Every once in a while, nature blesses us with scenes that seem completely out of this world — and that’s when having a camera handy really pays off.
After digging through the corners of the internet, Bored Panda found some truly extraordinary photos that look like they were taken on another planet or in another timeline.
Whether it’s clusters of fossilized creatures, macro images of soap bubbles, or the surreal salt formations in Iran — these images will make you question what’s real and what’s not.
At the same time, they might also make you appreciate what a great and interesting world we live in.
#1 Socotra Island, Yemen
Image source: aseelswaid9
#2 This Cluster Of Fossilised Creatures Look Like They Came From Another Planet
Image source: AeliosZero, AeliosZero
#3 Flew Halfway Around The Planet For This Photo
I flew into Córdoba and drove around between San Juan and Villa de Merlo.
Image source: astroguyfornm
When we see something that doesn’t follow familiar patterns, like an extreme close-up of soap bubbles that look like tiny galaxies or salt crystals forming sharp geometric shapes, our brain struggles to classify it.
Research shows that we then try to make sense using whatever similar information we’ve already got stored in our brains, relying more on prediction.
That’s why a frost pattern spreading across a window might start to look like a branching river system seen from space. Or aerial shots of deserts shaped by wind can resemble the surface of Mars.
#4 Macro Of A Soap Bubble Looks Like An Alien Planet
During lockdown, I ordered a macro lens and started taking photos of everything around my house. Nikon D850 w/ Nikon 105mm.
Image source: yenaved
#5 Salt Rocks In Iran
Image source: mohammad.alinia.53
#6 I Stumbled Across Some Red Sand Dunes Hidden In The Tabuk Region Of Northern Saudi Arabia
Image source: mijlof
Most of the landscapes we see in this list feel unfamiliar or “alien” simply because we don’t have a real-life reference for them in our everyday experience.
Also, we’ve never actually seen real extraterrestrial environments beyond what we’ve observed through telescopes, rover images, and space missions. So, the brain fills that gap through sci-fi movies, books, games, and cultural ideas of what alien worlds should look like.
Research shows that when we try to picture unknown worlds, we usually don’t invent something completely new. Instead, we remix familiar Earth-based elements in strange combinations.
Even ideas of aliens are often built from human and animal traits we already understand.
So, when we see a real place like Iceland’s volcanic fields or Greenland’s ice sheets, our brain immediately relies on those sci-fi mental shortcuts to help describe them.
#7 An Otherworldly Spot In Northern Arizona As Seen From Above
Image source: Austinjamesjackson
#8 One Of The Most Surreal Locations In The Icelandic Highlands
It’s called Rauðibotn which translates to “red bottom” in Icelandic.
Image source: anonymous , anonymous
Some of these pictures also fall in the category of ethereal photography.
It is a style that feels soft, dreamy, and atmospheric, almost like it exists somewhere between reality and imagination. But at the end of the day, it’s all about timing, lighting, angles, and techniques.
This style can include surreal elements or creative editing to give scenes an otherworldly, almost magical quality.
Ethereal photography is mostly used for storytelling. These images let you drift into a space that feels familiar yet distant, like something remembered from a dream.
#9 One Of California’s Most Surreal Landscapes, The Painted Dunes
Image source: benhallerphotography
#10 Early Morning Swim. Are They Here To Stay?
No, these are not “sea spiders” or aliens. They are upside-down, dried-out Aloe Ferox leaves that the sea washed ashore.
Image source: Jan Vorster
One of the examples of ethereal photography is the painted dunes in California, which look ordinary at first. But when shot with low sunlight, the long shadows bring out deep shapes and textures. The result is a landscape that feels almost sculpted.
Another example is photographer Jan Vorster’s images of aloe vera plants in South Africa, which went viral in 2022 as many people mistook the plants for aliens emerging from the sea.
The photos were captured at sunrise and sunset to create a spooky effect, and the plants with tentacles were lined up to give an otherworldly look.
Vorster said his main aim was to raise awareness about the damage that has been done to the environment. “A lot of people were scared of these alien-looking sea monsters. It was like ‘Jaws’ — is it safe to go into the water? I thought I could use this as a metaphor for how people see these plants as aliens, but we are actually the two-legged aliens messing up their world. That was the idea.”
#11 Bentonite Hills In Utah
They are pretty vibrant after it rains.
Image source: raccoonmaster666
#12 This School Of Fish Close To Surface Looks Like Some Ugly Alien Creature
Image source: deleted
#13 Aerial Image Of Grand Prismatic Spring In Yellowstone National Park
Image source: Carsten Steger
A lot of photographers believe that nature is one of the best inspirations for ethereal photography. Sunlight, storms, rain, snow, and even fog can produce stunning images.
Fog, for example, strips away detail and distance. Without clear reference points, we fill in the blanks on our own, which makes the scene feel more mysterious and open to interpretation.
Rain does something similar but through reflection — wet surfaces bounce light and color in unexpected ways, adding layers that aren’t usually visible.
“Overcast conditions are perfect for ethereal photography. Harsh sunlight can create very powerful photos, too, but they rarely look dreamy. When I take photos, I love feeling the raw power of the elements. Fog never fails to give an image an ethereal, mystical feel, and an approaching storm can help to create dramatic imagery,” writes self-portrait photographer Anna Heimkreiter.
#14 Slightly Otherworldly View In My Attic Today
Image source: peterg4567
#15 My Kombucha Culture Looks Like An Alien Planet
Image source: blump_kin
#16 Terceira Island, Portugal
Image source: deliorodrigues
These images create a feeling that there’s something bigger and more beautiful beyond everyday life. For some people, they bring a sense of calm and quiet, almost like their mind slows down for a bit.
Research shows that visuals like these can actually help lower stress and reduce anxiety, while also making you feel more connected to nature.
A lot of these photos, especially the ones with wide, misty landscapes or endless horizons, trigger a feeling of awe. This emotion can pull your focus away from daily worries and make you feel part of something larger.
Experts believe that even just looking at, or capturing, nature like this can help you reset mentally and feel a bit more grounded.
#17 Rare Fresh Water Sinkhole In Tulum Mexico With Unlimited Visibility Underwater
Image source: tom.st.george
#18 Finland Has Some Otherworldly Vibes
This was taken in February 2016 in Levi, Finland. The northern part of the country, Lapland, is incredibly beautiful and has large fells (gentle sloping mountains/hills) that receive a lot more snowfall than the lower-lying areas, creating awesome snowy tree sculptures.
Image source: travelingisdumb
#19 The Clathrus Archeri Fungus Resembles Alien Tentacles Sprouting From An Egg
Image source: deleted
#20 Dallol, Ethiopia
Image source: Sharanbhurke
Most of us move through the world on autopilot, barely noticing what’s right in front of us or around us. But once you’ve seen how strange, detailed, and unexpected everyday things can be, it’s hard to unsee them.
So, the next time you spot strange patterns in a puddle, unusual textures on a wall, or light hitting a surface in a way that makes you pause, be sure to click a picture and share.
#21 I Flew Over Greenland For The First Time With No Cloud Cover. Such A Cool Experience, I Felt Like I Was On Another Planet
Image source: -S-P-A-C-E-D-
#22 Burning Man Festival (That Looks Like A Solar System From Above)
Image source: jacob
#23 Trachyandra Looks Like It Comes From Another Planet
Image source: anonymous
#24 My View From 30,000 Feet Looks Like I’m Flying Over An Alien Planet
Image source: Chripaco
#25 I Live In Antarctica, But If I Didn’t… I’d Think This Was Another Planet
Image source: zambuka42
#26 Unbelievable Sight At Glowworms In Waitomo Caves, New Zealand
Image source: alexriodepek
#27 The Rainbow Mountains Of China With In The Zhangye Danxia Landform Geological Park Are A Geological Wonder Of The World
Image source: igoalstories
#28 The Fairy Chimneys Of Goreme
Image source: jamiedadawg
#29 Otherworldly Colours Of The Atacama – Catamarca, Argentina
Taken on a road trip through the Puna de Atacama in Northern Argentina. The colours have not been changed at all, only slightly enhanced. The “road” can be seen winding up the mountain.
Image source: dcowboy31
#30 When Nature Decides To Paint. Deadvlei, Namibia
Image source: traveludi
#31 This Is Another Unreal Spot I Found During My Road Trip In The Icelandic Highlands
Image source: stefanogera
#32 Eden Project Geodesic Domes
Image source: Jürgen Matern, Mark Vallins
#33 Supertree Forest In Singapore
Image source: Shiny Things
#34 Mountain In Wadi Rum, Jordan
Image source: Daniel Case
#35 Fly Geyser In The Black Rock Desert, Nevada
Image source: Jeremy C. Munns
#36 Taken On The Canadian Praries But Kinda Looks Like It’s The Moon
Image source: CanadianMcManager
#37 Alien World
These are British Soldiers lichen, a colony of symbiotic fungi and photosynthetic algae!
Image source: leftoverhorse
#38 This Photo I Took Of A Bird Through My Binoculars Looks Like A Planet
Image source: stanjolly
#39 The Area I Used To Work In Washington Looks Like Jurassic Park
Image source: zuzuofthewolves, zuzuofthewolves
#40 This Dried-Up Pond Edge Looks Like An Alien Landscape
Image source: Greenfingers2014
#41 Moon And Orion Setting Over Alien-Looking Rocks On The Northern California Coast
Image source: dheera.net, dheera
#42 White Sands + Blue Hour = Different Planet
Image source: nature_and_such
#43 Traversing Star Wars-Like Landscapes (Tattoine?) In Beautiful Utah
Image source: chileno_hikertron
#44 The Clouds Outside My Plane Window Look Like An Alien Landscape
Image source: 2ndEntity
#45 This Is What The Highest Point In The Path Of Totality Looked Like To The Eye. Borah Peak, Idaho, 12,500 Feet
Image source: scottsusername
#46 Moss Grows Over Coal Of Uncleaned Grill
Image source: allstaken, Nikushiro
#47 Miniature Tropical Island
A stone covered by some kind of algae.
Image source: 109488
#48 The Rainbow Sierra Nevada Snow Caves
Image source: penguinchild
#49 The Inside Of This Toaster Looks Like A Space Ship Interior
Image source: Mylifeisoverrated
#50 Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
Image source: jakesonaplane_
#51 This Picture I Took In California Of A Tree Looks Like A Path Going Through An Alien Landscape
Image source: wafflelover44
#52 This Picture I Took Through The Gap In A Wall Looks Like A Forgotten Land
Image source: Vipatech
#53 Volcanic Crater Of Nisyros Island In Greece Looks Like A Scenery From Another Planet
Image source: IASIPxIASIP
#54 Miniature Landscape Shaped By The Wind At Callantsoog, The Netherlands
Image source: jorisgrotenhuis
#55 The Way This Picture Of A Frozen Puddle In My Backyard Looks Like A Landscape From The Perspective Of A Plane
Image source: SigmaNukem
#56 The Surreal Landscape Of Kyrgyzstan Seen From The Sky
Image source: cryptodesign
#57 A Puddle At Sunset
Image source: Camn95
#58 At This Time Of Year, The “Alien’s Eggs” In The Fields Are Actually Chinese Cabbage, So Please Be Careful
Image source: dAiTaI0524
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