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Even the most commonplace of objects can look downright terrifying when magnified to this degree. Check out these crazy close ups.
Hummingbird’s Tongue
Apparently, it’s tiny size doesn’t make every part of the hummingbird adorable. Its tongue has a comb-like shape that looks like a scary worm to us. Picture this the next time you get excited to spot a hummingbird zipping by!
Snowflakes
No two are the same yet they all look this odd up close. It looks more like a manufactured piece of glass with its meticulous symmetry.
Ant and A Microchip
Ants are a classic reference for tiny things. How many times have you thought cars look like zooming ants from a plane window? This diligent worker ant thinks he has the perfect last touch for his home, a microchip! That’s one high-tech anthill.
Coffee, In Its Natural State
For many people, coffee keeps them running all hours of the day. It’s no wonder its powerful as it looks strangely psychedelic with rainbow shades in its natural state. Upon roasting, the plant turns black but its true colors are much more exciting.
Caffeine
As it turns out, the active ingredient of caffeine is just as cool looking. It looks like someone liquefied the contents of a kaleidoscope, no wonder we are all addicted to caffeine!
Salt and Pepper
This may look like s’mores but these particles are much more savory. The rock-like appearance of the rocks and snowy, marshmallowy shape of the salt make us feel uneasy.
Mosquito’s Head
A vice to many, the mosquito is amongst the least loved bug. Up close, they’re downright horrifying. Look at those tentacles!
Refined and Refined Sugar Compared
It’s easy to notice a difference between refined and raw sugar. Check out the size and color difference between the two!
Butterfly Eggs on Raspberry
Butterflies are amongst the most enchanting creatures. They start out looking just like this: microscopic eggs shells left behind when the larvae go out into the world and begin to develop into the beauty of a full-grown butterfly.
Shark’s Skin
Perhaps having the most evil reputation, sharks are fascinating up close. Their skin is rugged and coarse, making it even more difficult for predators to overcome them.
Grains of Sand
No two beach is alike and that is, in large part, due to its sands. Up close, you can tell that what appears to be uniform grains of sand are more similar to a tiny gem collection.
Needle and Thread
Threading a needle can be difficult but it can be hard to understand why when we can’t see things at this magnification. Those frayed bits make the string look like straw!
Crack in Steel
One of the strongest materials on Earth, steel can often feel smoother-than-smooth. Still, it is a natural material found in rocks and even the tiniest cracks can resemble a canyon.
Bluebottle Maggot
One type of fly larvae looks more like a child’s drawing of a walrus. How hilarious are those eyes?
Tobacco Rolling Paper
This is an up-close shot of a sheet of rolling paper for tobacco. It looks like the surface of another planet, but it just holds rock formations to keep the flame burning when its lit.We bet you’ll remember this the next time you have a smoke!
Butterfly Egg
This butterfly egg looks like it could belong to a dragon, thanks to its incredible, ornate windy throne. We think this is a wonder of nature and looks more like it’s out of a fairytale.
Mascara Brush
After years of research, makeup brands have mastered every type of eyelash style in their mascara brushes. With a design like this, no wonder you can get easy, unstuck, curled lashes.
Toothbrush Bristles
Much more practical, toothbrush bristles protect us from a world of cavities and misery. These just look like breadsticks to us, though.
Steel
Uncracked steel, when supermagnified, shows how it is so strong. All of those woven strands make it one of the strongest materials on Earth.
Sugar in Water
When dissolved in water, sugar looks nearly as magical as caffeine. This belongs in an art gallery!
Starfish
One of the most iconic sea creatures, the seastar is a wonder to all. This baby starfish already has its distinctive shape and its tiny tentacles will help it survive in the big blue!
Floss and Plaque
Plaque is the stuff that can damage your teeth and cause cavities. Flossing helps prevent plaque build up and keeps your teeth and gums nice and healthy. In case you need some more convincing, here is a close up of the goop that comes off your teeth and onto your floss.
Trimmed Facial Hair
Both standard and electric razors are commonly used to trim beards. On the left is a closeup of a beard hair cut with a razor and the right is cut with an electric razor. If you have time, go for a clean shave.
Gecko Toe
Many reptiles are able to move around with sticky pads on their extremeties. Geckos particularly are known for their ability to scale walls and trees with sticky feet. As you can see here, it also has a nifty claw for grabbing!
Dust
Just like sand, otherwise bland-looking dust is magificent when viewed under a microscope. This bit of dust looks like a collection of ribbons and alien lifeforms.
Silicon Microchips
As technology continues to evolve, things seem to get smaller and smaller. Just consider how most folks had to use an entire room to print something or use a briefcase just to make a phone call.This is a close up of a silicon microchip, complete with colorful tracks that look uber soft.
Caddisfly
A little creepier than even a maggot up close, this caddisfly looks like a shrimp. While it lays its larvae in water, it spends most of its adult life on land. Creepy!
Earwax on a Cotton Swab
While this looks more like a torch, it is actually a cotton swab loaded with ear wax. This person must have experienced some serious relief, that’s a lot of wax!
Cat Tongue
If you remember the last time you were licked by a cat, you might remember that it felt like sandpaper. Clearly, you can see why. This photo is of a domestic cat but predator cats like tigers and lions have the same tongue surface. They come in handy for grooming!
Fly Larvae
While this looks like a fuzzy demon straight out of your nightmares, it’s just a fly larvae. Flies aren’t cute to begin with, and their larvae are clearly worse.
Banana Skin
Bananas seem a little too slippery. Yet, their surface is actually pebbled, as shown.
Velcro
We all loved our velcro-closure clothing items as kids. Here is what it actually looked like.
Moth Wings
Moth? This looks like something Batman would use in his suit. With such a strong structure, moths are able to get out of all sorts of trouble alive.
Banana
As it turns out, the inside of a banana is just as interesting as its skin. This may look like a waterfall but it’s the sticky center of a banana. Check out all those layers!
Guitar Strings
Guitars have been central to culture and, obviously, music in many parts of the world since antiquity. Oddly, the strings up-close look more like worms.
Silvia
