Illuminating Comparisons That Make The World Harder To Take For Granted
When something is truly great or terrible, it stands on its own. It's so unique and revolutionary that it's hard to compare it to everything else. However, these things are rare. For the most part, we only appreciate or dislike something compared to what we were used to dealing with before we encountered it.
But whether we discover a new food that tastes better than anything we've ever ate before or a particularly troubling disaster touches down, some comparisons reveal stark, powerful realities about our world. And they have a way of putting so much into perspective.
It helps to be specific before getting a new cat
Although there's obviously a major difference in size between an everyday house cat and a tiger, even the cats that people typically keep as pets can vary a lot in size. While some breeds are as small as we usually imagine cats, others can seem downright massive.
Take, for instance, the Maine Coon. These cats look fluffy and impressively cute, but it's important to know one will have enough room to move before bringing one home. And this photo is great at showing the size difference one has to account for.
So much can change in 20 years
Once enough time has passed, some families get the fun idea to recreate an old photo taken back when they kids were still little. It's particularly funny when people try to cram into the same clothes they wore at the time.
However, even this photo that doesn't quite go that far really does show how much people change 20 years apart. Even though it's probably been a while since this young man has put his head on his dad's shoulder, it seems just as natural and wholesome to do so decades later.
These photos were only taken a day apart
According to The Denver Post, the Cameron Peak fire that ravaged Colorado in late 2020 was the fifth worst in the state's history. In the first of these photos, we can see the blaze's widespread effects in the ominous orange sky.
However, September 9 was a particularly jarring day in The Centennial State that year, as the fire's ravages were immediately followed by a massive, unexpected snowfall. Bizarrely, the snow was only a brief respite from the fires as they continued to burn underneath the fallen powder.
Concerts weren't always a see of phones
Although it's unclear who's playing, what is clear is that most of this crowd is so excited about the performance that they have to record a part of it for their friends on social media. Some are more prepared to do so than others, but all of them have the same goal.
Well, almost all of them. It's likely no coincidence that the oldest person there is also the most inclined to enjoy the show quietly. While everyone else is focused on capturing the experience, she's the one prioritizing the actual experience. We can learn something from her.
Over the last 20 years, trucks have been built like fortresses
Here, Reddit user frenchbluehorn compares the size of her boyfriend's truck from 2001 to the kind one can expect to see in a dealership today. In case it's not clear, the older one is on the right, and it shows just how dramatically truck designs have changed over the last 20 years.
Although pick-up trucks have been considered work vehicles since their invention, that doesn't mean these changes that made modern trucks so bulky were done for practical reasons. Instead, so many customers believe that bigger is better in truck design that it's too risky to build them any other way.
This is for anyone who needs motivation to keep practicing
It's always hard to get into a new hobby or develop a new skill. There's so much about it that other people already seem to know, which can sometimes make a beginner's fledgling efforts seem like they'll never get better.
However, photos like this are a reminder that this kind of thinking isn't fair to ourselves. In two years of practice, Reddit user seaweed_is_cool's drawings of their husband went from fairly representative to impressively detailed. And it's worth remembering that it can be surprising how quickly two years can pass.
It feels like they grow in the blink of an eye
Those who have raised a puppy can attest to how quickly one can go from a precious little fledgling that needs to be protected at all costs to a big goof that doesn't know its own strength. And this young woman's comparison shot illustrates that perfectly.
In the two years between these photos, it doesn't seem like she's changed at all. But in that time, her little pup has gone from reaching over her shoulder to draping a paw over it at eye level. Kids grow up fast but pets grow up faster.
This is why it's worth it to shop around
This picture requires a little context, which was provided by Reddit user DoodleNoodle08. As they said, "The stark difference between a Kroger and farmer's market strawberry." Indeed, it really is like these strawberries came from entirely different times of year.
While the one from Kroger has a lot of white patches that aren't so appetizing, the lush juiciness of the one from the farmer's market is self-evident. However, some commenters pointed out that not every farmer's market is run as wholesomely as this one was.
It's not even something most people would notice
These two glasses are empty except for the foam that came as a by-product of the drinks inside. However, that foam tells an interesting story about how they enjoyed their drinks due to the difference in layers between the glasses.
The one on the left has larger and more irregular gaps between the lines of foam, while the lines on the right are both more regular and more uniform. As Reddit user dreffed noted, it looks like the difference between someone who had a lot to say and their friend who regularly sipped while they listened.
It's easy to forget how quickly this happened
Even those who are too young to remember life before the iPhone's existence (some of whom are now legal adults) have likely noticed how many versions of the device have been released over the years. However, these updates and new versions were released so frequently that it's easy to forget how dramatically they've changed.
Once upon a time, they were made to be pocket-sized. However, it wasn't long before the sophistication of the phones' technology and their versatility started to outweigh their portability. Now that larger smartphones are so ubiquitous, some clothes manufacturers are changing pockets to fit them rather than the other way around.
Big green beans don't always grow that way
When someone buys a regular can of green beans, they can expect to see something like the bulky vegetables on the right. Yet, while it may seem that they're as big as they are because of specific growing techniques, this photo demonstrates the real cause of their size.
As it turns out, beans are plumped up significantly by the additives that food companies put into them. They all started out looking like the leaner ones on the left but the added salt plumped them up. It's eye-opening.
The difference that windshield wipers make
When it rains hard enough during a long drive, it can sometimes feel like the car's windshield wipers aren't really accomplishing anything. Yet, while it can sometimes be impossible to render a windshield completely unobstructed, bad weather situations are always worse when the wipers don't work.
This photo shows why. The repellent used in the windshield wiper's spray keeps the rain bunched up in big droplets like this so the driver can see between them. Otherwise, the water would just smear across the windshield like the driver forgot their glasses or decided to drive while impaired. That alone should illustrate why they're so important.
When they were new, they cost the same amount
Once upon a time, 100 megabytes seemed like an amount of data storage that most people would have try hard to use up. Nowadays, that amount would be a sign that the tiny memory card on the right is almost out of room.
Yet, not only is it mind-boggling that the total capacity of the larger card is barely a blip in the smaller card's storage now, but they also would have cost the same on the day they came out. The company probably couldn't give away a 128 megabyte card for free today.
It's subtle but it can end up becoming impossible to ignore
When people are tracking their weight, it's common for them to either read a scale or pay attention to their waistline. Although that may be the most obvious place where changes in weight can show on the body, it's easy to forget that every part is usually affected in some way.
To make this point, Reddit user Long_Procedure3135 showed the difference in her hands before and after losing 130 pounds. Although the difference is subtler than that number would suggest, it's still easy to underestimate how much tighter or looser a ring can feel after a major weight fluctuation.
It's like seeing two different futures at once
When houses are semi-detached, it means that two different families are essentially making two different homes out of the same building. In this case, it's clear that one of those families is doing a lot more to care for their space than the other.
That difference provides a fascinating window into how much upkeep it takes to prevent a house from falling into total ruination. Neglect is making even the wall outside of the home on the left crack, to say nothing of the overgrowth.
This process is as draining as it is for a reason
As Reddit user DoYouDestinyBrah explained, these pictures were taken before and after he underwent three months of chemotherapy. As is often the case, the most visible change concerns the hair loss that has affected every part of his head.
However, that's not the only noticeable difference here. His eyes are also squinting here, which is a subtle sign of how deeply exhausting chemotherapy treatments are on the body. However, he's smiling because those treatments are nonetheless having positive effects on his cancer.
A photo of genetics in action
At various stages of her daughter's life, Reddit user Hazjohn has edited together a side-by-side comparison of their faces. While it's clear that the daughter has inherited her mother's loveliness, there are some interesting similarities and differences we can point to.
Although the shape of the daughter's lips, nose, and hairline are remarkably similar to hers, that doesn't mean she has the same hair or eye color. The mother also has a noticeable dimple near her mouth which is absent from her daughter's face. Dad's influence, it seems.
Some things are more relative than people realize
When many people go shopping, they tend to get used to the same sizing. Although many women can attest to different companies having different sizing standards for their clothes, most tend to agree on the same sizing ballparks for gender-neutral options.
However, this underwear demonstrates that those ballparks can change dramatically from region to region. Although size averages in the United States are such that this sits between a small and medium, those averages are different enough in Europe that the same person is seen as wearing a small or a large there.
It looked so much more like a community before
Although it's true that change is often good and there's a real danger of fixating too much on the past, it is nonetheless also true that it's hard not to miss how things used to be. That's the essence of nostalgia, after all.
In some cases, it's also impossible to deny that an area's best years are behind it. Although this was once a cozy street in what seemed like a proud community, something was undeniably lost when it became an impersonal row of houses.
It's all a matter of perspective
If someone were to rhyme off the dimensions of that massive dump truck, most people would likely hear it and agree that it's really big. However, that doesn't mean they'd be able to match those dimensions to a mental image that would truly marvel them.
That's why even the knowledge that this construction equipment is gigantic doesn't prepare someone for the image of it making a full-sized school bus look like a toy car. It's not just big, it's unfathomably big.
It's probably for the best that these are now extinct
Although most herbivores in the dinosaur world would make the average human look the size of a hamster, that's especially true of the Argentinosaurus. After researchers in Argentina discovered its remains, this ancient creature made a very strong case for itself as one of the largest land animals that ever existed.
This photo gives people a way to actually see how big that is. When an adult human doesn't even come up to the shin of a creature, it's a creature whose every step could probably be felt in the ground around it.
Humanity has been modifying vegetables for a long time
Although there's some understandable skepticism about what genetic modifications are made to various foods nowadays and why, it's worth remembering that the principle behind it is not a new phenomenon. In fact, most of the fruits and vegetables we eat today underwent centuries of human interference to become what we now recognize.
For instance, neither bananas nor corn were originally as plump and yellow as we're now used to. If nature took its course without human interference, that little stalk on the right is what an ear of corn would look like to us.
People of all ages may be a little thrown by this photo
Unless a child gets particularly unruly or an adult takes losing too seriously, most people won't find that they'll need more than one Guess Who? set in a lifetime. However, older players may be surprised by what they find in the stores now, and younger players may not have ever seen what they're used to.
Since the game was first released in 1987, the biggest change one might notice in new versions is the more diverse array of characters to pick from. The board is also smaller, which makes it a little easier to store while in transit. It's more convenient and more challenging.
Don't let those big, hyped-up jackpots fool you
When many people buy lottery tickets, they do so with the understanding that they're more likely to lose than win anything. And if they do get something from a lottery ticket, it's more likely to be a small amount.
However, there's a difference between knowing that and seeing the actual difference in that likelihood. All of the lottery tickets on the right side of the screen are losing ones. The ones on the left won something, even if it's just the cost of the ticket. Do the math.
A comparison chart that's as fascinating as it is important
When we've had one of the objects shown in the top part of this chart fall on us from a shelf, it can be easy to underestimate how much more devastating the bump on our heads would be if it fell from a skyscraper under construction.
However, this chart leaves no room for confusion. We couldn't survive a washing machine falling on our heads, so we couldn't survive a tape measure falling from 50 feet up. This is exactly why hard hats exist.
The difference is more profound than it looks
One might look at this second picture and come around to the opinion that the person in it looks healthier than in the first photo. Their eyes are far less sunken, their expression seems more natural and confident, and they look like they're at a healthier weight.
All of those things are true, but there's a specific reason why they're true. In the first photo, they had just stopped using various (but unspecified) harmful substances. The second picture marks the fourth-year anniversary of their sobriety. Congratulations!
The illusion of choice
Reddit user Henry_J uploaded this photo to make a point that perhaps only McDonald's employees were aware of before. When it comes to ordering juice with a McDonald's breakfast, there is no appreciable difference between a small and a medium.
From the looks of it, buying a medium just entails paying more for the same amount of liquid in a slightly different cup. Every industry has its dirty little secrets, but this is a surprisingly revelatory one. It's a decade-spanning mind game.
These two have a lot more in common than they seem
At first, this photo simply looks like it's capturing two friends of different ethnicities comparing their skin tones. However, the truth is actually a little more fascinating, especially in what it says about their respective environments.
As Reddit user anthonyjanthonysmith explained, "The difference in me and my twin's skin color. He goes outside. I don't." Although we all understand that being in the Sun makes us tan, only those with the same genetic information can really show how dramatic of an effect the Sun has on skin tone.
It's easier to tell the difference when they're side by side
It's understandable that people would have a tough time telling alligators and crocodiles apart. They're both scaly reptiles with a nasty bite that most people are going to want to keep their distance from. However, the difference between them is pretty big.
Typically, people say that the most noticeable difference between them concerns the alligator's rounded nose when compared to the sharper, pointer one on the crocodile's face. This photo does a great job of demonstrating how starkly different those noses really look.
They don't make 'em like they used to
You're looking at a Toyota pickup truck from 1985 that's parked in between two modern pickups. All three are pickup trucks and all three are plain white in color, but that's about where the similarities end.
It's downright remarkable how cars have changed over the years. The big, boxy sedans of the '80s have transformed into the streamlined sedans of today, while pickup trucks have gone in the opposite direction. As evidenced by this photo, they just seem to keep getting bigger and bigger.
Here's how much 2x4s have changed
I'm no carpenter, but I can still tell at a glance that the plank of wood on the bottom looks more durable than the one on top. Just look at how the rings are spaced out — you can easily see how different the density is.
As it turns out, the plank on the top is a 2x4 from recent years, while the one on the bottom is a 2x4 from the 1950s. It's wild how lumber prices just keep increasing while the quality plummets.
Well-loved versus brand new
When it comes to soft plushies like stuffed animals or dog toys, you don't really notice them degrading over time. At first they're new, then in what seems like an instant, they're all threadbare with a matted texture and rips.
These two stuffed animals were once the same, obviously. One was bought to use, while the other one was kept in reserve for precisely a moment like this — when the original one got a little long in the tooth. It's interesting to see how compacted the one on the right has become.
The difference between farm fresh and store fresh
There's nothing wrong with buying your food at the grocery store — for most of us, it's the best option, after all. Eggs from the grocery store are still eggs and still make for a tasty breakfast.
That said, this pic — showing an egg from a backyard chicken on the top, and a store-bought egg on the bottom — really illuminates the difference between something that's raised organically and something that's the product of factory farming. You can almost sense the extra nutrients in the top egg.
Art kits lie to us
Did you ever get one of those art kits that seemed awesome, but quickly revealed itself to be cheap junk? I think this just might be one of those kits. The top pic shows marker colors as they should be, while the bottom pic shows their actual colors.
You can definitely see the resemblance. Greens are greens, reds are reds, and so on. But none of the colors are really anywhere close to an exact match. It seems like the intended colors have pastel hues, while the actual colors are more bold.
Daily worn and never worn
Everyone has had that one pair of shoes that's absolutely perfect for them. If you're lucky, you're able to snag a backup pair for when the original shoes inevitably wear out over time. If you keep the old ones around long enough, you can compare them.
If anything, this photo is a bleak reminder of how fresh and new shoes seem when they're taken out of the box, and how gross and crusty they get within days of wearing them. This is especially true of white shoes.
When you know it's time for a replacement
Those heavy-duty wire brushes do a great job in keeping barbecue grills clean, as the coarse wires scour off all the baked-on crud. After awhile, though, the grill starts to get its revenge on the brush, as you can see here.
The brush on the left has been used for three and a half years, while the one on the right is brand new. Clearly, it's time to start using the newer brush. The old brush has done its job, and can be sent out to pasture.
Shrinkflation in a nutshell
Do you ever get tired of retail products comparing themselves to other retail products and telling you how much theoretical extra stuff you're getting? If so, look away, because this pic is going to make your brain hurt.
While both boxes are the same size at 340 grams, they've changed the box they're comparing themselves to. One is comparing itself to the older, larger box, while the other is comparing itself to the newer, smaller box. In short, shrinkflation with the smaller size is making it look like the larger boxes are a better deal.
It's amazing how much difference a slight angle makes
For those who are unclear on the difference between these photos, the one on the left was taken by somebody with a height of five feet and two inches. By contrast, the photo on the right was taken by somebody a whole foot taller.
That's not a world of difference in height, but it completely changes the atmosphere of the picture. The one on the left looks more intimate and personal, while the one on the right seems almost cinematic in its camera angle.
Washing machines can give coins a beating
Washing your clothes is a surefire way to extract all the stuff you forgot was in your pockets. Sometimes, it might take a few cycles for you to realize that something got loose. On the left, you can see a new British pound coin. On the right is one that's been abused by the washing machine.
If the coin had been in the washing machine for a few more cycles, you might not be able to make out the lettering or the queen's face at all. This is almost as fun as putting coins on railroad tracks.
Traffic lights are bigger than you might think
Traffic lights are one of those things that you see upwards of dozens of times a day, but probably don't spend much time studying — other to see which color they're currently displaying.
Because they're suspended high above the road, it's easy to lose perspective on how big these things really are. I would have guessed that they'd be maybe a couple of feet tall, but this comparison shows that they're about the same height as a fully-grown adult.
Lefties versus righties
Lefthanded people aren't a total rarity, but they're vastly outnumbered by righties. About nine in ten people are right-handed, which explains why most ergonomics are designed around the user being a righty.
This informal comparison shows the wear and tear on two identical door handles. The one on the left — likely to be used by left-handers — shows just a bit of wear, while the one on the right shows heavy use. I wonder if they'll have to replace the one on the right sooner.
This is what we did to shoot video in the '80s
It's easy to forget that there was a time in which capturing special moments required some planning — either a bulky film camera, or an even bulkier camcorder. This pic shows a vintage camcorder from the '80s or '90s next to a modern one.
The wild thing is that old camcorders got even bigger than the one seen here, which might have even been seen as compact at one time. Meanwhile, the modern video camera is much bulkier than a typical smartphone, which can also shoot video.
Not all hands are created equal
Your height and overall size don't necessarily reflect your hand size — tall people can have small hands, and short people can have big hands — but in general, there's a strong correlation.
This pic shows someone who's five feet tall comparing their hand to someone who's six feet tall. It's incredible how the shorter person's fingertips barely reach the first knuckle of the larger hands. I would have thought the height difference was even bigger based on the hand sizes here.
When mountains change things up
Most of us are probably aware that temperatures tend to get colder the higher you go. This means that mountains — which might be leafy and lush ( or even dry and arid) at their base — are often covered with ice and snow at the top.
But what happens if a mountain range is colder at its base than at its top? You get kind of an inverse effect of what you're expecting. There's more vegetation and more warmth the higher you go up this mountain range.
A tale of two leg bones
You can tell at a glance that these two bones — though they're both leg bones — come from animals of a different size. But how significant could that size difference be? After all, they're a similar length, and even the width difference isn't that significant.
As it turns out, the bone on the left is from a small, spindly deer, while the one on the right is from a buffalo — one of the bigger land mammals out there. It's absolutely wild that buffalo can carry so much weight on a comparatively puny set of legs.