Comparison Photos That Changed Our Perspectives – This Will Make You Stop and Think

The world is a big and complicated place and we can often get caught up and fail to notice the things around us. Sometimes, we need to stop and realize just how much things have changed to really be able to see what's going on.

Check out these side-by-side images that show how time and other factors change things. Take a few moments to think about how different they are to one another because I assure you it'll give you a little perspective (or maybe just tell you something you already know).

X-Rays of Congested and Un-congested Sinuses Will Make You Grateful for Air

congested and uncongested xray
superbunnyblob / Reddit
superbunnyblob / Reddit

This is really wild. This person had bad congestion and allergies, so their sinuses were completely swelled up. If this doesn't make you breathe a little easier, then I don't know what will because I'm feeling thankful for my un-congested sinuses, right now.

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They Drew 100 Mouths. Here Are the First 15 and the Last Six

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lots of mouths drawings
StealthPanther / Reddit
StealthPanther / Reddit
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This is a great way to get in some practice figure drawing, and you can really see how this person's style changed even just over one day. Their touch got lighter with their pencil and their style got a little more refined.

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Now We Know Why They Made This Ski Trail Sign So Tall

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ski sign in the summer and the winter
ccantrell0 / Reddit
ccantrell0 / Reddit
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These photos, taken in the summer and the winter, show just how much it snowed on those slopes. It'd be confusing if you didn't know to visit during the summer and see that massive sign.

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After Breaking His Heel, His Left Calf Looked Different

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left leg and right leg for comparison
AkalineCosmos / Reddit
AkalineCosmos / Reddit
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This guy's left calf muscle has atrophied since he broke his heel three months ago and this just shows how much work our muscles truly do. We use them every day and it's not often we think about them - but if we stop using them, we lose them.

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Who Would Win in a Fight: Australia or Pluto?

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pluto is the size of australia
Stocky99 / Reddit
Stocky99 / Reddit
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It's hard to believe, but the diameter of Pluto is slightly smaller than Australia. This is seriously shocking and actually makes the decision to stop calling it a planet make a lot more sense. It's just a floating continent.

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A 10MB Hard Drive From the '60s and a TB One From Today

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big hardrive and little hard drive
Kolafie / Reddit
Kolafie / Reddit
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It's mind-blowing to see how much our technology has improved in such a small amount of time. Just think, computers used to take up entire rooms. Nowadays, much more powerful ones fit right in our pocket!

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Nacho the Cat a Month After Being Adopted

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cat looking happy and healthy after one month of adoption
DubbehD / Reddit
DubbehD / Reddit
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This picture proves that we can make a huge impact in a pet's life. Even just a month can completely transform a cat - and let me just tell you, this is definitely the cat's meow.

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This Garden Mushroom's Bigger Than a Men's 10.5 Shoe!

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mushroom and shoe
azyn4 / Reddit
azyn4 / Reddit
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This would be quite the find in the garden! This looks less like a mushroom and more like a piece of packing for a home good product.

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Do we think mushroom risotto and portabello burgers are on the menu tonight?

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Two of the Same Seasoning, 30 Years Apart

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italian seasoning 30 years apart bottles
alex_plus / Reddit
alex_plus / Reddit
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This just shows how much brands change their looks and labels throughout the years. Tones have really made theirs lighter and brighter, but we totally see how they're selling less product now.

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1927 Pennies Look Like They Cost $1 to Make

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big penny and little penny
jdz_678 / Reddit
jdz_678 / Reddit
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A lot of people cheered when the Penny was phased out because we produced them at a loss, but it looks like we actually became much more sensible than we were in 1927.

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This penny is huge compared to modern iterations and definitely didn't make any cents to make.

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This Dog Couldn't Fit This Lemon in Its Mouth

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dog with a big lemon
arrahramona / Reddit
arrahramona / Reddit
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This is a lemon, but it's not a lemon in the metaphorical sense.

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This isn't a screw-up on nature's part, but, instead, it just shows how cool nature can truly be. I'd pay to see Fido try and fetch that citrus boulder.

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France Sells Giant Babybel and It Dwarfs the American One

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babybel cheese massive
britishbrick / Reddit
britishbrick / Reddit
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This photo is seriously making me hungry. I'm about to take a trip to France to grab one of these massive Babybels for myself. Can you just imagine how satisfying it would be to peel off all that wax?

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The Difference Between Triple-A and Quadruple-A Batteries

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batteries in hand
bguanc / Reddit
bguanc / Reddit
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Who knew that differently charged batteries actually had different sizes? I just assumed they were different sizes to make them harder to mix up. I'm charged up by this new information.

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An Elephant's Foot Next to a Human One Proves They Love Heels Just as Much as We Do

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elephant and human foot comparison
handsandhart / Reddit
handsandhart / Reddit
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Are elephants just walking around on their tippy-toes all the time, then? Is the material of the rest of the foot just muscle, skin and nail? Whatever it is, it's one heck of a wedge heel!

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This Mutant M&M Looks Like Bacteria

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m and m one is mutant
Minefan48 / Reddit
Minefan48 / Reddit
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This mutant M&M looks like some bacteria splitting beside its normal counterpart. Even though I'm sure it still tastes great, it's definitely less appealing.

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Guess this shows why we have quality control testers for our food!

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Water Used to Clean a Mousepad Looks Like It's From a Swamp

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clean and dirty water from moutsepad
McRresh / Reddit
McRresh / Reddit
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This is why you should clean your mousepad, folks. It gets dirty, even if you think it doesn't. Just think, that's all this person's hand grime from over the years... Anyway, want to shake hands?

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Not All Eggs Are Created Egg-ually

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eggs on the coutner
da_way_joshua / Reddit
da_way_joshua / Reddit
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This large egg and its smaller counterpart demonstrate that you can't expect all your food to come out of the package looking like clones. I wonder if they're from the same carton or even the same farm.

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Grocery Store Shelves Are War Zones

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mustard and ketchup branded and unbranded
akimsthoughts / Reddit
akimsthoughts / Reddit
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Which would you buy? If you're really brand loyal, you might say Heinz or French's, but if it all tastes the same to you, then you might reach for the generic.

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I know my tastebuds aren't developed enough to care.

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Two Weeks Happened Between These Photos of This Tree

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tree changing color in the seasons
EleclCtriC / Reddit
EleclCtriC / Reddit
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We all look forward to the time of year when the leaves change colors, but this happening all at once over the course of two weeks is so cool. This Ginko tree is truly magic and I'd love to see a whole forest of them.

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The McDonald's Free Kiddie Cone is a Major Size Down From the Small Version

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mcdonalds ice cream cones
swim_fan146 / Reddit
swim_fan146 / Reddit
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No wonder the kiddie cone is free! It's so tiny that's it's not even a scoop of ice cream - it's like the suggestion of ice cream.

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It's giving off an ice cream vibe, but I'm not sure because I can't see it.

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Cheap vs Expensive Eggs Show More Than I Wanted to See

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good egg versus bad egg
live2lov3 / Reddit
live2lov3 / Reddit
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Some people said the egg on the left looks rotten, but who knows. All I can say for sure is that I'd rather eat the more orange-colored one on the right.

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These Two-Year-Old Birkenstocks Look Better Than Mine

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dirty birks versus clean birks
DatHyperWolf / Reddit
DatHyperWolf / Reddit
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When this person retired their two-year-old Birkenstocks after they got new ones, they decided to take a picture. Honestly, these look pretty good for being two years old... I wouldn't replace them until the straps were falling off.

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That's Why You Don't Smoke, Kids

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two windows with blinds where one set is yellow thanks to smoking cigarettes
Nevermind73 / Reddit
Nevermind73 / Reddit
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We've known about the dangers of smoking for decades, but this photo makes it hit even closer to home. The left window is from a room occupied by a smoker, while the right is a non-smoker.

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Looks Like You Can Never Leave Home Again

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side by side photo of a dog when their owner comes home versus when they are leaving
Poached_Polyps / Reddit
Poached_Polyps / Reddit
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A dog owner took this comparison photo of their pup's reaction to when they get home from work, versus when they leave for work. The sadness in the doggo's eyes just proves that you should never leave home again.

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What a Time to Be Left-Handed

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left and right handle on door where right handle has more wear and tear
haze_rod / Reddit
haze_rod / Reddit
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Let's face it, the lefties of the world typically get the short end of the stick. Spiral notebooks, whiteboard markers and even scissors are designed for righties. At least they can rest assured knowing they have the door handles that have less bacteria.

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California Wildfires Take Their Toll

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photo from a house with clear skies and same photo during California's wild fires
sklein / Reddit
sklein / Reddit
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Unless you're one to experience the realities of the California wildfires, it's hard to imagine the impact. This photo of someone's house on a normal day versus during the blazes will give a little perspective.

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Sharks May Be Bigger, But Dolphins Are Smarter

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a shark and a dolphin's brain side by side, with the shark's being significantly smaller
PaviliaBay / Reddit
PaviliaBay / Reddit
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The incredible thing about this photo comparing the brain size of a shark and dolphin isn't how small the shark's brain is. It's about how similar the dolphin brain is to a human brain.

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When the apocalypse comes, dolphins will take over the planet.

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That Boat is 75 Feet Long

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75 foot boat sailing beside blue whale
Pirate_Redbeard / Reddit
Pirate_Redbeard / Reddit
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This is your friendly reminder that the blue whale is the largest animal on earth. We're not talking the largest animal currently alive, we mean the largest animal to have ever lived on this planet over the course of billions of years.

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Cool.

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A Penny for Your Thoughts (2019 vs 1849)

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how much the penny has changed
SketchyJeffery / Reddit
SketchyJeffery / Reddit
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Even though it cost roughly 2 cents now to make a penny at the time it was discontinued, it looks like this had been a problem for over a hundred years. That 1848 coin sure looks a lot more ornate than it's worth.

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Guess This Typist's Favorite Letter is "S"

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s key on keyboard
lord_heffley / Reddit
lord_heffley / Reddit
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It's always so interesting to see which letter is the one we use the most. S, T, E, and A are up there, but they're all unfortunately placed on the left-hand side of the keyboard while most of the population is right-handed.

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Out With the Old Xbox One Joystick, In With the New

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xbox controller
jxc1 / Reddit
jxc1 / Reddit
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If I was this person, I'd use this worn down controller as an excuse for why I haven't been playing well with my friends. It's definitely not coming down to my skills... Of course not.

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This Lizard's New Tail Doesn't Quite Match the Rest of It

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different tail lizard
Turtle_48 / Reddit
Turtle_48 / Reddit
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It's so interesting how this works!

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This lizard is pretty relatable, since it probably wanted to change up its style after having it for a while. For me, this always annoyingly happens after I leave the house.

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New Fry Oil Looks Like the One I'd Put My Fries In

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dirty fry oil
fallon_creziato / Reddit
fallon_creziato / Reddit
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When I worked in fast food, they warned us about the dangers of dirty oil. It usually made the food taste worse and, sometimes, the floating crud would get stuck on people's fries.

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You can see firsthand how gross that would be...

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NBA Player Kawhi Leonard's Hand is Monstrous Next to an Average One

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two hands pressed together
Subsequent1y / Reddit
Subsequent1y / Reddit
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Looks like he was built to play basketball from the fingertips up!

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Leonard's hands measure a whopping 11.25 inches from thumb to pinkie, and just knowing that can allow you to infer why he's so good at what he does.

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For Something That Saves Your Life, This Three-Year-Old Carabiner Looks a Little Rough

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worn down carabiner
beeclimb / Reddit
beeclimb / Reddit
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I'd be more than slightly terrified if I was scaling a mountain using the hook on the right. I'm glad those things are built to last because they sure look different than their fresh-out-of-the-package cousins.

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These Trees Really Wanted to Be the Stars This Autumn

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trees in the fall
Patch04 / Reddit
Patch04 / Reddit
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It's so incredibly cool to see all the colors that come out during the fall season, but just like people, some trees are later bloomers than others. These three were just super excited to start the season.

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The Massive Garden Zucchini Looks Down on Grocery-Bought Ones

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zucchinis on table
amburrito3 / Reddit
amburrito3 / Reddit
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It's no secret that mass-produced food and factory farms can often alter the quality of the food we eat. That's not to say it's bad for us, there's just a clear difference between store-bought and homegrown.

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You Can See What Years of Smoking Does to Walls When a Fresh Coat of Paint is Applied

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stained wall
usedpainterspants_22 / Reddit
usedpainterspants_22 / Reddit
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If this is what the walls look like, can you imagine the homeowner's lungs look like? Luckily for the walls, a fresh coat of paint solves a lot of issues. That person's health on the other hand...

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It's Hard to Deny the Relationship

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emu foot compared to foot of t-rex
Smoke_Me_When_i_Die / Reddit
Smoke_Me_When_i_Die / Reddit
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In case you had any doubt about whether or not birds were actually related to dinosaurs... This is a comparison between the foot of a T-rex and the foot of an emu.

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Technology of 1990 vs 2018

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iphone compared to technology in 1990
Gar1986 / Reddit
Gar1986 / Reddit
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We're all aware of the technological advancements that've been made over the past few decades, but seeing the physical comparison makes it hit home that we're carrying super computers in our pockets.

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The Difference Two Days Can Make

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two day weather difference minnesota
EthanGibbs / Reddit
EthanGibbs / Reddit
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Anyone who lives in the Snow Belt can tell you just how quickly the weather can change on a daily basis.

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These photos were taken two days apart in Minnesota, but, realistically, it could've been two hours.

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Not Everything is Hereditary

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dad thats significantly shorter than son
SFRoussimoff / Reddit
SFRoussimoff / Reddit
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"Like father, like son" may apply to some things, but it clearly didn't apply to the height gene when it came to this father and son. Clearly, genetics isn't an exact science.

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In Case You Thought Students Were Exaggerating About Bookstore Mark Ups

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target vs bookstore chalk rpice
Leahcimjs / Reddit
Leahcimjs / Reddit
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As a university student, you quickly learn that your textbooks or anything you have to buy at the school bookstore are wildly overpriced.

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This comparison of chalk at Target versus at the bookstore shows you just how marked up things are.

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Harvested During Three Different Seasons

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three jars of honey different colors
Zig-Zag / Reddit
Zig-Zag / Reddit
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Every color or flavor of honey can be different depending on where the bees were extracted from. Apparently, it can differ depending on what time of year it's harvested, too.

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A New Water Filter and a Three-Month-Old One Makes Me Question If I Want to Drink That

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brown water filter versus white new one
Thank_mimes / Reddit
Thank_mimes / Reddit
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This is crazy.

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Even after just a couple of months a water filter can accumulate this much dirt - and, honestly, this would be a great ad for a water filter company because it's totally convinced me.