This article was originally published on Travlerz
Do you ever glance at a photo briefly and then pass it by, only to return to it a moment later with a double-take of confusion wondering what on earth that was or if it was even real? Well, every single photo in this list is sure to leave you with that exact feeling. Whether it is just truly strange occurrences or downright creepy captures, these pictures will leave you both mortified and amazed at the same time.
The Deepest Indoor Pool in the World
At first glance, this picture almost looks unreal. It's hard to tell where the water begins and where it ends...if it even does truly end. Called Nemo 33 and located in Brussels, this deepwater indoor pool continues into the depths for a whopping 33 meters (108 feet). If you're fearless when it comes to extreme depths of water, then grab your flippers and a scuba diving set and jump right in!
It's interesting to see that one of the divers is taking photographs of what appears to be a simple concrete wall. What does he see that others don't?
Crystal Quartz With a Hidden Surprise
Almost everyone who sees this photo initially thinks that these interesting-shaped black specks found inside the crystal clear quartz are mini spiders trapped in their forever doom inside a rock, fossilized into a unique and spooky shape. However, looks can be deceiving. The rock is not infested with small black spiders, but rather Mannardite phantoms. This is what causes the somewhat stunning black spots hidden inside the quartz.
Mannardite phantoms come in many different shapes and sizes. Sometimes they are small and plentiful, like in this crystal quartz, and other times they appear to be larger and more unified. They look so creepy though!
Cabbage Patch Aliens
Besides stating the obvious, that something is clearly very wrong with the cabbages growing in this field, the pure surrealness of the image is something to be admired. What exactly is going on here? It really looks like some leftover form of alien waste, or strange massive eggs waiting to be hatched. Very few people would assume from just one look that these strange egg-like substances shooting out of the ground are in fact just a bunch of cabbages.
The serious question to be asked here, after admiring the strange photo, is what exactly is going on with these cabbages? Are they rotting or just growing in a very unique manner?
Pomegranate Gone Mad
There comes a time in every plant's life where it shows its true colors. Perhaps that day came a little early for this pomegranate. Its white seeds, which are supposed to be a bright juicy red, are outwardly exposed to create a terrifying display of teeth-like creepiness. The boding smile is more of a mocking leer and it's nearly impossible to ever look at any pomegranate the same.
This fruit almost seems to be trying to copy the scary look of the famous plant from the Little Shop of Horrors. Although that one was more of a Venus fly trap, this pomegranate seems to be doing a good impression.
Shadow Baby Twins
Definitely save this trick next time you are looking for some creative shadow puppets on your next slumber party! No one will ever expect such a snazzy trick to be displayed. Although it may be technically cheating, since these shadows are not made from your hands, you will leave everyone speechless. Beware of the possible nightmares these creepy shadow babies might cause though, as they are slightly disturbing.
The most intriguing part of this picture is that the babies, although they look quite similar, have such distinct features that they could honestly seem real. One is thin and menacing while the other is looming and chubby.
Spiral Staircase up the Side of a Mountain
The Taihang Mountains of China boast one of the most impressive and shocking examples of interesting architectural choices. Even though there is certainly a very rational explanation of why you would build this crazy-looking structure up the side of the mountain (you would really hope so), it's hard to imagine a rational excuse when looking at this daunting staircase. 300 feet of spiraling steps await anyone brave enough to venture on this exhausting journey to the top of the mountain.
Besides the pure difficulty of climbing this seemingly endless staircase to the sky, it really doesn't appear to have been constructed in the most sturdy manner. Look at those concerningly small bars reaching out of the mountain holding the structure in place!
Your Worst Nightmare While Out at Sea
The biblical story of a man named Jonah being swallowed alive by a whale suddenly seems very believable after glancing at this disturbing image. As if the dark grayish-green ocean waters were not formidable enough, this small boat of people has bigger things to worry about. These ocean goers will certainly be in for the surprise of their life when these epic drone photos of their near-death experience are shared with them.
Although this whale is most likely perfectly harmless, the sheer size of the creature is enough to terrify anyone. Can you imagine the impact even the slightest movement of the whale would make on the entire ocean?
The Real Life Whale Mermaid
The world will continue to debate for many years to come about the existence (or nonexistence) of mermaids. Regardless of which side you're on, it's hard to deny the striking similarities between traditional mermaid images and this photograph captured of a beluga whale. Graceful, elegant, and disturbingly human-like, this whale seems to have a combination of a tail and also human-like legs, although they do appear to be stuck within the tail itself.
Maybe the original imagery for all mermaids was actually based on the sighting of a few beluga whales, seen from this very particular angle!
The Icicle Ghost
Winter is a magical season. Beautiful and unique snowflakes fall to create a blanket of pure white snow all over the ground. Delicate icicles form outside your window. You rush outside to build a snowman but to your horror you see an icicle ghost hiding in the corner of your house. Your winter wonderland dream has become an icy nightmare. Imagine seeing the shadow of this bad boy in the night!
Besides the creepy shape of this intriguing compilation of icicles, the yellowish-brown color of the ice is also a bit disturbing and calls for some explanation.
The Eagle That Can Look Into Your Soul
The first thought that most certainly runs through your mind upon seeing this photo, is wondering if this is in fact a real animal. And the answer is yes. Not only is this a real bird known as the harpy eagle, but it also happens to be the largest eagle in the entire world with a wingspan of over 7 feet! That terrifying look is warning you to be careful and stay away.
The human-like eyes and enormous size of this creature, combined with its regal and yet threatening pose really make this bird look like an adult dressed up in a bird costume.
Don't Worry, This Is Perfectly Normal
With no title on this image, your mind might go wild with possibilities to explain the bizarre appearance of countless small skeletons within one large body. But once you understand the context, it's actually quite incredible to think about. There are so many sets of bones all squished together in such a small place, it's shocking that this is natural. Look how many little puppies will soon be entering the world!
Although people are more accustomed to seeing ultrasounds surrounding pregnancies, the occasional doggy x-ray image that appears never ceases to be shocking.
When the Birds Blanketed the Sky
It looks as if the 1960s thriller called The Birds, was possibly actually inspired by true events. Rome was actually covered in a blanket of blackbirds, blocking almost the entire sky from view. It almost looks like a mosquito infestation or a swarm of gnats until you examine the contents of the picture more closely. At least most of the people around are in the safety of their own car!
This is the stuff nightmares are made of! Birds can be kind of intimidating individually, can you imagine an enormous swarm of them covering the entire sky? That is some scary stuff.
Baa Baa Black Sheep... With the Looming Eyes
Sheep are quite lovable animals. They're soft and fluffy and adorable. That is until you try to photograph them at night, with a flash on your camera. And then you will be greeted with a multitude of threatening, terrifying sets of eyes, staring at you shockingly through the pitch dark night. If it weren't for the somewhat recognizable features of the sheep in the front, this image would be totally unexplainable.
This image may singlehandedly be responsible for ending the traditional method of counting sheep used to help people fall asleep. Who would want to think of sheep in the night after seeing this picture?
Daddy Long Legs Set up Camp
As if it wasn't already bad enough to wake up to a gloomy, rainy day on their camping trip, these unfortunate campers also woke up to a scary surprise- a spider infestation. That is certainly one horrifying amount of Cellar spiders all piled up together, especially around the top of the tent. What brought them there in the first place? What were they looking for and why did they choose that place to set up camp?
There are two positive things to take away from this situation. At least they didn't wake up to the spiders inside their tent and at least they are just daddy long legs, which are usually pretty harmless.
The Hungry Escalator
Getting on and off an escalator can be a risky endeavor, especially for those brave enough to wear flip-flops on their journey. The constantly moving motions and the sharp edges combine to form a risky procedure that one man did not succeed in completing. Hopefully, the only thing he lost that day was his shoe and nothing more. He probably had a lot of explaining to do walking around afterward.
Shoes can make all the difference in a day. Heels can be painful and uncomfortable, but at least they offer a bit more protection from the teeth of an escalator than these flimsy flip-flops.
The Frog Ritual
The rainfall just finished. Everything was quiet...and then someone walked outside their door to a very shocking image. Frogs were everywhere, covering the ground. But strangely enough, they were not moving. On the contrary, they were specifically spaced on the ground, equidistant from one another, facing the exact same direction. Were they waiting to attack, praying to a mysterious frog god, or taking part in some unexplained frog ritual? We will never know...
What's more shocking than this unexplained photo is that even despite the presence of an outsider (the photographer), the frogs still didn't seem to move a muscle.
White Figures on the Beach
Most people go for a nice nighttime stroll along the beach to relax and enjoy the peaceful sound of the waves crashing against the sand. What they don't expect is to run into what looks like an army of Ku Klux Klan members waiting to begin a ritual. At least you can breathe easier once you see that these mysterious white shapes are actually very innocent and inanimate umbrellas.
This photo creates such a strange illusion for the eyes, with the lights in the background only amplifying the creepiness.
The Potato Takeover
No one in their right mind would be able to guess what this strange spider-like monster really is. All that is clear is that the imminent takeover of the kitchen is inevitable. You'd certainly be shocked to learn that this monster is actually a quite harmless bag of potatoes that was left unattended for far too long. Seeing that they weren't being used for cooking, they protested and grew insanely long roots to bring attention to their existence.
Note to self: never leave a bag of potatoes alone in the kitchen for months. You may return to an entirely new organism living in your kitchen.
You Can Read This Fish's Mind
Did you ever wonder what it is like to look inside the mind of a fish? Well, even if you never even once thought of it, you are now presented with the unique opportunity of meeting the barreleye fish. Yes, these fish really do have a transparent head. Apparently, this allows their eyes to collect more light, helping them with their tunnel vision. Whatever the reasoning, it's a pretty remarkable sight to see.
This fish is sometimes nicknamed the "spook fish" and it should be fairly clear why. Although his face looks friendly and harmless, the transparent head is a bit alarming.
The March of the Birds
It's not every day that you stumble on a secret meeting of hundreds of birds in the middle of the night. What was meant to be a quick, late-night trip to the pharmacy quickly turned into a strange sighting of some unexplainable bird ritual. Where are all these birds going at this late hour? Why are they all facing the same direction? There are so many unanswered questions.
It would appear that there is a reason the parking lot is empty. No one wanted to risk the wrath of the flock by disturbing this strange bird meetup.
If the Roof Could Talk
Everyone is familiar with the common phrase "If walls could talk". Well, in this case, the phrase should be "if the roof could talk" because it would certainly have a lot to say. It looks like it's ready to talk even now, albeit not with the best of news based on the menacing look it is providing. It is a little bit disappointing that this lovely roof lady is lacking a nose.
Can you tell if this was an intentional piece of artwork or if it's just a strange coincidence? Either way, it must look significantly creepier at night with the lights coming out of the windows.
The Rooftop Playground
Hopefully, this playground is merely some sort of practical joke and no person ever sets foot on it. Besides the question of how on earth anyone could actually reach it, surely there is not a person on earth who would want to risk that slide of certain death. Both of the playground slides lead right off the roof of the building. Why would anyone ever place the set up there...and how did they manage to place it there at all?
Although the colors do match the strangely bright yellow and red paint of this unlabeled building, hopefully, both the building and the playground are just abandoned, explaining their oddities.
The Worst Seat in Town
It would probably be quite difficult for you to find a worse place to sit anywhere in the world. Imagine if somehow you didn't see the enormous nest or hive of bees that set up camp on your bicycle seat. You would certainly be in for the ride of your life within a short amount of time. Despite the sheer horror that this picture invokes, you can't help but be somewhat impressed by the hive's structure.
What made those bees decide on that bike in particular as their resting place? Interesting indeed to choose the underside of a bicycle seat over a tree or a bush.
Merely a Shell of Who He Used to Be
Although it is a very natural process for most reptiles and something that occurs on a yearly basis, there is something a little unnerving about finding a completely intact shell of shed skin. You can still see the expression on the lizard's face before it replaced its skin- a grimace of discomfort. Look at the perfectly intact neck wrinkles, complete with texture and everything...truly a work of art.
Perhaps this is even creepier because it is only the head of the lizard, not even the entire body. Any pranksters in the crowd certainly can see the potential in possessing one of these pieces of skin.
The Raspberry's Long Lost Twin
Few people are able to resist the bright and colorful temptation of a juicy raspberry found in the wild. But, perhaps if you are in China, you should think twice before popping raspberry-like items into your mouth. You may just end up chomping down on a little living creature. The rambutanura hunanensis bug (quite a name he's got) is found all over China and is adorably similar in looks to the beloved raspberry.
Next time you see a raspberry moving across the ground, don't be shocked and don't think it's just one really strong ant carrying home the day's bounty. This bug is the long-lost twin of the common raspberry.
A Shadow of a Spider Inside Your Lamp
Shadows can be deceiving. They can make you look tall and skinny or short and stout on a sunny day. A common slumber party game is to manipulate shades with hand shadow games and a flashlight. So never be surprised by the looks of a shadow and assume it's something that it's not, or you may just end up panicking like with this lamp's shade which is dubiously in the shape of a massive spider.
Unless you're living in Australia, it's unlikely that a spider of this size would make an appearance in any normal home.
The Death of the Snapdragons
Don't be alarmed by the concerning amount of what looks like human skulls in this picture, it's not an opened grave pit. It looks like it's not only the human species that creates a skull-like shape when they pass into the hands of death. The bright and beautiful snapdragon flower is also guilty of decomposing into what looks like a human skull just shortly after its passing.
A bit more terrifying than the average human skull after death and decomposition, each one of these blossoms appears to have passed on in intense shock, with their mouths gaping open.
The Oven’s Cry for Help
What do you do when your oven sends out a pure and honest cry for help? You can't just ignore its simple pleas. Although most people would argue that an oven cannot talk and is merely a machine used by humans, this oven would beg to differ. Interestingly, most ovens can only form numbers on their screens (as letters are pretty useless), but again, this machine seems to be an exception.
Sadly it's a bit unclear what kind of help this oven actually needs and what steps can be taken to relieve it. Hopefully it will only be a short time before everything is back to normal.
The Bathroom Stairwell to Nowhere
There is little creepier than a run-down bathroom with a mysterious and unexplainable staircase within it. To make matters worse, this staircase is not only also very run-down but it also leads into the abyss. Where did it once lead and why would anyone ever want to build a staircase directly next to a toilet? There are so many questions about this strange image that will probably never be answered.
Is there a door at the end of the stairwell? If so, is it locked, or closed....or perhaps there is no handle at all. This is really the inspiration they use to make horror films.
The Monkey Is Shocked by His Own Nose
Monkeys are not only smart and cute but also come in all different shapes and sizes. Perhaps one of the most unique monkeys in the wild is this Proboscis monkey with a noticeable and fascinating nose. It would be interesting to know what other use this extra-large nose provides these primates in the wild, as they most certainly have a purpose beyond making them look kind of funny.
Most people are so busy looking at this fellow's nose, that they tend to ignore the beautiful hair and bib-like mane around his head. And don't forget to enjoy the shocked expression of his gaping mouth!
The Screaming Roof Console
It's hard to tell if the roof console that suddenly fell with a shocked look on its face or the passenger is more scared from this surprising turn of events. Turned upside down, these lights and mirror look an awful lot like a screaming robot, surprised to have been discovered. Honestly, its innocence is quite endearing and the little man seems friendly, even if he is a bit scared.
To some extent, this picture looks a bit like Edward Munch's famous screaming man painting. It's just missing the accompanying hands to exemplify the shock on the face.
Largest Cave Systems With a Mysterious Secret
Although nothing can really be proved from just these interesting maps alone, there is something to be investigated based on the concerning images. The maps correlate almost too perfectly between mysterious and unexplained disappearances and the United State's largest cave systems. No one wants to think about what could be going on in those caves, but the picture these maps are painting seems to go beyond mere coincidence.
It seems like it is only a matter of time before Netflix takes these maps and uses them as the inspiration for their next crime documentary series.
Scratch and Sniff in the Sky
The sky and its fluffy-shaped clouds have a habit of looking like many different items. But perhaps you never expected the skies above to look like a scratch and sniff sticker or a scrape away surprise board. It looks like some celestial being decided to scratch away a portion of the clouds to make way for a little bit of blue skies for the people down below to enjoy.
The clouds themselves are also quite stunning in this picture, but the contrast with the bright, almost cobalt blue sky is spectacular to a new level.
Knock Knock.... Who's There? Mr. Turtle
Even if you weren't expecting guests for afternoon tea, this turtle had a different plan and will happily intrude on your quiet time at home. Don't worry, he's probably quite friendly. It's just that your wall happened to be in his way and instead of walking around (turtles do walk quite slowly) he opted for barreling right through by digging his way. Well, at least these homeowners don't have mice!
What series of events led to this turtle getting trapped in the walls anyway? How long was he stuck inside before finally being able to break free? It must have been so concerning to constantly hear scraping and strange noises from the other side of the wall.
The Tree With Spikes of Defense
Most children will happily gallivant through the forest, playing with their friends, picking flowers, and climbing trees. Hopefully, the kids see the warning signs on the bark of the Silk floss tree before attempting to climb to the top. Otherwise, they'll certainly return home covered in cuts and scrapes. This frightening tree is covered in spike-like formations in order to keep predators away from its precious and delicate pink flowers that grow on the upper branches.
The naming of the tree is most definitely not related to the defensive spikes on the bark, but rather it is named after the beautiful silk-like flowers that grace it.
The Ghost of the Red Bedsheet
This is the perfect example of how important timing is when taking a photo. The simple perfection of the timing of this capture creates the illusion of a horrifying, murderous ghost-like figure instead of a simple red bed sheet. Either way, the neighbors almost definitely had the scare of their lives when they looked over briefly and saw what appeared to be a ghost trying to enter their neighbor's house.
Notice how calm the woman's expression is (while facing such a scary danger). She probably had no idea of the illusion her bedsheets created until the photographer showed her this image.
The Moment You Realize Sea Monsters Are Real
For thousands of years, people have been claiming to sight big and terrifying monsters in the sea. Of course, the world is full of sharks and whales and more, but humans always claim that there is something else. This picture almost seems to be the perfect evidence of the crazy monster's existence, until you realize one thing....this is actually just seaweed. Yes, it is a lot of seaweed. And yes, the seaweed is enormous...but at the end of the day, it's still just seaweed.
Even though it's technically harmless, most people still wouldn't feel so comfortable swimming around in seaweed-infested waters, especially seaweed that looked like that.
There's Someone Waiting at the Back Door
If you're looking for the perfect prank to play on your friends and family, you may have just found it. Despite the fact that it was discovered by mistake and probably almost gave someone a heart attack before they understood what was going on, the idea can be used elsewhere. However, if you're living alone, make sure to bring your boots inside at night so you don't wake up terrified that there is an intruder waiting at your door.
You can almost imagine someone gazing in fear at the door, waiting for the mysterious boots to make a move. 5 minutes pass, then 10, then 20. The boots don't move even an inch. It would be both scary and confusing until they realized it was actually just a pair of boots, with nobody inside.
Turn Back Now - You Have Been Warned
If you are ever looking for a sign to stop, turn around, and run....this would be it. In fact, it could not be any clearer. What really could appear to be the apocalypse in this surreal stormy photo, does actually have some hope of clearing skies to the right. But if the clouds are moving in that direction, it's only a matter of time before the entire sky is one foreboding, dark disaster.
Only a true adrenaline junkie or a storm chaser would voluntarily drive into such an apocalyptic scene and expect to make it out alive and well. It literally almost looks like the collision of night and day.
The Beaded Ladybug Covered in Dew
Everyone loves ladybugs and appreciates their fun, bright red color that is covered in black dots. But how many people could claim to have seen a dew-covered ladybug? Well, now one more...you! If you didn't know better, you might think that this beautiful sparkling object was a beaded or glass broach meant to be worn as a decorative piece of jewelry. Who would think that it is actually a stunning close-up image of a ladybug covered in the morning's fresh dew?
Honestly, though, someone needs to use this as an inspiration for a piece of jewelry to add to their collection. Fittingly name this the Dew Covered Ladybug, remade with beautiful and fragile glass.
Where Did He Go?
This is the last photo ever taken of kayaker Andrew McAuley. In 2007, Andrew set out to cross the Tasman sea by himself on his kayak, in an attempt to become the first person to kayak from Australia to New Zealand. Sadly, he never made it, and his capsized kayak was found off the New Zealand coast. In a tape recovered from the kayak, the late adventurer said he hoped he "haven't bitten off more than I can chew."
Andrew died doing what he loved, and this haunting picture recovered from his camera is a testament to that.