Comparison Pics That Will Make You Laugh And Some That Will Make You Go ‘Hmm’

Sometimes, you don’t notice a change until it has already happened, or maybe you won’t even notice it until someone points it out to you. Like how much you mature between the ages of 20 and 30.

Then there are other times when you think you know how big something is, but you don’t really understand it until you see it next to something else. Or how far we’ve come technologically until we look back on what we used to use. No matter what it is, seeing comparisons is good for the brain, and it can be really interesting.

Time Changes Everything

The stairs on the left were built in 1829, and the stairs on the right were built in 2005. It’s one of those things that make you feel connected to people from different times.

stairs built many years apart
Photo Credit: Reddit / Jack_Enoff
Photo Credit: Reddit / Jack_Enoff

The stairs on the left are worn down from literally centuries of footsteps. Imagine how many people stepped foot on those stairs. Imagine how many of them are gone now. They literally left their mark on the world. It’s kind of beautiful when you think about it.

Her Smile Says It All

Imagine you look back on your wedding photos and seeing that your wife was so much happier meeting Rob Lowe than she was in your wedding pictures? I’m not saying I would do the same, but it makes sense.

a woman smiling more when she met rob than her wedding
Photo Credit: Reddit / TheNervousPoop
Photo Credit: Reddit / TheNervousPoop

She was probably trying to keep it cool on her wedding day. That’s why she looks so poised and composed. At least, that’s what her husband is telling himself. When she stood next to Rob Lowe, she had to match his megawatt smile.

OK, This Is Crazy

Look at the differences in the size and shape of the shark brain and the dolphin brain. The dolphin’s looks so much like a human brain, it’s crazy. Nature and adaptation are amazing.

a dolphin brain and a shark brain
Photo Credit: Reddit / PaviliaBay
Photo Credit: Reddit / PaviliaBay

Does this mean that dolphins are smarter than sharks? Or does their social nature cause their brains to look more like ours? Nature is full of so many mysteries. We also really want to know what goes on in those shark brains.

Look How Far We’ve Come

The top picture is a bunch of devices from the 1990s. The bottom picture is an iPhone from 2018 that can do all the things that the devices pictured above it are responsible for.

how much technology has changed over the years
Photo Credit: Reddit / Gar1986
Photo Credit: Reddit / Gar1986

WE’ve effectively taken eight devices and crammed them into our pockets. By “we” we mean all of the very smart people at Apple. I really didn’t have anything to do with it. Engineers are our heroes. Remember when people carried around those big video cameras?

He Looks Ready To Be Done

The first picture was taken on his very first day of primary school, and the second picture was taken on his last day of teacher’s training. It was a long journey, but it was worth it.

first day of primary school and the last day of teacher training
Photo Credit: Reddit / mickoshea
Photo Credit: Reddit / mickoshea

He went from not knowing his ABCs to teaching kids about the way the world works. He looks like he’s held onto his sense of humor, which is always a good thing to have when you’re working with kids.

They Even Look Alike

This is a pair of pictures of someone and their grandfather, and they were taken 70 years apart. They’re both in medical school working hard at their studies, and probably sleep deprived.

person looks like their grandpa, both are scientists
Photo Credit: Reddit / Neuromancy_
Photo Credit: Reddit / Neuromancy_

You can really see the family resemblance in these photos. I guess brain power and bushy eyebrows run in the family. They even have the same hairline. Genetics is pretty crazy, and nobody would know that better than a pair of related doctors.

A Little Hard Work Goes A Long Way

It took this person almost two years to transform their backyard because it was literally a teardown. They had to dig a lot of it up and redo the whole yard to get the results they wanted, but it looks great!

a before and after backyard make over
Photo Credit: Reddit / TheWeetodd
Photo Credit: Reddit / TheWeetodd

Sometimes all you need a little bit of elbow grease to completely transform a space. This backyard looks like the perfect place for a family barbecue on a warm summer day now. Who’s bringing the potato salad?

Who Doesn’t Love Fall?

This person wanted to document the changes in their tree through the seasons. Amazingly, these pictures were taken 11 days apart! It didn’t take long for fall to come in change all those leaves.

the same tree in different seasons
Photo Credit: Reddit / LazuliBunting32
Photo Credit: Reddit / LazuliBunting32

When people say that things change in the blink of an eye, they’re not too far off. This may not have happened in the blink of an eye, but if you had been away for 11 days you would have missed it.

That Is A Lot Of Snow

We knew that Colorado got a lot of snow, but this much snow?! No wonder they stuck the sign up so high. It would have been buried under all that snow.

the difference between a sign when there is snow and not
Photo Credit: Reddit
Photo Credit: Reddit

That’s at least 12 feet of snow piled up on that mountain. We’re surprised that we can still see so much of the tree behind it. That must be a really tall tree. Now we kind of want to go visit Colorado in the winter.

Do You Think They Taste Different?

This is honey from the same hive but harvested at different times of the year. They go from spring to summer to fall. Do you think that they taste different or just look different?

honey from different seasons
Photo Credit: Reddit / Zig-Zag
Photo Credit: Reddit / Zig-Zag

If we had to guess, we’d say that the darkest honey probably tastes richer and more floral, but we really can’t know until we taste all three of them. Why don’t they have honey tastings like wine tastings? That would be so much fun.

This Is Mindblowning

In this picture, you see the world’s smallest computer next to a grain of rice! Think of how small that means that computer is. I wonder what it is they’d use it for.

a tiny robot next to a piece of rice
Photo Credit: Reddit / elee0228
Photo Credit: Reddit / elee0228

Also, have you ever seen a grain of rice from this close up before? Who knew that it was so translucent or that it had all of those little wrinkles in it? This picture is really all about the computer, though. Let’s give the computer the attention it deserves.

We’re More Similar Than We Think

This is a human skeleton standing next to the skeleton of a gorilla. It’s pretty incredible to see how similar we are side-by-side like that. We have more in common than we think.

the difference between a gorilla and a person
Photo Credit: Reddit / Sapientiam
Photo Credit: Reddit / Sapientiam

The gorilla skeleton just has a wider rib cage and longer bones on its feet. It also has a wider skull and a more pronounced jaw. There are a few other differences, but a lot of the broad strokes are the same.

What A Little Cutie

This baby hummingbird needed some care before it could be released back into the wild, so this person let it drink some juice from a raspberry. They’re almost the same size!

a hummingbird drinking raspberries
Photo Credit: Reddit / Heart-Bubbles_
Photo Credit: Reddit / Heart-Bubbles_

Actually, the raspberry is a little bit bigger than the hummingbird. How does anybody even see a bird this small? This might be the smallest, cutest bird we’ve ever seen. Look at those little wings and that little beak! I need more baby hummingbirds in my life.

A Lighthouse Before And After A Storm

This lighthouse found itself in the middle of an intense ice storm in the winter of 2013 and ended up looking like something straight out of a fantasy film set.

lighthouse normally vs. covered in snow and ice
Photo Credit: Reddit / takingthescenicroute
Photo Credit: Reddit / takingthescenicroute

it kind of looks like the castle from The Little Mermaid. It was pretty cool to look at before the ice storm too. Who doesn’t love a broody lighthouse? But after the ice storm, it looked positively otherworldly. We hope the ice didn’t damage the lighthouse too much.

Puberty Is A Cruel Mistress

Both of the boys in this picture are 13-year-olds. That age is so tough as it is, now you’ve got to have a best friend who is twice your height? Life isn’t always fair.

two 13 year olds super different in height
Photo Credit: Reddit / elleynads
Photo Credit: Reddit / elleynads

The sad thing is, both of these boys are going to get made fun of at school. One for being too tall and the other for being too short. Kids are just mean like that. At least these two can have each other’s backs.

Before And After A Puppy Playdate

While this dog’s gorgeous, fluffy coat is a sight to admire, the dog is more concerned with having a good time running around with his other furry pals, no matter how muddy.

dog seen clean and white vs. brown and dirty
Photo Credit: Reddit / cyna_moon
Photo Credit: Reddit / cyna_moon

It looks like a totally different dog now. If you told me that this was a brown dog with a white face, I might just believe you. He does look like an adorable teddy bear with all of that brown mud on him.

Snow Tells All

One of those tracks were left by a very fat cat, and the other tracks were left by a cat that is significantly smaller. At least they’ll wear down a path eventually.

paths left by two different cats
Photo Credit: Imgur
Photo Credit: Imgur

It’s so funny that you can see the fat cat dragging his stomach in the snow. Maybe it’s time for the fat cat to go on a diet. We don’t want to body shame the poor creature, but when you’re drawing your stomach in the snow, it might be time for a change.

This Puts It All Into Perspective

Japan’s highest bridge has a plaque on it that shows you how tall it is compared to other things, like Godzilla, for example. It really helps put it into perspective how high up you are.

a sign on a bridge shows how big it is in comparison to other things
Photo Credit: Reddit / notneededjunk
Photo Credit: Reddit / notneededjunk

Imagine walking on something that’s taller than the pyramids. You should probably stay away from this bridge if you’re afraid of heights. While you’re at it, you should probably stay far away from Godzilla too. We hear he’s not very nice.

There Are Two Kinds Of Men

It’s Valentine’s Day. You can either bring your partner some flowers and cupcakes or some Jack Daniel’s and fried chicken. Which Valentine’s Day would you want to be a part of? Who are we to judge what people find romantic?

someone in line with flowers, someone with booze
Photo Credit: Imgur / Bolenox
Photo Credit: Imgur / Bolenox

I like flowers as much as the next girl, but do flowers taste like hot sauce and crispy dreams? I didn’t think so. I’d pick the chicken wings over the flowers any day of the week.

Did You Know About This?

That tiny thing at the base of the cactus is a person! I had no idea that a cactus could grow to be this big. They’re almost like trees in that sense, where it happens slowly over time.

a huge cactus with someone standing in front of it
Photo Credit: Reddit / TII6
Photo Credit: Reddit / TII6

None of the cactuses we keep in our homes ever grow to be this big. What are we doing wrong? Maybe you really need an ideal desert environment to get these results. That thing looks super spikey.

That’s How They Get You

This right here is the price difference between buying plain white chalk at Target and buying the same chalk from a college book store. Pretty much a bummer, isn’t it?

the price difference chalk at a school and chalk at a store
Photo Credit: Reddit / Leahhcimjs
Photo Credit: Reddit / Leahhcimjs

Let this be a lesson to us all: never buy anything from your college book store. Get your tet books second hand and buy your school supplies from the dollar store. Nobody needs that kind of price inflation. You pay enough tuition as it is.

Oh, To Be Young Again

This right here is the difference between being 31 and 21. At 31, you know your limits and therefore can take cute bathroom selfies. That’s not the case when you’re 21, case in point: the girl puking in the toilet stall.

someone taking a selfie in the bathroom with someone puking behind her
Photo Credit: Reddit / melitini
Photo Credit: Reddit / melitini

Do you think the girl taking the mirror selfie knew that there was a girl throwing up behind her or did she take this picture by accident? Whatever the case, that yellow dress is amazing and we want to know where she got it.

A Tale As Old As Time

The same magazine, just one is for girls and one is for boys. Good to know that girls should worry about fashion and boys get to worry about their future.

the difference between a boy's and girl's magazine
Photo Credit: Reddit / MonkeyScales
Photo Credit: Reddit / MonkeyScales

Not that there’s anything wrong with being interested in fashion. Girls should just get to be interested in fashion and technology and whatever else they want. And boys should be able to read about fashion too if that’s what interests them. Why do we have to be so binary?

They Still Like To Cuddle

We’ve all had a stuffed animal that we loved and held onto way past childhood. Turns out it’s the same for some dogs, too. Like this one who can’t part with his dragon.

a dog with the same stuffed animal as a puppy and an adult
Photo Credit: Instagram / @herginatlove
Photo Credit: Instagram / @herginatlove

Back when he was a puppy, that stuffed dragon was even bigger than he was. Now he’s much, much bigger and the dragon has stayed the same size. He still can’t let go of the thing, though. These two have been through life together.

Can You Believe This Is The Same Person?

They need to let their feet see the light of day so that their tan on their feet can catch up to the rest of their body. Those are some pale, pale feet. This person must wear running shoes or workboots all the time. Nobody who wears flip flops or sandals could have feet like this.

hand to foot pic
Photo Credit: Reddit / MadoneXI
Photo Credit: Reddit / MadoneXI

He looks like he’s on the beach and he finally has his shoes off so maybe he’s about to get the tan that he so desperately needs.

That’s A Big Difference

This is the difference between the color of the Fruit Loops in the United States and in Europe. You wouldn’t think that they would be different, but here we are.

The different colors of Fruit Loops from different countries
Photo Credit: Reddit / BetteDavisPies
Photo Credit: Reddit / BetteDavisPies

Guess which bowl is American. We’ll wait. The bowl on the left? You’re absolutely right. That didn’t take very long, did it? We all know that Americans won’t eat anything unless it looks totally artificial. The Brits are fine with their dull, foggy, rainy colors.

He Needs All The Love

This is what this sweet little boy looks like when his people come home from work and what he looks like when they leave for work. How could you ever say goodbye to that face?

a dog when their master comes home and when they leave
Photo Credit: Reddit / Poached_Polyps
Photo Credit: Reddit / Poached_Polyps

It must be hard to leave him home alone, but that face on the left must make coming home from work such a joy. We really don’t deserve dogs. They are too pure for this world. This guy is so cute!

Must Be Nap Time

Here you can see the size difference between a full-grown Maine coon and full-grown American short hair. I hope the big one cuddles the little one sometimes when they’re scared.

two different kinds of cats
Photo Credit: Reddit / DefinitelyAverage
Photo Credit: Reddit / DefinitelyAverage

If you just saw the Maine coon on its own you might think that it was a normal-sized cat on a small mattress, but the American shorthair next to it really puts things into perspective. That is one big cat. Maine coons are the largest house cats in the world.

Wow, That’s Huge

The fact that this tornado is pictured next to wind turbines, which are massive, is breathtaking. Tornados are terrifying, and we should all have a healthy respect for nature and its power.

a tornado next to wind turbines
Photo Credit: Reddit / chakalakasp
Photo Credit: Reddit / chakalakasp

If you’re having trouble spotting the wind turbines, you can see them on the bottom right side of this photo. They’re kind of obscured by the fog but they’re definitely there. Tornados are super scary. You definitely don’t want to be anywhere near a storm like this.

Someone Is Not Impressed

I’ve got to say, though, that CGI cat is pretty spot on, minus the scowl that the real cat seems to be wearing. The cat probably got tired of this joke a long time ago.

a CGI cat and a real cat
Photo Credit: Reddit / cecibm007
Photo Credit: Reddit / cecibm007

Still, he does look remarkably like Simba. Let’s hope for the cat’s sake that his owners don’t watch this movie very often. He looks like he’s about done with this bit now. One day he will be the king of this household.

If You’re Thirsty, You’re Thirsty

This is a glass of two types of water sitting on top of one another. The bottom is heavier tap water and the top is lighter carbonated water. Kind of neat, right?

two types of water sitting on top of one another
Photo Credit: Reddit / menix
Photo Credit: Reddit / menix

If you only wanted to drink the still water, you could stick a straw in the bottom of the glass and drink until there was only sparkling water left in the glass. You can’t do this with any tap water, though. You might just end up diluting your soda water.

Isn’t This Pretty?

The person who owned this blueberry patch thought that they would keep track of the growth cycle of your average blueberry. It’s beautiful to see it all lined up like that, isn’t it?

the blueberry growth cycle
Photo Credit: Reddit / shredd77
Photo Credit: Reddit / shredd77

We love how they’ve arranged the blueberries in a curve like that. Now we get to see the literal circle of life for a blueberry. That plump, juicy blueberry at the end of the cycle looks good enough to eat. Is it blueberry season yet?

Meal Prepping Is No Joke

While many people use “meal-prepping” as a way to get cooking out of the way for the week, this person seems to take it to the next level. It’s amazing how many ingredients go into a week’s worth of meals.

before and after of ingredients and prepared meals
Photo Credit: Reddit / j33tAy
Photo Credit: Reddit / j33tAy

This looks like it takes a lot of work and dedication, but it’s probably all worth it in the end. Now this person gets to come home from work to a homecooked meal every day.

This Organization Transformation Is Inspiring

This teacher inherited the old art instructor’s room upon starting a job at a new school and took it upon herself to reorganize all the craft paper into neat stacks.

paper art supply closet reorganized into perfectly color-coded stacks
Photo Credit: Reddit / smolgurl93
Photo Credit: Reddit / smolgurl93

This is so satisfying to look at. It must have taken her a really long time to get all of that organizing done, but it was all worth it in the end. We’re sure her students appreciated it. If they didn’t, then we definitely do.

She Looks So Much Healthier!

The left photo is of this fluffy cat when she was found as a stray on the streets, starving. The right photo is of her after she lived in a home for a month. The difference is incredible.

cat when found on the street vs. after a month of living in home
Photo Credit: Reddit / alinaesther
Photo Credit: Reddit / alinaesther

She looks so much fluffier and happier now. She looks like a whole new cat! All she needed was some cat food, a bath, and a whole lot of love and attention from her new forever family.

These Are Pre And Post-Op X-Rays

This person went in for surgery to help correct their spine, which was crooked from scoliosis. The surgery took a grand total of 14 hours, but the right side shows how much the surgery helped straighten their spine.

x-rays show before (crooked spine) and after (spine straighter with rods)
Photo Credit: Reddit / River_Atkinson
Photo Credit: Reddit / River_Atkinson

You can actually see all of the hardware that went into their back in the x-ray. This person is basically a cyborg now. They’re probably just as powerful as Wolverine. This is what real-life X-Men look like.

Mount St. Helens Changed So Much After Erupting

The photo on the left was taken a few years before the infamous eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980 which completely altered the shape of the volcano in Washington State.

mount st. helens before (full mountain) and after (collapsed look) eruption in 1980
Photo Credit: Reddit / baryonyx257
Photo Credit: Reddit / baryonyx257

The photo on the right is what the volcano looks like now. A lot has changed in 40 years. A good chunk of that mountain is completely gone. You’d think that mountain top would be as sturdy as stone, but it turns out that lava is stronger than rock.

He Survived The Concentration Camps

A Reddit user shared these photos of his Polish grandfather before and after WWII. He is a concentration camp survivor and even though there are only 7 years between the two pictures, he looks like he aged much more during those years.

photo of young man and him looking much older in second photo
Photo Credit: Reddit / DontDeadOpen
Photo Credit: Reddit / DontDeadOpen

You can really see the effects of malnutrition on this person’s face. It’s amazing that this man managed to survive the Holocaust at all. He went on to have children and grandchildren who prove every day that the Nazis were unsuccessful.

A Whole Mountainside Turned Into A Mural

The city of Pachua, Mexico was looking to revamp their look so the local government commissioned this enormous piece of graffiti artwork that covers almost all of the buildings on the mountainside.

before (white buildings) and after (colorful buildings as large mural) of city on mountainside
Photo Credit: Reddit / afterdroid
Photo Credit: Reddit / afterdroid

This must have taken a long time to complete. How many artists do you think were involved in this project? All of those bright colors do make the mountainside look super inviting. It looks like there’s a party happening on this hill all the time.

She Really Is The Goodest Girl

The left photo is before she was told she was a good girl and the second photo is her moments after. I officially would like to make it a law that she must be called a good girl very often. At least five times a day, but ideally ten times.

dog looking up vs. dog smiling
Photo Credit: Reddit / ArkadiusBear
Photo Credit: Reddit / ArkadiusBear

We all love to hear that we’re doing a good job. This little dog lives for the praise she gets from her owners. She is way too cute.