Many things can call for a double-check, be it something unusual we thought we saw at the store (until we glanced at it again and realized it was nothing out of the ordinary) or something unexpected we noticed while browsing on the computer. No matter the scenario, such situations typically make us stop in our tracks for a second and go “wait, what?!”
Plenty of situations evoking such a reaction are shared on the subreddit titled exactly that. Boasting more than 14,000 members, the ‘Wait What’ community is dedicated to all sorts of unexpected turns of events and humorous stories, some of which you can find in the list below; so scroll down to view them and see for yourself how a joke can stop you dead in your tracks.
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Vaccines Exposed
I don't think this was the experience Laurence was expecting.
Hmmmm
Yta And Need More Socks
While typically accompanying something rather shocking, wait, what moments can actually benefit a person, as surprising information is believed to enhance one’s memory, consequently helping them learn.
According to Scientific American, novelty within a familiar context allows a person to store a certain event in their memory more easily, thanks to the brain part known as the ‘novelty detector’.
Located in the temporal lobe of the cerebral cortex, for those well familiar with what’s happening inside our heads, the said ‘novelty detector’ is the hippocampus—one of the most significant brain regions in regards to discovering, processing, and storing sensory information.
The reason why the hippocampus is called the ‘novelty detector’ is because it is activated more by new stimuli than by something one is already familiar with.
Shaming Is Bad, No Matter Who It's Directed To
👁️👃 👁️ What
Scientific American continued to explain that the hippocampus compares new information with already stored knowledge, and if the information doesn’t match—meaning that there’s something new and likely surprising—it releases a pulse of dopamine into one’s system.
After traveling through different parts of the brain, it connects to the hippocampus again and triggers release of more dopamine, creating a feedback mechanism known as the hippocampal-SN/VTA loop, which can help people memorize and learn things more easily.
Wait A Dang Minute
Everyone Would Use Shapeshifting In Their Own Ways I Guess
Okay I love this, would totally choose the last option .. freak the c**p out of that old a-hole
Wait What
The Duolingo owl has always creeped me out. There is something wrong with that bird!
Our memory—and consequently, our ability to learn—are not the only aspects that tend to be affected by unexpected wait, what moments. In a Ted Talk back in 2019, a psychologist and professor emeritus at Southern Oregon University, as well as an expert in life-changing events, Dr. Michael A. Rousell, PhD, suggested that surprises can change our beliefs, too.
That's Just How I Am
Plot Twist!
At Least He's Having Fun
Professor Rousell started his Ted Talk with an example; he asked the audience to imagine themselves standing in traffic, when they see the car next to them start to hover all of a sudden. “You’d be surprised,” he said, adding that in such an instance, one’s eyes might open wide and their jaw might drop; they are likely to experience a burst of dopamine and instantly stop what they were thinking or doing.
“And then you instantly form a new belief—cars can hover,” the expert continued, and pointed out that people don’t form such a belief intentionally; it happens to them and there’s nothing they can do to undo it.
Oh
Why men think women would like a nude picture of them is beyond me, and I'm a man. I have never heard of a woman actually requesting that.
Yep! Crudely put: I can buy a d*ck in a shop or get a one night stand to have fun. When I'm looking for a man I'm looking at everything else that a man has. Things like a sense of humour, a mature way of solving problems, or a fun outlook on life. Never have I been interested in checking what he's packing.
Load More Replies...Guys: never, ever send a d**k pic unless you are asked to. Not only is it gross and usually unwanted, but in some jurisdictions you can be arrested for that s**t.
Good advice. Forcing someone to look at your genitals without their consent **is** sexual abuse, pure and simple. Advising your friend to commit sexual abuse because you think it will be funny is not the sign of an actual friend.
Load More Replies...Unsolicited pictures is NOT how we get a girl, gentlemen. Tell her a joke or something.
Has sending random nude pics to a girl EVER worked? I'm a guy and girls never just randomly send nudes as an ice breaker without asking for a credit card number.
Lol 😂 And if they do, it’s probably actually a bloke on the other end … of the text/email. Obviously there’s one on the other end of the… ok. I’ll take my foot & mouth & see myself out 🫣
Load More Replies...Hahahaha WTF I can’t stop laughing🤣🤣🤣 what the hell?! Is he stupid or something!? No way he thought the friend asking for his nudes🤣 I can’t!! Don’t send nudes to your friend or the woman!! Unless you’re a girl sending to a man (woman’s shouldn’t do it either but not for the same reason!) DONT-we HATE d-pics. No p3nis pics we haven’t ansked for are not turning us on, more the opposite, a d pic make me dry like Sahara desert! Edit typo
I know. Just to chat to her about something you both have in common. It's non-sexual and therefore non-threatening, as a way to initiate communication. Plus, generalised chit-chat is an essential step in making sure you don't start dating someone you really wish you'd know more about to start with (e.g. racist)
Load More Replies...She DEFINITELY doesn't want them! If she didn't ask for nudes she DOESN'T WANT NUDES!
Instead of nudes and getting arrested, ask things like what's your favorite flower? Then go out on a date and be polite, give her the flowers, and don't do anything naughty unless she wants it
She'll just laugh at the nudes while showing them to her bf who will also laugh at the pinhead(s)
If he’s sending pics like that as an icebreaker, there’s not too much danger of that
Load More Replies...Women (and I guess men too lol), raise your hand if you like d!ck pics?! Hmm, no one?
Sounds like these guys belong together. I hope they freed the innocent female.
It's so hard to find good friends nowadays. Bad advice AND they don't want your nudes? Better to cut them loose and find someone who appreciates you
I was wondering where you were going with the “cut” but there for a sec 😳
Load More Replies...I Would’ve Stared Back And Lost The Contest
Amputation???
Dr. Rousell pointed out that as surprising as hovering cars are, they might make for interesting dinner conversation, but not much more. However, surprises in regards to the beliefs a person holds about themselves can be defining and formative in their life, which means they can be used strategically to intentionally enrich someone else’s life.
One way to do it, according to the professor, is to trigger surprise by suggesting that something one considers a weakness is actually an asset: astonishing someone in such a way hijacks their attention and forces the person on the receiving end to try to make sense of the information, and consequently form a positive belief about themselves.
Well
Well, if it makes OP happy, that's the important thing, I guess.
I Can Only Imagine What It Looked Like For Them
Haha Oh That Too
While the surprising pictures on this list might not make people change their personal beliefs for the better, online content in general can lift up their spirits or positively influence their well-being.
Studies suggest that as long as people are mindful about it, routine social media use—logging in to respond to content shared by others, for instance—is positively linked with one’s social well-being, positive mental health, and self-rated health.
Missing The “Eez”
Arrrrrrr Matey
Already Included
A survey carried out by Sky Media found that around one third of people—in Britain, at least—turn to social media for their daily dose of positivity, spending roughly two hours a day seeking it. According to the survey’s results, animal content tends to leave them smiling the most, followed by posts depicting random acts of kindness.
This Happened To Me The Other Day
Awww. Look At That Sad Panda…
Wait Hold Up!
If it’s smile-inducing animal content that appeals to you the most, you might want to move on to Bored Panda’s animal category next, but if you enjoy the somewhat bizarre and surprising content, like the images on this list, continue to browsing these weird and surprising things people just had to share or these dark humor comics with surprising twists next.
Um Hold On
This Ones Kinda On U
Really Bro?
Wait A Minute
Look Once Again
Wait What!!!
Choo Choo I'm A Train Now
That's Not How You Do It
Subscriber Stonk
Have A Nice Day
Now Serving... Fried... Just Fried
The Whole Onion In This Advertisement Has The Peel On It, In The Slicer
Wait What-
But I Want Front Legs!
He Is Right Though
But How?!?!
Ayo Wait What?
Not Grandma
Fanfic authors are unhinged. I was reading a fanfic and in the notes the author said they developed depression which magically went away. They went to forensics camp and got the highest in their class in some exam and then got cast as Zazu from the Lion King musical at their school. They got a girlfriend also during the whole thing
Wait A Second…
My mam has brown hair, my dad black hair. I've got a ginger sister, a blonde sister, a black haired, and I've got brown. Ain't no mucking about, it's because genetics is a blender. My mam's mam is ginger, my mam's dad is Brown. My dad was abandoned so we don't know about his parents, but when we tracked down his siblings they were all blonde.
How Did This Happen
Corona Free
Skill Issue
Get Roasted
Hmmm...interesting
From reddit: Not BS. But they only receive a degree if they're in the burning building. Some of them will get first degree, some will get second degree, and some will get third degree....we are talking about burns right? Because obviously you're not going to get a PHD or even pass the class.
Wait... What?!
Wait A Sec
Oh, Ummm
Note: this post originally had 73 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
This post was the most incomprehensable thing I've ever wasted my time reading.
This post was the most incomprehensable thing I've ever wasted my time reading.