It’s crazy what happens when you start comparing two similar images side by side. You might start to look at the world in a whole new manner. That’s what these 50 surprising comparison images did for us.
By observing the small and big differences between things, we came to some fascinating realizations — for starters, that we are actually all more similar than we ever thought possible. From watching how landscapes evolve across different seasons to noticing the incredible similarities between mothers and daughters, this list includes plenty of surprises.
The photos will both shock and amaze you, but mostly, the real idea is to encourage you to think outside the box. Once you see how different things match up against one another, you’ll likely never think about life the same way again.
On the left side, we have a picture of French Street after a massive September flood that was a result of Hurricane Harvey. On the right, the picture shows the same sign three months later in snowy weather conditions. The difference is striking.
Because this photograph was taken at night, it’s hard to see what is going on on the right side. However, a flash from a different person’s camera accidentally illuminated the left side of the photo. It made the scenery look completely different.
Can you guess which of these apartments has smokers living in it and which one doesn’t? In the one with smokers, the blinds are a dark brown-yellow color from years of smoky air. Whereas, the other apartment’s blinds appear pristine and white.
Technology has changed a lot over time. In just a few short decades, we’ve gone from having dozens of clunky devices that barely work to just one that has all of the same capabilities. It’s called a smartphone.
5. Modern & Heirloom Varieties
The modern fruits and vegetables we eat are almost unrecognizable compared to those of the past. The tomato on the right was grown from 150-year-old heirloom seeds. If we saw it on a supermarket shelf, we probably wouldn’t even consider it a tomato.
We’ve all seen candles burn before on Earth, but this photo comparison from NASA shows what a burning candle looks like on the International Space Station. In a microgravity environment, flames are small and blue.
Both of the kids in this image are 13 years old. However, their sizes couldn’t be more different. It’s the age when puberty begins to hit. However, not everyone goes through it at the same rate.
Animals come in all shapes and sizes too, including cats. This picture shows an American Shorthair cat versus a Maine Coon. The Maine Coon is the largest breed of domesticated cat.
Not all wolfdogs are created equally. In fact, some of them have a whole lot more wolf in them than others. It’s all a matter of genetics. The mangy pup on the left is 98% wolf while the one on the right is only 40%.
This man’s cat looks shockingly similar to Simba in the new
Lion King movie. While he won’t actually grow up to become a big lion one day like in the movie, a cat can dream, right? For now, they are basically look-alikes.
This Texas Longhorn bull has spent his whole life living on the same ranch. He’s seen it change over time, and he himself has also changed. Here he is standing in the same spot again, five years later.
Claws and talons are common among a variety of different animals from birds to cats, to lizards. However, what’s most surprising to us is how shockingly big some animals’ claws are. For example, Harpy Eagles have talons that are longer than those of many bear species.
13. Peregrine Falcon or B-2 Bomber?
If you saw both of them flying through the air, you might not be able to tell the difference. The design of the B-2 Bomber was actually modeled after the Peregrine Falcon. It’s a bird with incredible aerodynamic properties.
The first day of elementary school is an exciting moment. We bet the young boy never thought that he would grow up to become a teacher himself one day. He’s gotten a lot bigger over the years, but his smile is just as warm and goofy as ever.
Climate change is a big cause for concern, especially if this arctic picture is any indication. The two photos were taken 103 years apart. In that time, the original giant icecaps have all but completely disappeared.
When it comes to tides, twelve hours can make a world of difference. For half the day, the dock is almost underwater. Yet, for the other half, it’s dry enough that the dock isn’t even necessary. We wouldn’t recommend parking a boat there, that’s for sure!
From tiny to big, Michelin makes a wide variety of tires for a wide variety of purposes. Some of them are taller than people are, whereas, their smallest tires wouldn’t even fit around your head.
According to the theory of evolution, humans all evolved from primates at some point in time. Later, the different species began to take divergent paths. Underneath it all though, there are still a lot of similarities — 0n the left is a human skeleton and on the right is a gorilla skeleton.
19. Orange Juice Servings
The bigger cup sizes at restaurants don’t necessarily mean that you are getting more overall volume. At least not at McDonald’s. Their small orange juices versus their mediums actually contain almost identical amounts of liquid.
We’ve all heard the saying “like father, like son”. However, in real life, it doesn’t always play out that way. As this father and son photo shows, genetics is quite a complicated subject.
If you live next to the ocean, it quickly becomes apparent just how much the marine environment affects everything. The saltwater lingers in the air and has the tendency to corrode things. Just look at the doorknob on the outside of this house versus the one on the inside.
22. Players & Cheerleaders
All of these girls represent the same school team. Although, the ones on the outside are the basketball players and the ones on the inside are the cheerleaders. It just goes to show how much different activities favor different people.
We like to think of ourselves as distinctly different from animals. However, this photo comparing an elephant foot to a human foot shows just how similar we really are. Human feet and elephant feet couldn’t look more different from the outside. However, the underlying bone structure is still pretty much the same.
24. Military Advancements
Norwegian soldiers 75 years ago looked quite different than they do now. The soldiers have the same brave spirit as always, but the gear has definitely evolved over time. They went from a leather outfit and a pistol to a complete set of tactical gear.
25. Differing Street Lamps
Can you tell which of these lights are the newer ones and which are the old originals? Here’s a hint: on the walkway on the left, they used LED bulbs. Compared to the street lamps on the right, they are much more targeted and use a lot less energy.
Here is the same dock photo taken at 9 AM versus 11 AM. Around the lakes in Michigan, early morning fog is often a common sight. However, by midday, things can completely change.
This street in Surf City, North Carolina was forever changed when Hurricane Florence blew through. It went from a beautiful residential area to being completely buried in sand. The beach advanced further than anyone would ever have thought possible.
28. Girls’ & Boys’ Magazines
No matter what you believe about gender, it’s hard to argue with the fact that advertisers market to boys and girls differently. These magazines are proof of that. Boys are encouraged to pursue science and physical jobs, whereas girls are encouraged to pursue beauty and fashion.
There is no doubt that where you shop makes a big difference when it comes to prices. For example, at Target, a pack of chalk is set at 99 cents. Walk down the street to the college bookstore though and you will pay over ten times as much.
Change a few camera settings and you can totally transform a photo. On the left is a representation of how the Milky Way appears when you view it with the naked eye. However, the right is how most cameras capture it. It just goes to show, sometimes there is no real substitution for seeing something for yourself in person.
We often think of the ocean as being vast and gigantic. However, compared to the size of the Earth of itself, there really is no comparison. All of the water and air on Earth compacted into balls pale in size to the actual giant rock that we live on.
In Utah, the weather changes by the day. As this photo proves, one day it can be a winter wonderland, and the next, beautiful and green. You never know what each day is going to bring.
Birds are one of the closet remnants we still have of the ancient dinosaurs that used to roam the earth. On the left, we have a Tyrannosaurus Rex foot, and on the right, an Emu foot. Interestingly, both of them share three very similar looking toes.
34. Titanic & Cruise Ship
People think about the Titanic as being larger than life, and for its time, it certainly was. However, this image shows what the Titanic would look like if placed in front of a modern cruise ship. The modern vessels make the giants of the past look embarrassingly small.
35. Plans For Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is an interesting time to work in retail. You get to see how different shoppers celebrate the occasion completely differently. For one shopper, it’s roses and cupcakes, and for the other, it’s fried chicken and Jack Daniels.
Glowing orange skies are unfortunately becoming an all too common sight in California. There is really nothing like it. One day, the views are beautiful and clear, and then next, it looks like the apocalypse hit.
Remember when people used to use Motorola flip phones? It really wasn’t that long ago. Yet, if you gave one of our current smartphone models to someone back in the 90s, they probably would think that it utilized some sort of wizardry.
We don’t often consciously think about it, however, most of us choose which door to go through based upon whether we are right-handed or left-handed. As you can see from the wear and tear of the door handles, the lefties at this school are severely outnumbered.
The set of stairs that looks uneven was built in 1829. They used stones for the job. However, the modern staircase adjacent to it was built in 2005 using cement. It’s an interesting mix of old and new.
It’s shocking how densely packed some countries are compared to others. Just have a look at this image showing the population of Russia versus the population of Bangladesh. Compared to their vastly different land area sizes, it’s pretty startling.
This photo shows the difference between going to the lake and coming home. When you are on your way to the lake to play, it’s really exciting. However, on the car ride home, it’s time for a nap.
If you want to become a Jedi, you can get a cheap lightsaber for $10. However, compared to the $400 lightsaber on the right, the cheap one looks pretty sad. The hardcore Jedis only go for the best!
The big ship in the display case is a model of Chinese explorer Zheng’s historic vessel. For comparison, Christopher Columbus’s ship is featured in the front. Both of them were out sailing the world during the same time period.
The autumn is one of the most beautiful times of the year. The leaves all change colors so fast, and if you aren’t paying attention, you can easily miss it. These two photos were taken one week apart.
Noah is a survivor of cancer. His before and after pictures make us so happy. Thanks to a very talented team of doctors, and a little luck, Noah got a second chance at life.
46. Microscopic Comparisons
It’s hard to really fathom how tiny a bee stinger is until you view one under a microscope. To give you an idea of the size, they placed one directly next to a needle. The stinger is not only sharper and smaller but also much more terrifying.
This mom did a side-by-side comparison of her daughter’s face to hers. The mom’s face might have a few more wrinkles and freckles, but the general look is shockingly similar. It’s really easy to tell that they are related.
Like us, dolphins are mammals. Part of that means that they also have big brains. Compared to sharks, they are worlds apart. Dolphins are one of the most intelligent types of creatures on the planet.
Mining at quarries requires some massive construction vehicles. To get an idea of the sheer size, look no further than the school bus in the back. The construction trucks make the school bus look like a kid’s toy.
During WWII this street was totally occupied with soldiers and tanks battling it out. 72 years later and a lot has changed. The same street still maintains a lot of its original structures, however, it’s much more peaceful now.
