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Here Are The Creepiest ‘Oddly Terrifying’ Photos If You Don’t Feel Traumatized Enough (50 Pics)
The horror genre is having a serious comeback at the moment. True crime shows are more popular than ever, scary movies have never been as authentic and original (thank you Ari Aster, Jordan Peele and Robert Eggers!) Even officials from the U.S. military have admitted that UFOs are real. Well, more accurately, they said that the government is in possession of “inhuman” remains. That probably creeped us out even more.
To celebrate this resurgence of all things creepy, we have prepared another list of unsettling photographs from the r/OddlyTerrifying subreddit. Whatever, I wasn’t planning on sleeping tonight anyway. Let’s scroll down and satisfy our morbid curiosity together, pandas! And to know more about why we’re so into recreational horror, read our interview with American Literature lecturer Dr. Kevin Corstorphine.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Hidden Microphones
There's certainly something to be said about why people actively seek out and are fans of horror. There seems to be something about scary things that draws people in. It can’t be just the fact that people like to be scared, right? Bored Panda spoke about the specifics of horror with Dr. Kevin Corstorphine, lecturer in American Literature at the University of Hull.
Dr. Corstorphine says that one of the reasons we like horror is because of its soothing element. This might sound counterintuitive, but scary things might provide comfort to us. “Being scared is thrilling,” Corstorphine says, “but I think that most people who really enjoy horror and actively seek it out find an element of solace in it. Horror is unfortunately a part of life, and fiction lets us explore it and make sense of it somehow.”
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#2
Abdandoned House's Porch Looks Like A Mouth With Fangs
#3
A Tunnel Dug By The Giant Ground Sloth In Brazil (10,000 Years Ago)
Different types of media might scare and terrify us in different ways. An eerie song might unsettle us, a scary book can conjure up different creepy images in our minds. Film, of course, is more explicit, it leaves less to the imagination, and so does photography. Thus sometimes visual media is best at evoking a scare out of us.
Dr. Corstorphine agrees: “Even though a film might have many components that work together, it's interesting that images stick out so strongly for us: Regan's possession in The Exorcist, Carrie dripping with blood at the prom, or even some of the gruesome torture scenes from the Saw films. The visual is definitely the element that stays with us and comes back even if we try to forget about it!”
#4
Dark Hedges Ireland
#5
Subtropical Swamp In Louisiana, USA
#6
Driving At Night With Astigmatism
Nadine Debard 2 years ago
I have a very strong astigmatism in both eyes and thankfully I can afford glasses (I live in France where you can get them, even when poor). The result is nearly perfect with the proper correction.
However, horror is not always as explicit as it is in the Saw franchise. The photos in this list are proof that sometimes things scare or unsettle us even if they’re seemingly mundane. It’s the strangeness we find in ordinary things, what Freud called unheimlich (the unhomely).
#7
Sinkhole In Turkey
#8
This Is A Single Shot And Not Two Pictures
#9
My Dog Was Pretty Nervous About Heading Down This Trail For Some Reason
Dr. Corstorphine explains the uncanny: “[It’s] that weird mix of the familiar and strange, like when you wake up and just for a second, your dressing gown is a hooded figure standing in your bedroom. In visual art and film, I think this comes across frequently with the look in someone's face, and the eyes in particular. It's that sense that something is not quite right that's so unsettling.”
#10
Was Leaving My House At 6am And Found This In The Dew On The Front Steps
#11
My Job Is To Inspect Every Single One Of These Car, Night Time Hits Different
I can't ever shake the feeling someone, or something, is going to jump out from one of these. Always hearing these weird whisper noises that I'm sure is the wind, but still makes your hair stand up.
#12
A Female Omothymus Spider Spotted In Malaysia
Dr. Corstorphine’s research interests include horror and Gothic fiction and he has written extensively on authors such as Bram Stoker, H.P. Lovecraft and Stephen King. “I'm a big fan of the Evil Dead films, including the latest ones,” he shares his favorites. “It's that mix of body horror, tension, and a bit of humor that works for me.”
#13
Nasa's James Webb Telescope Has Spotted A Giant 'Question Mark' Object In Deep Space
#14
Lighthouse Perched On A Rock Pillar In The Westman Islands, Iceland
Sherman Von Gee 2 years ago
How the f**k did they build that? & how do they get up there? What if there's an emergency?
#15
The Cork-Lid Trapdoor Spider. If You See What Looks Like An Ancient Coin Buried In Sand, Leave It Alone
Corstorphine is also aware that picking favorite pieces of horror (or any kind of) media is notably personal. “I think there's a nostalgic element to horror films as well: they're bound up with the experiences you've had watching them in a specific time and place,” the academic says.
He also includes the video game franchise Silent Hill amongst his favorites for its inventive visuals. For anyone interested in visual horror, he would also recommend the art of Clive Barker, the creator of the Hellraiser franchise.
#16
Vegetables Shaped Like Humans
This farmer couple used silicon to create molds in the shape of their own feet. They then planted turnips using these molds. As the turnips grew, they filled the molds and took on the shape of their feet.
#17
Close-Up Of An Ant
#18
This Monstrosity On The Bathroom Ceiling Of A Local Restaurant
Aarhus University in Denmark has a Recreational Fear Lab which studies the human fascination with all things frightening. Its director Matthias Clasen told The Washington Post he and his team identified three broad types of horror genre enthusiasts. “Adrenaline junkies”, “white knucklers” and “dark copers”.
#19
This Shark Has Seen Some Shit
#20
Coal Miners Returning From The Depths After A Days Work, Belgium, Circa 1900
#21
Brine Pools At The Bottom Of The Sea
still tired 2 years ago (edited)
The "mist" is caused by the incredibly high levels of salinity (salt) I believe. Essentially, the water is so salty that salt can no longer dissolve into it, so it pools here.
“Adrenaline junkies” get an adrenaline rush from the recreational fear experience and seek it on purpose. This heightens their mood as the endocrine system releases cortisol and noradrenaline as well, resulting in a kind of high, driven by experiencing fright.
#22
The Sun Being Compared To A Lovecraftian Deity Is Terrifying
still tired 2 years ago
fun fact: The sun doesn't stop "screaming" and when the sun dies, it will still be "screaming" for a few years because sound travels slower than light
#23
David And Louise Turpin Together With Their Children They Kept Imprisoned And Abused For Many Years
#24
Chris Mccandless Note That Was Found In His Truck In The Middle Of Alaska
Trish 2 years ago
Very sad story. He starved to death because he couldn't get across the river back to safety. If he'd had a map, he would have known that there was a river crossing less than a mile from where he was. People have died making pilgrimages to the bus he died in, so they had to remove it a few years ago.
“White knucklers” tend to look for that sweet spot that is neither too scary, nor too boring. They usually employ humor or try to lessen their exposure to the frightening stimuli. Thus they’re more motivated by self-learning than attaining some sort of high from adrenaline.
#25
Two Prison Guards Posing For A Photo With Ed Kemper, Who Was 6’9 And 300lbs
General Anaesthesia 2 years ago
Smile for the camera. "Edmund Emil Kemper III (born December 18, 1948) is an American serial killer who murdered 8 people, including a 15-year-old girl, his own mother, and her best friend, from May 1972 to April 1973..."- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_Kemper
#26
Hong Kong Apartments
#27
Wait… A Victim Of The What??
Lastly, “dark copers” are the closest to what Dr. Corstorphine described. Through frightening stimuli, they’re able to challenge themselves and challenge their fears in order to deal with their anxieties in the real world. The researchers at the Recreational Fear Lab found that horror fans are more resilient psychologically, as was proved in the beginning of the 2020 pandemic.
#28
Partially Submerged Statue Of Shiva The Destroyer During The Flash Flood In Uttrakhand
Nadine Debard 2 years ago (edited)
She's smiling and very proud of her - Edit "He", thank you for correcting my mistake! (Sorry for my ignorance)
#29
Sinking Of Amoco Cadiz In Brittany 1978 Looks Like A Giant Whale Surfacing
#30
A Nursing Home Flooding
Whether you’re an adrenaline seeker or just looking for how to survive in the world, horror is a great form of entertainment to enjoy. There’s no need to think that liking scary and unsettling things is somehow wrong. So don’t forget to upvote the best terrifying photos from this list, pandas!
#31
Saw The Full Mirror In My Hotel Room Randomly Shake And Discovered This Space In The Wall Behind It
#32
Poor Matthew
#33
Came Across This Abandoned Building In Vermont While Hiking In The Woods. There’s No Door And The Windows Have Been Boarded Up And Caged
#34
Ferris Wheel On A Local Night Fair
#35
What Rip Current Looks Like
#36
Youtuber Dallmyd Vlogged Their Trip To The Same Submersible That Would Later Implode A Few Days Later. Their Trip Down The Titanic Was Cancelled Due To The Weather. This Is What The Inside Looked Like
Rebelliousslug 2 years ago
I watched the coverage for days and was quite relieved that they didn’t die slowly suffocating after several days. As brutal as an implosion is, the anxiety of knowing you’re likely going to die for about four days seems much worse
#37
Bear Paw Armor, Used By Warriors In Islamic, Indian, Persian & Pakistani Civilizations
#38
Walked Outside To See What The Dog Was Barking At
#39
I Was There… January 15, 2018
#40
This Was New York City Earlier Today, Which Was Temporarily Ranked #1 For The Worst Air Quality In The World Due To The Wildfires In Canada
#41
Friend Found This Outside Her Door With Some Damage At The Lock, What Would This Be?
#42
House While Hiking In The Appalachian Trails. There Were No Paths Or Roads Going To This House
Two_rolling_black_eyes 2 years ago
I've lived in the Appalachians and this is not that unusual. Someone tragically lost their home through death or destitution and the Earth just reclaims the area. The wind blows out the paths, the grasses grow over it, and then the underbrush hides all evidence beneath it.
#43
Abandoned Summer Camp Closed Due To A Child Drowning In The Lake. Sound Familiar ?
#44
Ad About Work Accidents On A Colombian Magazine, Posted 30 May 2001
#45
The Wreck Of The Titanic From Afar
Blue Bunny of Happiness 2 years ago
And this is how we should leave it. It’s a mass grave, let’s respect that.
#46
This Is Jocelyn Wildenstein, The Wealthy Socialite Nicknamed “Bride Of Wildenstein” And “Catwoman” Because Of Her Extreme Plastic Surgery
Blue Bunny of Happiness 2 years ago
Poor lady. Confirms my opinion that there should be psychological assessments as part of elective plastic surgery.
#48
1 Am And My Cop Neighbor Is Doing This Through My Kitchen Window
Tempest 2 years ago
Had an extremely similar experience. I have a first floor room at the front of the house and one late night (2-3 am) while I was up studying all of a sudden a torch light beam started moving from one end of my room’s windows to the other as if someone was trying to see inside my room. Scared the hell out of me. Thinking someone was in our yard, I ducked down and literally crawled to my parents room. My dad proceeded to stupidly open the front door to talk to those who shone the light. Luckily they claimed to be two policemen looking for a particular address. They left after asking us for directions but part of me feels like they weren’t real police. How would policemen not know where to find an address and even if they didn’t know, it doesn’t sound like a good idea to visit a random house at night to ask for directions. Also I didn’t hear any vehicle which is weird cause why would they be looking for a random house at 2-3 am on foot??
#49
Hiding In The School’s Communal Showers During A Code Yellow Turned Red (Few Months Ago)
#50
Pyongyang, North Korea
Cara G 2 years ago
I'm not sure what this one is showing us. North Koreans do not have internet access even in Pyongyang, as far as I'm aware. The real terrifying part is when you look outside of NK's capital. Pyongyang is a misdirection tactic used to prevent the world from questioning what goes on in the rest of Kim's (and the previous Kim, and the Kim before him) dictatorship. It serves a "look here, not over there!" purpose. Hence, all the pomp, circumstance, pageantry, and opulence. Anything outside of Pyongyang is a veritable desolate wasteland where the people live in the worst type of poverty and crimes against humanity imaginable, electricity is turned on and off at random, food is scarce and citizens often resort to eating insects or soil for nutrients, and the Kim Dynasty has been enacting a - quite literal - genocide against its people for over 80 years. The scary part of NK is not Pyongyang. It's everywhere else.
#51
This 9000-Year-Old Stone Mask Is The Oldest Mask In The World, And Was Found In The Judean Desert In Israel [3000x4000]
![This 9000-Year-Old Stone Mask Is The Oldest Mask In The World, And Was Found In The Judean Desert In Israel [3000x4000]](https://www.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/651bb4c5e3e86_19ce5fhnnebb1__700.jpg "This 9000-Year-Old Stone Mask Is The Oldest Mask In The World, And Was Found In The Judean Desert In Israel [3000x4000]")
#52
Underwater Tunnel Connecting Denmark And Sweden
#53
Texas City Shares Photo Of Unidentified "Entity' Outside Zoo
#54
Our Hr Team Just Received A Stapelia Flower As A Thank You From A Candidate. There's A Note Warning Not To Touch It Because It Will Sting And Not To Smell It Because It Smells Like Rotten Flesh
#55
Built In The 18th Century, This Is One Of The Oldest Buildings In Hattfjelldal Municipality In Norland, Norway
#56
Dendrocnide Moroides, Or Deadly Stinger, Is One Of The Most Dangerous Shrubs In The World And Even Morphine Is Rendered Ineffective Against Its Venom
still tired 2 years ago (edited)
also known as the [self delete] plant due to the fact that most people would rather [unalive] themselves than stand the constant, unending, unrelenting pain . . . . . . . Edited to add: I know the word is suicide. I wasn't doing it to appeal to some censorship thing. I have experiences that I would rather not remember, so I use euphemisms. (if it genuinely bothers people I am sorry and I will change it, just comment "change it plz" and I will)
#57
Kidney Stones Under An Electron Microscope
#58
What My Fingers Look Like When I Get Out Of The Bath After Years Of Biting Them
#59
Took A Photo Of My Baby Playing With A Light Up Ball. No Filters
#60
I Also Found Something While Digging In My Yard Today
#62
This Was Discovered While Renovating Our Home. The Previous Owners (25 Years) Have Never Seen It Before. We Removed Over A Foot Of Pine Needles
#63
The Control Room Of A German Sm Ub-110 Submarine From 1918
#64
Got Home Late From Work To Find My Entryway Vent Like This
#65
A Restraining Device Used To Immobilize Infants During Circumcision
#66
A Package I Received Today
#67
GF Taking The Dog Outside For A Shit And The Crappy Amazon Solar Lights Illuminating Her Face
#68
Found In A House In Eastern Oregon (High Desert Area). Described As “Oozing” When Touched
#69
Since We’re Doing Houses Today…
Roan The Demon Kitty 2 years ago
I'm guessing the water situation in Flint has still yet to be fully sorted out and people just gave up hope and left. Sad. :(
#70
Maybe Its Because Im Not American, But This Looks Terrifying To Live In
#71
I Don't Even Know What The Middle Emoji Is Supposed To Mean
#72
Was Awoken In The Middle Of The Night To The Wind Blowing The Bedroom Door Shut, Then I Thought I Heard The Floor Creaking Like Someone Was Walking Around. I Opened My Camera App And This Was The First Screengrab I Saw
#73
The Mummified Head Of Saint Catherine Of Siena (1347-1380) On Display At The Basilica Of San Domenico, Siena, Italy
#74
Having A Barbecue And There's A Tent In My Backyard
#75
My Kid At Costume Camp
#76
These Hand/Paw Prints On My Back Door
#77
The Thoughts On What Kind Of Accidents This Stair Might Cause In The Future
#78
This Dead(?) Spider I Found In My Basement Cellar
#79
Dude Suddenly Wakes Up, Game Over!
#80
Kola Superdeep Borehole Is Under The Cap (40000 Ft Deep)
#81
The Packaging Of These Barbies
#82
Almost Swallowed This
#83
The Red House West Maui
#84
Zombie Ant Tank?
Final score:
19points
#85
Found This In My Dog's Water. Assued That A Grasshopper Somehow Got Atuck In Some Weeds And Drowned. Yeah These Are No Weeds, I'm Uncertain What Exactly They Are But They Are Moving
Cara G 2 years ago (edited)
Horsehair worms. They are parasites that live inside of usually grasshoppers, beetles, and praying mantises. What they do is both grotesque and fascinating. As they grow, they takeover the entire inside of the host, eating everything in the body until they reach the brain. Once they gain control of the command center of their host, they compel it to seek out a body of water and drown itself so that they can leave the host's body. In other words, insects infected with horsehair worms are essentially zombies stumbling around with no control over their own bodies. Terrifying.
#86
Southern California Just Got Hit With An Earthquake During A Hurricane
#87
These Clothes Are Next To The Lake For A Few Days Now. I Hope There Is A Harmless Explanation (I Checked, No Missing Persons In The Area)
#88
Horseshoe Crabs
Blue Bunny of Happiness 2 years ago
Poor creatures. Apparently, their blood which is bright blue when exposed to the air is used in the testing of vaccines (according to google), hence them being bled like this.
#89
Ella Harper, 1885
Rachel Parker 2 years ago
Ella Harper born 1870 with this condition where her legs bent the wrong way. She went around on all fours. She appeared in the circus as ‘Camel Girl’ which earned her enough to live on. She was eventually able to quit the circus and marry as she always hoped.
#90
"Human" Feet On A Language Learning App
#91
This Persons House
#92
In Response To The Truck Hauling Pork Blood, I Introduce You Liquid Chicken
#93
"The Wizard Of Oz' Wrap Party - 1939
#94
Found This Package Leaving My Apartment Building
#95
A Black House In Germany
#96
Just Found At The Beach
#97
The Black Eyed Children Exist, I Was One. This Is An Unedited Film Photo Of Me Circa 1990s. No, My Parents Didn't Put Scleral Lenses On A Baby
#98
Concept Art For Bruce From Finding Nemo
#99
I Need Help Identifying This Creature. It Came With A Fish We Ordered To Our Restaurant
#100
Abandoned Diner
#101
Unattended Toddler Crawled Inside An X-Ray Machine Scanner
#102
Found This In My Yard When I Was Trying To Dig A New Garden Bed
#103
This Milk Has Been Rotting In A Broken Fridge At My Local Dg For A Month. They Don’t Even Have The Decency To Throw It Out
FrostyStyx 2 years ago
That's Dollar General for you. It's almost rare to find one that cares about its product.
#104
6 Year Old Paperboy, 1910
#105
What The Feet?!?
#106
Lil Tay's Youtube Page's 'About Me' Was Changed To 'Help Me.'
#107
Someone Just Dropped Off Possible Malware At My Front Door
#108
The Brain Of Common Bottlenose Dolphin (Middle) A Human Brain (Right) And A Wild Boar (Left)
#109
Godzilla Ramen. Big Seller In Taiwan
#110
This Is New
Rae Ramirez 2 years ago
Climate change activist have been saying California is going off the map for years. Why is this a big surprise?
#111
This Smiling Dog
Add New Image
What do you think ?
Heze Alii 2 years ago
This is the third article today for me. This is getting ridiculous.
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Shubham Rathod 2 years ago
Oops, BP Makes me My skin Crawl hundredth time this week by not loading articles. How terrifying is this?
Heze Alii 2 years ago
This is the third article today for me. This is getting ridiculous.
Load More Replies... Shubham Rathod 2 years ago
Oops, BP Makes me My skin Crawl hundredth time this week by not loading articles. How terrifying is this?
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