There are plenty of things that can be considered scary. Along with the classics like heights, clowns, snakes, and spiders, there are plenty of seemingly harmless things that people might fear as well. Some are terrified of the color yellow (xanthophobia), and others can’t stand looking at clusters of small holes (trypophobia).
Sometimes there’s no rhyme or reason why something gives us the heebie-jeebies. And this article might be the perfect example of that. Bored Panda has compiled a list of oddly terrifying images that you might find inexplicably unsettling. So good luck scrolling through these pics that might keep you up at night, and be sure to upvote the ones that sent chills down your spine!
#1 Statue Of Neptune, Spain
Image source: Pirate_Redbeard
#2 The Dark Forest, Northern Ireland
Image source: cancer-survivor1
#3 The Angle Of These Trees In Amsterdam
Image source: bubbleweed
There are many different types of scary. Not everything that’s considered frightening would actually give you nightmares or send you running out of the room screaming. Some things will simply give you an unsettling, ominous feeling. And others might make your mind start to spin, as you wonder if it’s safe to turn the corner or walk home alone at night.
The photos on this list may not be jump scares, but there’s something oddly terrifying about all of them. The longer you look, the more unsettled you might begin to feel. And as far as why we feel fear in general, psychologist Dr. Warren Mansell told the BBC that it’s “biological and essentially, it’s about survival.”
#4 These Are The Feet Of An Ostrich Just In Case Anyone Was Wondering Where The Dinosaurs Went
Image source: TheOddityCollector
#5 Seaweeds In Waves
Image source: [deleted]
#6 I Ordered Delivery And The Driver’s Name Makes This Sound Ominous As Hell
Image source: LargeArmadillo5431
“Our bodies need a way of getting ourselves prepared to either escape or defend ourselves against some kind of threat,” Dr. Mansell explains. It would be a problem if we had no way of detecting that we were in danger. It’s just that sometimes, our bodies and brains aren’t exactly on the same page about whatever threat (or lack thereof) we’re facing.
“Being able to recognize and respond to a threat quickly and to get away is essential,” sociologist Dr. Margee Kerr, who specializes in the study of fear, told the BBC. “It’s definitely kept us humans alive.”
#7 Police In Brazil Use Water Buffalo To Keep Up With Criminals Trying To Escape In Rivers And Swamps
Image source: anujtomar_17
#8 Tasselled Wobbegong Carpet Shark
Image source: [deleted]
#9 “Let’s Go Play In The Forest Hole”
Image source: ogslukkesallesole
When it comes to what exactly scares humans, there are plenty of fears to choose from. There are some intangible fears that many people struggle with, such as the fear of being alone, the fear of the unknown, the fear of failure, and the fear of disappointing someone. Then there are ones that might be triggered in a specific environment, such as the fear of heights or the fear of the dark. And of course, there are phobias, which are specific, intense, and often irrational fears.
#10 Stygian Owl Known For Red Reflection Of Their Eyes That Are Often Associated With The Devil
Image source: poorhero0
#11 Back To The Earth From Whence You Came! Or Something
Image source: MadTapprr
#12 Chinese Panda Keepers Wear Panda Costumes To Prevent Human Attachment
Image source: TheOddityCollector
According to the Archives of General Psychiatry, about 12.5% of the population will experience a specific phobia at some point in their lifetime. But there are some that are much more common than others. Verywell Mind reports that some of the most prevalent phobias include arachnophobia (fear of spiders), ophidiophobia (fear of snakes), acrophobia (fear of heights), and cynophobia (fear of dogs).
#13 “New Delhi — Then (Lockdown) vs. Now”
Image source: autumnbrittney99
#14 Grave Of Actor And Musician Fernand Arbelot (1880-1942) He Wished To Be Depicted Gazing Upon His Wife’s Face For All Eternity
Image source: myvisionvivid
#15 This Halloween Decoration
Image source: Monsur_Ausuhnom
While being scared might be something you do everything in your power to avoid, some people actually seek out situations where they become terrified. Horror films, haunted houses, telling scary stories around a campfire… So why do people enjoy these things? According to the American Brain Foundation, there are several reasons. But one is that overcoming a terrifying situation can provide people with a satisfying sense of accomplishment. Once you get off that rollercoaster, you’ll feel proud of yourself. And you might want to get right back on again.
#16 A Bigfin Squid, Found At Over 10,000 Meters Underwater
Image source: oldschoolfan23
#17 We’ve All Have That One Photo Where We Blinked At The Exact Wrong Moment
Image source: FoolOfElysium
#18 This Statue In Ireland
Image source: LiansAccount
Another reason why many people seem to seek out fear is that fear is also a socially acceptable way to express extreme emotions. In most situations, people would be concerned if they heard you scream. But while visiting a haunted house or watching a bone-chilling film, you can get away with that. And the catharsis that comes after might feel incredible. Plus, having that experience with a friend or loved one is a great way to bond.
#19 Someone’s Wisdom Tooth
Image source: Necessary-Win-8730
#20 Truckload Of Tied Up Figure 01 Humanoid Robots Being Moved To A Work Site
Image source: MetaKnowing
#21 This Is What Running Birds Look Like
Image source: mu4mt
Now, there are limits when it comes to experiencing fear in a healthy way. If you’re in a controlled environment where you know you’re safe, it’s probably not going to be an issue. However, if you are a person who struggles with anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, or other psychological conditions, you might not enjoy the thrill of being scared. It might trigger you and negatively impact your mental state. In which case, you might want to skip the rest of this list too.
#22 Perfect Forest
Image source: iamgulshansingh
#23 This Couple On My Flight The Other Day
Image source: anthnyshark
#24 Body Riddled With Parasites As A Result Of Eating Raw Pork For 10 Years
Image source: OffendedDishwasher
Are you enjoying these seemingly harmless yet oddly terrifying photos, pandas? Keep upvoting the ones that you find particularly disturbing, and let us know in the comments below what you consider to be way scarier than it should be. Then, if you’d like to check out another article from Bored Panda featuring photos of things that are surprisingly unsettling, we recommend reading this one next!
#25 A Bicycle Covered In Spider Webs
Image source: sivasli-Istari
#26 When A Building Is So Evil It Can Walk Away From The Scene Of It’s Own Crime. -An Old Home In Norway
Image source: [deleted]
#27 The Canada Goose
Image source: Monsur_Ausuhnom
#28 Cathulhu The Destroyer
Image source: OriginalBlackberry89
#29 There Is A Genetic Mutation (Macromutation) That Makes Frog Eyes Grow Inside Of Their Mouths, Possible Causes Could Be A Parasitic Nematode Infestation Changing The Frogs Regulatory And Structural Genes!
Image source: Tight-Singer-2683
#30 Behind The Scenes Of Thomas The Tank Engine
Image source: Sonify1
#31 This Dog With A Pinecone
Image source: bubbleweed
#32 2010 Sinkhole In Guatemala City
Image source: Monsur_Ausuhnom
#33 🔥 A Pacific Stargazer Fish Buried In The Indo-Pacific Seabed, Lying In Wait With Only Its Eyes And Mouth Exposed To Ambush Prey
Image source: willis7747
#34 A Pork Tapeworm Under 200x Magnification
Image source: Upstairs_Drive_5602
#35 Mostly
Image source: Artistic_Sun563
#36 The Size Of This Croc Jumping Out Of The Water
Image source: In-Jail-Out-Soon
#37 Opening In Pavement
Image source: Monsur_Ausuhnom
#38 What A Pilot Sees At Night
Image source: Mint_Perspective
#39 One Of My Friend Shared This That They’re Being Held Hostage By Millions And Millions Of Tent Moth Caterpillars. (Bc, Canada)
Image source: father_of_twitch
#40 Lion’s Mane Jellyfish Off The Coast Of Ireland
Image source: Monsur_Ausuhnom
#41 Odd Visual Effect
Image source: GlitteringHotel8383
#42 Found A Stain On The Wall That Looks Like A Face
Image source: Open_Web_9234
#43 Concrete Wave Break Structures
Image source: WhonnockLeipner
#44 The First (1896) And Last (1972) Self-Portrait Of Pablo Picasso
Image source: Mackelowsky
#45 🔥 Picture Of A Mountain Gorilla Right Before He Punched The Photographer
Image source: Goal1
#46 Astronaut Bruce Mccandless II Floats Untethered Away From The Safety Of The Space Shuttle, With Nothing But His Manned Maneuvering Unit Keeping Him Alive. The First Person In History To Do So
Image source: lilacrain331
#47 Scientist Holding A Basketball Covered With Vantablack, The World’s Blackest Substance
Image source: TheOddityCollector
#48 A Face Appearing In The Clouds
Image source: TallDennis
#49 Shadow Of The Moon Seen From Iss During Total Solar Eclipse In 2024
Image source: Busy_Yesterday9455
#50 This Is Pearl, The Mascot For The Halifax Oyster Festival
Image source: rockhavenrick
#51 Danish Frogman Corps, Also Known As Children Of Cthulhu
Image source: Hannibal-
#52 One Of My Kindergarten Students Drew This
Image source: suminagashi_swirl
#53 These Roaches Living In Our Oven Clock
Image source: christmasskids
#54 This Could Just Be Coincidence, But There Could Be Something Else At Play Here. Which Cryptids Could Be Responsible?
Image source: PyroClashes
#55 A Siberian Bear-Hunting Armor From The 1800s
Image source: TheKingOfKolo
#56 Vintage Photo Of A Dog Climbing A Fence
Image source: algebratextbook
#57 Pet Cat Recorded On On Pet Camera At Night
Image source: Gewissensbisse
#58 Hole In Living Room
Image source: Monsur_Ausuhnom
#59 The Giant Water Bug My Sister Found Near Virginia Beach
Image source: Cannonel10
#60 Ominous Mammatus Storm Clouds In Monument, Colorado
Image source: Spiritual_Ear_3456
#61 A Wolf Eel Onboard A Fishing Ship. The Ocean Can Be Terrifying
Image source: Artificial8Wanderer
#62 Deer With A Messed Up Genetic Illness Where They Grow Hairy Eyeballs
Image source: nikkobe
#63 Arthropleura Lived In North America And Europe Around 315 To 299 Million Years Ago, And It Was The Largest Known Land Invertebrate Of All Time With A Length Of 8 Feet (2.4m)
Image source: midas617
#64 Just Some Regular Rubber Gloves Washing Accidentally Opened The Gate Of Hell
Image source: jfrchen1207
#65 This Veiny Brown Egg From My Grocery Store
Image source: Turnt5naco
#66 This Coffee Mug I Found In The Cabinet When I Moved In To My Apartment
Image source: Kooky-Swing178
#67 Terrifying Boot Dog
Image source: 19821017
#68 This Product Image For A Bar Of Soap
Image source: carlitospig
#69 Just A Happy Family, 1800s
Image source: sed2017
#70 This Happy Chap Watching The World Go By
Image source: Whoislikebob
#71 1966. A Chemical Lab Picture Taken By Elliot Erwit
Image source: is_it_worth_itt
#72 🔥 Aussie Fisherman Caught Strange Looking Shark At A Depth Of 2,133 Feet Underwater
Image source: poeticyak
#73 Pitbull X Dachshund
Image source: BreakRules939
#74 These Hotel Pools
Image source: DELAIZ
#75 A Few Years Ago, At My Grands-Parents’ House
Image source: LumberjackAndOkay
#76 Shoes With Humans Faces On Them
Image source: Necessary-Win-8730
#77 This High-Rise Tower In China Isn’t A Housing Block Or A Prison — It’s A Pig Farm
Image source: bllshrfv
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