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Every now and then, we all need a distraction. But how can we surprise someone who's constantly on the internet? Surely, they've seen plenty of crazy stuff. Well, let's try something different and take a deep dive into the subreddit r/OddlyTerrifying.

It has 1.1 million members, and they're trying their best to share content that lives up to its name. Who knew that Jim Carrey doing The Grinch face without any makeup can look so sinister? Or that a mosquito flying in front of the lens when a person is taking a photo of a square makes it look like a giant alien invasion?

Most of these images aren't even that scary or dangerous when you spell them out. But they can still carve themselves into your memory like a vivid nightmare. Enjoy!

#1

Giant Hand In Forest

Giant Hand In Forest

maybebaby23 Report

#2

Interesting, Funny And Terrifying

Interesting, Funny And Terrifying

ddoniolvalcroze Report

In a way, you could say that the popularity of r/OddlyTerrifying lies within people's fascination with morbid curiosity. According to Coltan Scrivner, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Comparative Human Development and a Fellow at the Institute for Mind and Biology at The University of Chicago, we've all felt it at some point. Whether it was triggered by seeing a car wreck while driving down the highway or a friend talking about how they saw a ghost in an old building; we tell ourselves that we don't want to look, don't want to listen, and don't want to know—yet we still look, we still listen, and we still want to learn more.

#4

Thinking You've Come Across A Kkk Meeting

Thinking You've Come Across A Kkk Meeting

guialbusbnbsfdsf Report

#5

Mosquito Flies In Front Of The Lens

Mosquito Flies In Front Of The Lens

ThePhantom1994 Report

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dariab_1 avatar
Daria B
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's a really good photo, though. And that's a really cool effect. I think this is a work of art, and I'm not even kidding.

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"The car wreck story is a bit old and tired, but it's a good example because it's something that almost everyone has experienced and can intuitively understand," Scrivner wrote in Psychology Today. "It's true for almost everyone that you don't want to see someone injured and you don't hope anyone died in the wreck. But, if they did, you do feel compelled to look at it."

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To illustrate why, Scrivner wants us to take a look at the world of our ancestors. It was a dangerous place. The world today can also be dangerous, but even the most basic treatments that are available today can severely decrease the seriousness of an injury. "If you got injured 10,000 years ago (or even 100 years ago), your chances of surviving were far less than they are today with modern medicine. Even if the blood loss didn't kill you, an ensuing infection might. This placed a premium on avoiding danger—or at least avoiding the consequences of danger," he explained.

#6

This Hermit Crab Using A Discarded Doll Head For A Shell

This Hermit Crab Using A Discarded Doll Head For A Shell

MostlyKelp Report

#7

This.. This Isn't Right..

This.. This Isn't Right..

fallinaditch Report

#8

Cabbage Fields. It Looks Like A Field Of Alien Eggs And I Hate It

Cabbage Fields. It Looks Like A Field Of Alien Eggs And I Hate It

reddit.com Report

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Catlady6000
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This needs to be in a movie. Much more effective than any side effects I've seen

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"However, to avoid danger, you must first know something about it. The more you know about something, the better you can predict it. And the better you can predict it, the better you can deal with the consequences if it does occur."

Enter curiosity. You don't want to be in a car wreck yourself to find out how bad a car wreck can be. You also don't want someone else to be in a car wreck. But if they already are, you want to know how bad it is. This could inform your decisions and behavior.

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"For example, if the car wreck is particularly gruesome, it might cause me to slow down or be extra cautious the rest of the day to decrease my chances of that happening to me. If it's just a fender bender, it may not affect my driving behavior very much."

#9

A Ladybug Covered In Morning Dew

A Ladybug Covered In Morning Dew

Goopacity Report

#10

Jim Carey Doing The Grinch Face Without The Use Of Any Makeup

Jim Carey Doing The Grinch Face Without The Use Of Any Makeup

SupCJ Report

#11

Birds Running

Birds Running

_Empy Report

The consequences of threats leave their mark on our psychology and influence our behavior in response to 'morbid' situations. According to Scrivner, this has resulted in most of us having some morbid curiosity, and some of us have a lot of it.

Nearly all images on r/OddlyTerrifying are either directly from or are closely linked to the real world. Maybe if we scroll through it enough, we'll understand our place in it better?

#12

An MRI Scan Of Babies During Pregnancy

An MRI Scan Of Babies During Pregnancy

KiWi_pEnCiL36 Report

#13

Just Some Regular Rubber Gloves Washing Accidentally Opened The Gate Of Hell

Just Some Regular Rubber Gloves Washing Accidentally Opened The Gate Of Hell

jfrchen1207 Report

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#14

Driftwood Figures Roaming The Forest. By Japanese Artist, Nagato Iwasaki

Driftwood Figures Roaming The Forest. By Japanese Artist, Nagato Iwasaki

ltJustMe Report

#15

Dried-Up Stingrays Will Haunt My Nightmares

Dried-Up Stingrays Will Haunt My Nightmares

NeuroticNurse Report

#16

Looks Like A Demon Possessed Her

Looks Like A Demon Possessed Her

Toxic_deadeye Report

#18

Very Humbling Sign Posted Outside A Cemetery In The Middle Of The Woods

Very Humbling Sign Posted Outside A Cemetery In The Middle Of The Woods

Poey221 Report

#19

Harpy Eagle

Harpy Eagle

iNonEntity Report

#20

The Cork-Lid Trapdoor Spider. If You See What Looks Like An Ancient Coin Buried In Sand, Leave It Alone...

The Cork-Lid Trapdoor Spider. If You See What Looks Like An Ancient Coin Buried In Sand, Leave It Alone...

reddit.com Report

#21

Not To Jump Into Conclusions But Caves Are Indeed Discreet And Hard To Reach

Not To Jump Into Conclusions But Caves Are Indeed Discreet And Hard To Reach

Akephalos_Agares Report

#23

This Meme

This Meme

reddit.com Report

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#25

Spiky Contacts

Spiky Contacts

mali1321 Report

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If I could I would live under water
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Where I live, open casket is not a thing and so I don't really get why this is necessary in the first place. When I die, please just take out all the stuff that still can be used and than burn me to a small pile of ashes.

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#26

My Driveway Today

My Driveway Today

Sweatyrando Report

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shonie
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

your so lucky to have such an amazing driveway its stunning, i would love to take a stroll through it :D

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#27

The “Skin” Cake I Made To Celebrate The Beginning Of Dermatology Residency. Everyone Thought It Was Delicious

The “Skin” Cake I Made To Celebrate The Beginning Of Dermatology Residency. Everyone Thought It Was Delicious

Midwest-md Report

#29

Vivarium

Vivarium

Financial-Grand2209 Report

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Catlady6000
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There are a few of these neighborhoods here. They creep me out. Especially in the middle of the day when no one is home and everything is quiet. Shiver

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#35

Imagine Seeing Them In Real Life

Imagine Seeing Them In Real Life

beastmodekyler Report

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Jill Taylor
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Get the largest size possible and hang in the living room. Great conversation piece.

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#37

The Danish Special Forces Are Just Militarised Sleep Paralysis Demons

The Danish Special Forces Are Just Militarised Sleep Paralysis Demons

Reverend_Giggles Report

#40

Infested Spider Tent

Infested Spider Tent

memezzer Report

#42

The Sun Bear Literally Looks Like A Man Inside A Bear Costume

The Sun Bear Literally Looks Like A Man Inside A Bear Costume

WhyIsLife12 Report

#43

Had A Praying Mantis Nest Hatch By My Front Door!

Had A Praying Mantis Nest Hatch By My Front Door!

emoats83 Report

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#45

Went Camping With My Girlfriend. I Woke Up To Pee And She Took This Photo Of Me

Went Camping With My Girlfriend. I Woke Up To Pee And She Took This Photo Of Me

Gaap321 Report

#46

This Is The X-Ray Of A Pregnant Dog

This Is The X-Ray Of A Pregnant Dog

huckleberry-finn6 Report

#47

The Guarana Fruit Looks Like An Angel From The Old Testament

The Guarana Fruit Looks Like An Angel From The Old Testament

cinzalunar Report

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Jayne Kyra
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

For anyone interested: https://historyofyesterday.com/how-angels-really-look-like-according-to-the-bible-d4d339112619

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#48

“Urchin Quartz” More Like Nightmare Quartz

“Urchin Quartz” More Like Nightmare Quartz

a_single_crouton Report

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Markus Holstein
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Do not break it, no matter what the soft voices say! If you break it you will set them free!

tomruns12 avatar
tomruns12
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

cool. are those spots made of some form of iron sulfide crystal?

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Mevrouw Madelief
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Urchin, we call them literally translated, sea hedgehog. I've seen participants on expedition Robinson eat the bigger ones of these things.

austyngudgell avatar
Ashe
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I once watched a sack of caterpillars hanging from a tree HATCH

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#49

One Is Portland, The Other Is Fallout 4..............fallout Has Cleaner Air

One Is Portland, The Other Is Fallout 4..............fallout Has Cleaner Air

H-9000 Report

#50

This Root System Of My Calathea Plant. These Root Nodules Mean It's Very Healthy, But It's Unnerving To Look At

This Root System Of My Calathea Plant. These Root Nodules Mean It's Very Healthy, But It's Unnerving To Look At

touchinbutt2butt Report

Note: this post originally had 90 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.