world each year. Wow, that’s a lot! We sure do love our bananas. What’s not to love? Bananas taste good and are a healthy source of potassium, fiber, Vitamin C, antioxidants, and phytonutrients.

Image courtesy of FirstWhistle/Reddit

We’ll eat bananas any day, except for this one. It’s the wrong variety of bananas. They might look ripe, but they hiss and might possibly be poisonous. Try to peel one and eat it, and you’ll see exactly what we mean.

That’s some chubby sundae

Admit it, one of the best things you like about going to McDonald’s is their dessert offering. We like our sundae very much, and we order it every time we are at Mickey D’s. Nothing like a cold and delicious sundae after devouring a big burger and fries.

Image courtesy of MaXcRiMe/Reddit

However, this sundae is looking extra chubby, and it has eyes too. Not to mention, it’s missing its cup. We’re here just wondering why it hasn’t melted yet and dripped on the table. Mickey D’s must have made a few alterations to their sundae recipe.

Wow, they have plenty of ducks over there

Related to swans and geese, ducks are aquatic birds that live in both sea and freshwater. They can be found on every continent except Antarctica. Interestingly, a female duck is called a hen or just duck, while a male duck is called a drake.

Image courtesy of rayneraynedrops/Reddit

We’re not sure if the ducks you see in the photo are male or female. We’re just sure there’s plenty of them, and they’re enjoying their time in the water. Or are those ducks? Take a closer look and you’ll find out for yourself.

Happy chickens hitching a ride

As of December 2018, it was stated that there are 65 million chickens consumed yearly. There are approximately 23 billion chickens on Earth at any given time; that’s about 40 times more than sparrows and 10 more times than any other bird.

Image courtesy of Flaming_Ice_/Reddit

Just look at those chickens on the back of a vehicle. They seem to be happy and content where they are. They don’t have any plans of flying anytime soon. Well, maybe that’s because they can’t fly at all. They are gallons of milk.

I bought myself a new motherboard

The motherboard, sometimes called the mainboard, is the central part of a computer. There are many computer parts connected to it, and without it, the computer will not be able to function correctly. The motherboard is also one of the most often replaced parts of a computer.

Image courtesy of Keatoneatin247/Reddit

This motherboard is huge. It covers hundreds of square feet in space, and it’s bigger than a car. But this isn’t exactly a motherboard, though. It’s an aerial view of the top of a building. It sure looks like a motherboard, though.

Get out of the lava’s way

Two of the scariest things about volcanoes are when they erupt and when they spew put hot molten lava. If you’ve ever seen the movie Dante’s Peak, you know what we mean. We still can’t forget that image of the grandma pushing the boat as she sustains chemical burns.

Image courtesy of skrrtskrrtspermworm/Reddit

It’s important to get away from lava and stay away from it because it can cause serious burns. See the lava in the photo? It’s not the type that can cause danger because those are clouds. We know, it had us fooled too.   

That’s one big ethernet hub

If you’re someone who worked with or near computers, you’d probably recognize this photo. It’s an ethernet hub. For those of the uninitiated, an ethernet hub, sometimes called a network hub, is a device used to connect multiple Ethernet devices.

Image courtesy of athanathios/Reddit

This hub can connect more than 40 Ethernet devices. However, the fact is it’s just a commercial building. However, we have to give props to the man who designed this building because the windows look like Ethernet ports.

Call an ambulance

The girl looks like she just lost a fight with Jaws. That’s what we think anyway, considering that her leg looks mangled. We can only think of the scars she will have once her leg is healed. How did she get free from the shark and back on the grass is all we are wondering about?

Image courtesy of BunnyAdorbs/Reddit

Before you say ewww, it’s just her brown slouchy bag. But the way it’s placed next to her leg and the way her face is like writhing in agony does give you the sense that her grave injury is giving her a very difficult time.

Someone gave me an antelope skull

Related to cows, goats, and sheep, antelopes live in Asia, Africa, and Western America. True antelopes keep their antlers, and when you’re in the desert, it’s not uncommon to come across antelope skulls, such as this one here in the photo.

Image courtesy of dvz1/Imgur

This antelope skull seems to be very tired from his little excursion. He’s drained and passed out on the sofa. We wouldn’t be surprised if this antelope skull started barking and jumping around once it wakes up. It may want to play a game of catch too.

My sheet’s been burned

We’re wondering what got into this guy’s head that he put a scorching hot cast iron pan on his bed. The only things you can expect from that are burn marks and holes on your sheet. He’s lucky he didn’t get burned in the first place.

Image courtesy of chafedog/Imgur

We all know that when you’re cooking, you should stay in the kitchen and not take pans and skillets with you in the bedroom. However, this is the kind of burn mark that purrs and loves catnip. This burning thing smells like a cat too.

Such a waste of good leather

Leather couches are considered to be a luxury. We might have heard a few things about leather furniture, such as leather not being comfortable to sit on and that it can be easily damaged. Well, these are just myths. If you take care of your leather sofa, it can last a really long time.

Image courtesy of RLG_James/Reddit

However, this leather sofa has been torn. It’s such a pity. Can you see the split? But it sure looks like a boat in the water. Or our eyes deceiving us? What is it? We leave it to you to decide.

Love me some glazed pastries

Glazed pastries make excellent snack or breakfast options. We love them, and we can’t wait to take a bite out of them. However, these are the types of pastries we won’t even get close to. They may look enticing, but we’ll just have to decline politely.

Image courtesy of Shnazzyone/Reddit

Not only do these pastries slither they also hiss and will bite back if you try to eat them. Does wanting to eat them mean provoking them? We’re not very sure, but we might as well take all the necessary precautions.

Why would you take a bath with King Tut?

Should this picture be a cause for concern? It sure does at first glance. Look at those burnt and emaciated legs on the right. They look like all life has been drained from them. Should we be scared? It turns out we have nothing to worry about.

Image courtesy of Knighthawk1441/Reddit

It’s just a man and his dog having a grand time in the bath. If you think of it, the dog has really pretty legs and feet. But the bigger question is what shoes have the man been wearing that he has bunions like that?

How would you like a beak to go with your sushi?

One of the most famous Japanese foods enjoyed all over the world is sushi. 62% of Americans love it. Although Americans didn’t initially embrace sushi, they have warmed up to it. Today, it’s a $22 billion industry, and there are more than 4,000 sushi bars in the US alone.

Image courtesy of aRealAmateur/Reddit

But the sushi you see in the photo is unique. It has a distinct beak, and it has two eyes too. It can also sing like a canary. We would love to hear this sushi sing in the morning. We’re quite sure it knows a tune or two.

Let’s go giraffe-spotting

Are you a giraffe lover? This is a good place to go giraffe-spotting. They are the tallest mammals on Earth, and they’re pretty impressive when it comes to speed because they can run as fast as 35 miles per hour.

Image courtesy of Uniqueusername111112/Reddit

Look at all of them looking up at the sky as if admiring the heavens. They sure look impressive against the sunset. We bet they are somewhere out there enjoying their watering holes. The only problem with these giraffes is they are made of cranes.

Curly-haired man attempting a dive

How do you execute a dive? Those who have grown up near the water and have been swimming since they were little will probably know how to. However, for those of us who don’t even know how to swim, it’s a different story.

Image courtesy of danish-pastry/Reddit

This curly-haired diver is about to execute the perfect dive. He better get on it, as the sea monster behind him is not pleased and is about to pounce. Take a closer look, though, and you’ll see it’s actually a lady in a snorkeling mask with a sea urchin on her palm.

This man can’t see clearly with his eyeglasses

What’s the point of getting some eyeglasses when your vision becomes worse right after putting them on? It defeats the purpose of the eyeglasses in the first place. We’re sure this guy is thinking of writing a letter of complaint to the ophthalmologist.

Image courtesy of kalup_pollo/Reddit

This wasn’t what he had in mind when he was told to get some eyeglasses. Could it be because he is wearing a mask and the glasses got a little foggy? Probably but all the same, it doesn’t change the fact that what you’re looking at is a bridge and it’s reflection on the water below.

What in the world are those?

We know what you’re thinking; this man must be a pervert letting all of his “possessions” hang out like that. Mister, nobody wants to see them, so you better keep them to yourself before we call the cops on you.

Image courtesy of JukeboxSommelier/Reddit

But you can calm down and stop your blood pressure from going any higher. There’s nothing salacious here, it’s just his daughter’s feet between his legs. You can look away; there’s nothing much to see here.

The farmer busy working in his field

Being the owner of a farm and tilling the land yourself can be challenging, especially if there’s no extra pair of hands to help you. We would like to commend all the farmers worldwide who are hard at work just like this one, ensuring that we have food on our tables.

Image courtesy of ozone3030/Reddit

They work under the sun, ensuring that their crops have all the nutrients they can get and are safe from pests. However, this guy is not working in a field and what you’re looking at isn’t a field other. It’s a frame from the Matrix movie with a cursor on it. Yes, the cursor is wearing a hat, or is it? We will let you decide.

Is that a plane on an orange?

Now this one has got even us confused and scratching our heads. Amazing what you can do with photography these days. It’s a microscopic view of a tweezer picking an organism up from a dish. How could it look like an orange, though?

Image courtesy of DlxSwgMstr/Reddit

However, it also looks like an airplane with contrails behind it. But how can the airplane be on an orange? Hmmm, this makes us want to use our brain cells to think. Which do you think it probably is?

Come here Froggie

Cosplaying has gotten big over the past few years, and most big cities have yearly cosplay conventions where people can dress up and pretend that they’re someone else. It’s kinda like Halloween but without the Trick or Treating and with way cooler characters.

Image courtesy of pjlear/Reddit

Just look at these two men in frog costume on their way to the convention. Seriously though, these are people wearing Class “A” Haz-Mat suits. The stuff on their back that makes them look like hunchbacks is a breathing apparatus.

Catch ‘em all

What do you first think when you look at this photo? Well, it looks like somebody’s Pokemon card collection. Remember those? It was very popular a few years ago. But take a second look, and you’ll think it’s a spread of Tarot cards.

Image courtesy of ThePizzaDoc/Reddit

Both previous answers are wrong, though. This is St. John’s Cathedral, located in the capital of Malta, Valletta. That’s not some sort of carpet style on the floor. It’s covered with numerous tombstones. The church is considered one of the best examples of Baroque architecture in Europe. Time to put this on the bucket list.

This is a disturbing doll

When we look at this picture, the first that comes to mind is a poppet. A poppet is a doll that’s made to represent a person, and these dolls are used in witchcraft to cast spells, help or hurt that person through the use of magic.

Image courtesy of opheliamobley/Reddit

We’re not saying that the lady in the witch, though but she sure looks like she’s showing off her doll to friends. The thing is, she‘s only holding a brown bag filled with we don’t know what. The other lady just happened to pass by at the exact time the photo was taken.

Let’s get our sewing going 

When sewing, either by hand or by machine, you have got to be careful. You wouldn’t want that extra sharp needle anywhere around your fingers, and you don’t want to injure yourself. Wanna see what a needle through cotton looks like? Take a look at the photo.

Image courtesy of incognityo/Reddit

In reality, there’s no needle there. That’s a rocket being launched into space. It looks tiny in the grand scheme of things, and it makes you realize just what a small space we occupy in this world. On second thought, it also looks like a close-up of a candle wick. Hmm.

We’d like some of the bacon, please

Bacon is the reason why some people have a hard time giving up meat. The word bacon means meat from the back of an animal. Although 70% of bacon in the United States is eaten during breakfast, but it can be eaten anytime. We’ll even eat it for dinner.

Image courtesy of MattCloudy/Reddit

We’d love to have slices of bacon this big. They don’t sell this kind of bacon in stores, so it might be a specialty type. However, we have heard that this type of bacon can cause stomach complaints, perhaps because it’s actually made of wood.

That’s a lot of bacteria on a petri dish

When we speak of bacteria and germs, we naturally squirm away and jump backward in fright. We want to avoid them as much as possible because people with weak immune systems can easily get sick. And as we all know, bugs can bring the world to a standstill if they spread out of control.

Image courtesy of gdogg897/Reddit

Well, these just happen to be the cutest and most harmless bacteria we’ve ever seen. They’re busy moving about the petri dish, looking for a way to escape. They are very colorful and tiny, and this is the only kind of bacteria we wanna see growing in a dish.

Don’t do that to the dog!

Dogs are man’s best friend. Not only do they know how to love you unconditionally, but they also know when to comfort you. They are heaven-sent. Just ask anybody or any family who has grown with a dog, and they’ll tell you how much joy they have brought to their lives.

Image courtesy of nothisagain/Imgur

So, we were quite alarmed when we saw this picture of a fellow throwing a dog out of a helicopter. We wanted to find the man and do him serious harm. We were relieved when we saw the whole video and found out that it’s just a man throwing his Corgi in the snow, and the dog was loving it!

You need to patch this hole

What would a black hole be doing in the kitchen? Aren’t they usually only found in deep space? We asked ourselves the same thing after seeing this photo. Maybe we ought to turn to those science guys for answers. They might know a thing or two.

Image courtesy of bananahands0666/Reddit

Not only did this black hole appear on the kitchen floor, but it also has two eyes, a nose, and an extra shiny coat. It’s looking extra cute, too, that we just want to cuddle this black hole. We’re sure it would want to play fetch with us as well.

Something for surfers

Tube riding is something that surfers love. It’s used to describe riding inside a curve or a barrel, and it’s one of the many popular adrenaline-pumping sports. The person in the picture seems to belong to the wrong environment.

Image courtesy of Redbaron1701/Reddit

Why is someone dressed in winter gear tube riding? A little confusing, right. Well, the thing is, the person isn’t exactly somewhere tropical. She’s somewhere icy cold and making her way through what seems to be an ice tunnel.

The Easter Island has fallen

Good heavens! Unknown forces have attacked Easter Island, and the statues have fallen. Look at them on the ground! Oh, that’s not an Easter Island statue? We are so relieved! For a second there, we thought that the World Heritage Site had been ransacked.

Image courtesy of daymanahaha/Reddit

Also called Rapa Nui, the Polynesian Island is located in the Pacific Ocean and is a territory of Chile. It’s most famous for the more than 800 massive statues called moai, which were supposed to be erected by the early Rapa Nui people.

How did a crab get on my music sheet?

It’s said that listening to music enhances physical performance; however, there are also some people who feel nothing towards music at all. We adore music, and we are sure that most people do. If you play a musical instrument, then you would know how to read sheet music, such as this one.

Image courtesy of habby_benis/Reddit

We’re just curious how the crab got onto the music sheet. What note is that exactly? How long do you play it for? But on second looks, it turns out that it’s just a dog’s face peering out from all the snow, and he seems to be having a lot of fun too.

The Amazon River is amazing

Look at this aerial view of the Amazon River. It makes you realize just how grand it is. It’s one of the best places to go if you’re someone who loves nature and adventure. It’s the world’s largest tropical rainforest, and it covers more than 5 million square kilometers.

Image courtesy of Zetbor/Reddit

Located in South America, it spans multiple countries, such as Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Colombia, French Guiana, and Suriname. We just have one question, though; the river looks very much like the track of a caterpillar eating a leaf.

Get well soon Mark!

If you’ve ever used Facebook or read the news in the past 5 years then you’d know who Mark Zuckerberg is. He is one of the richest people in the world and has a net worth of more than $111 billion, according to Forbes.

Image courtesy of flyingfrig/eddit

It seems that his health has taken a turn for the worst, and he’s in the hospital right now. He is being treated and is expected to make a full recovery. Seriously though, this picture is unsettling because the mannequin looks exactly like Mark Zuckerberg.

The amazing vista of Jupiter

Jupiter is not only one massive planet; it is also the fastest spinning planet in the solar system. It has magnetic fields 14 times stronger than that of the Earth, and it has 67 moons. The fifth planet from the sun, Jupiter, also has rings.

Image courtesy of Thors_Goat/Reddit

This vista of Jupiter is amazing. If you look a little closer, you’d see signs of life. There are a few ducks, grass, and plenty of water. We certainly heard some quacking when we pointed the telescope their way.

When we used to go to concerts

Don’t you just miss the times when we could go anywhere and not have to wear a mask? Don’t you miss walking down the aisle of an airplane and looking forward to finally reaching your destination, somewhere you have never been?

Image courtesy of qwartet/Reddit

Another thing we badly missed is going to concerts. Seeing and hearing our favorite bands play, as well as mingling and rocking with the rest of the fans. We miss the sights of crowds just banging and having a good time. The only thing wrong with this concert is that it’s happening on a carpet.

Watch out for the iceberg

If there’s one thing that icebergs have taught us is that they should be respected. Don’t believe us? Just look at what happened to Titanic. The mighty, ‘unsinkable’ ship sunk because it hit an iceberg. Hundreds of lives went down with that ship on that fateful night.

Image courtesy of kulpiterxv/Reddit

So, if you see an iceberg somewhere, you should be careful. This particular iceberg will certainly leave you in awe. It’s massive, and it looks very much like a bison. Well, it is a bison covered in ice. You won’t see it anywhere near the ocean.