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Who doesn't love learning new things? Our brain floods our body with dopamine when we see, to quote the American rock band Semisonic, an F. N. T. That stands for "fascinating new thing". And although the group was singing about a girl, the reference still stands, right? A spiky tiny mushroom or a transparent octopus can be a fascinating new thing too.

The subreddit r/fascinating then is heaven for those who want to satisfy their curiosity and get a dopamine rush. It's a Reddit community with over 40k members where people post interesting pictures and facts. Check out our selection from the subreddit below!

Bored Panda also got some thoughts from an insider. One of the moderators from r/fascinating, WeirdPineapple, was kind enough to answer some questions. Check out our short interview with him below!

#1

Ronald Mcnair, The Boy Who Refused To Leave The Library

Ronald Mcnair, The Boy Who Refused To Leave The Library

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glowworm2
Community Member
11 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Tragically, this was one of the astronauts who died in the Challenger.

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The r/fascinating subreddit is not the only community that Weird Pineapple is a mod on. There are 9 communities in total under his wing. r/fascinating is the third on the list in terms of member count. 

Nevertheless, it still ranks in the top 5% percent of the largest communities on Reddit. And it's not only facts and pictures we can find there. Community members don't shy away from posting videos with interesting facts as well.

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#3

The Puffer Fish Skeleton And The Way It Works Is Simply A Marvel Of Nature

The Puffer Fish Skeleton And The Way It Works Is Simply A Marvel Of Nature

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We asked WeirdPineapple how he became one of the moderators for this community. "I originally became involved as I was working on a handful of projects, and /r/fascinating happened to be one of them."

The mod tells Bored Panda that the subreddit wasn't in the best state when he came on board. "It was a bit dilapidated when we originally got there, but we managed to promote some growth and better content. It’s not perfect yet, but it’s been a long process that is not done yet."

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#4

The Lesser Known 1st Starry Night Painting By Vincent Van Gogh

The Lesser Known 1st Starry Night Painting By Vincent Van Gogh

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cat
Community Member
11 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

After some research, it seems he repainted it because he wasn't satisfied with the colors and overall mood of this one, as he felt he didn't capture the true beauty and majesty of the night sky. In fact, he didn't even like the famous repainting we all know, because he felt it was too abstract. Reminder that your art and everything you put into this world is probably much more beautiful than you think. 💙

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#6

Rare Octopus With Completely Transparent Head

Rare Octopus With Completely Transparent Head

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The Redditor tells us why he holds this particular community dear to his heart. "This subreddit was a passion project I had alongside a tremendous team, who also helped build some of the biggest communities you still see on Reddit today. It had a solid foundation and just needed a push and some cleaning up.

#7

The Moon During A Total Solar Eclipse Revealing A Vast Solar Corona

The Moon During A Total Solar Eclipse Revealing A Vast Solar Corona

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#8

Chinese Explorer Zheng He's Ship Compared To Christopher Columbus's Santa Maria. Both Lived And Sailed At The Same Time (Repost /R/Pics)

Chinese Explorer Zheng He's Ship Compared To Christopher Columbus's Santa Maria. Both Lived And Sailed At The Same Time (Repost /R/Pics)

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#9

This Is How Mt. Fuji Cuts Through The Clouds

This Is How Mt. Fuji Cuts Through The Clouds

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This mod has extensive experience, yet the beginning of the subreddit was still a challenge. He says he used to spend a lot of time moderating the community. "But communities become more established and you incorporate a decent auto-mod system, you end up with a mostly autonomous community," WeirdPineapple explains. "Manual spam-removal is still essential, however," he adds.

#10

This Couple Met In Wwii, Then Got Married In Germany. The Wife Traded A Soldier Two Cartons Of Cigarettes For A Parachute To Make Her Wedding Dress

This Couple Met In Wwii, Then Got Married In Germany. The Wife Traded A Soldier Two Cartons Of Cigarettes For A Parachute To Make Her Wedding Dress

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#11

The Canadian Rockies By Dan Schyk

The Canadian Rockies By Dan Schyk

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brookeannsimmer
Community Member
11 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As some who has only ever lived in flats lands, this is haunting in a way I don't have words for.

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The Redditor says the most challenging part is monitoring trolls. "It’s mainly a battle of fighting paid spam and misinformation posts, as with many subreddits with any traction. I understand making a name for yourself or your community, it just needs to be done within the proper channels."

#13

Oldest Living Thing On Earth. Methuselah, A Great Basin Bristlecone Pine, Is 4,853 Years Old

Oldest Living Thing On Earth. Methuselah, A Great Basin Bristlecone Pine, Is 4,853 Years Old

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Nonna_SoF
Community Member
11 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, not quite. It's the oldest known living, non-clonal tree. There are a number of things older though. Expessially if you count clonal colonies, which can be in the 10s of thousands, and doubly so if you get into microorganisms that are potentially revivable, with at least one successful revival of a million year old organism and candidates for revival over 100 million years old.

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#14

This Tiny Mushroom (Possibly Mycena Subcyanocephala)

This Tiny Mushroom (Possibly Mycena Subcyanocephala)

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There's a somewhat fascinating fact about WeirdPineapple himself. He says working as a Reddit mod led to him starting a career as a professional racer. In fact, one of the communities he oversees, r/capps, is a place where he can document his achievements.

#16

What Lightning Does To Sand

What Lightning Does To Sand

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David Paterson
Community Member
11 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is after polishing. Straight after the lightning strike it looks like opaque branching coral because it's coated in sand grains that have stuck to the surface.

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#17

Only Straight Lines

Only Straight Lines

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#18

Monument Valley, Arizona By Paul B. Moore

Monument Valley, Arizona By Paul B. Moore

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"I never expected where I’d end up when I started working with/on Reddit over a decade ago," the mod confesses. "But professional racing was not in the top five that I saw coming if I even had a top-five back then."

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#19

Gerrymandering Explained: How Elections Are Stolen By Redistricting

Gerrymandering Explained: How Elections Are Stolen By Redistricting

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ЛеснойКороль(they/he)🇺🇦🇷🇺
11 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i didn’t really realize this was a thing in the US until i read an article a while ago about it and it really made me wonder how you guys consider this to be “fair”, like i’m genuinely really curious.

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#21

Allegheny National Forest By Zack Frank

Allegheny National Forest By Zack Frank

TheWalkingBob Report

The Reddit user also feels a lot of gratitude towards the platform and its other users. "I’m extremely thankful for what Reddit has been able to do for both me and the communities I oversee," WeirdPineapple says.

#22

Researchers Studied The Effects Of A 20-Minute Walk On The Cognitive Performance Of A Group Of Children. This Is Fascinating

Researchers Studied The Effects Of A 20-Minute Walk On The Cognitive Performance Of A Group Of Children. This Is Fascinating

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David Paterson
Community Member
11 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Need more info. For example, the measurement you're taking is probably blood flow, in which case obviously exercise increases blood flow. Also, without further information we don't know if this extra activity is due to damage repair, cleaning out the lactic acid toxins produced by the exercise.

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#23

This Is A Human Nervous System That Took Over 4000 Hours To Dissect. There Is Only 4 In The World

This Is A Human Nervous System That Took Over 4000 Hours To Dissect. There Is Only 4 In The World

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Fynne
Community Member
11 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There are a few more than four actually. 8 billion to be precise

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We throw the word 'fascinating' around quite a bit here on this post. Oxford Learner's Dictionary describes it as being 'very interested.' But that doesn't really do it justice, does it? When we say that we're fascinated, it's not just that we find it very interesting. There's something stronger – it captivates our attention.

#25

A 3300 Year Old Wig

A 3300 Year Old Wig

Yes you read that right! This is the wig of Merit, wife of Kha, found in the tomb of the couple (TT8) in Thebes, present-day Luxor, Egypt. The wig was beautifully constructed of human hair. The wig can now be seen in the Museo Egizio, Torino, Italy.

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Brightly
Community Member
11 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The twisted ends are gorgeous! I bet this looked amazing on!!

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#26

This Is My Left Hand, I Was Born With It And I Can Still Do Plenty Of Stuff

This Is My Left Hand, I Was Born With It And I Can Still Do Plenty Of Stuff

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Katie Lutesinger
Community Member
11 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I saw an old lady the other day who had just one finger and a thumb on each hand, and she was *amazingly* dextrous with them. Us humans are so adaptable!

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#27

This Is What All The Nerves For Your Teeth Look Like

This Is What All The Nerves For Your Teeth Look Like

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Simone Redaelli Ph.D. links fascination to mystery. "Fascination occurs when our attention is involuntarily captured by a given environment. Being a potential source of unprecedented knowledge, a mysterious setting easily attracts us and it is therefore a source of fascination."

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#28

Taughannock Falls In Upstate New York By Paul Massie Photography

Taughannock Falls In Upstate New York By Paul Massie Photography

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#30

Comparison Of Actual Distances On The Mercator Projection Map

Comparison Of Actual Distances On The Mercator Projection Map

Heath-Relecovo Report

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ЛеснойКороль(they/he)🇺🇦🇷🇺
11 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i can’t remember the name of the map that is more accurately projected, but y’all, africa is HUGE. the whole continent can fit an insane amount of other countries in it (i think it’s like six chinas or something?) and this is coming from a russian. WE NEED MORE ACCURATE MAPS

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We can say something similar about the entries on this list from /fascinating. The creators of the subreddit chose the name very aptly. Let us know which pictures captured your attention involuntarily. Upvote your favorites and let us know what you liked in the comments!

#31

Mathematical Analysis Of The Electrical Signals Fungi Seemingly Send To One Another Has Identified Patterns That Bear A Striking Structural Similarity To Human Speech

Mathematical Analysis Of The Electrical Signals Fungi Seemingly Send To One Another Has Identified Patterns That Bear A Striking Structural Similarity To Human Speech

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#32

A Man Standing In The Lumberyard Of Seattle Cedar Lumber Manufacturing. 1939

A Man Standing In The Lumberyard Of Seattle Cedar Lumber Manufacturing. 1939

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#33

Crystal River - The Most Beautiful River On Earth

Crystal River - The Most Beautiful River On Earth

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#35

Baby Pacific Pomfret Hitching A Ride On A Baby Jellyfish (Three Angles)

Baby Pacific Pomfret Hitching A Ride On A Baby Jellyfish (Three Angles)

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#36

Donut Graph Visualizing Composition Of Earth's Surface

Donut Graph Visualizing Composition Of Earth's Surface

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#38

Glacier National Park, Montana By Galyna Andrushko

Glacier National Park, Montana By Galyna Andrushko

TheWalkingBob Report

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Anon Ymous
Community Member
11 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The Canadian side (Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park) is beautiful too!

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#39

Chart Showing Mouth Locations Used For Phonetics In The International Phonetic Alphabet (Ipa) Along With English Examples

Chart Showing Mouth Locations Used For Phonetics In The International Phonetic Alphabet (Ipa) Along With English Examples

Heath-Relecovo Report

#40

Picture Of Comet 67p/Churyumov–gerasimenko With A City For Scale

Picture Of Comet 67p/Churyumov–gerasimenko With A City For Scale

pHorniCaiTe Report

#41

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore In Wisconsin By Bryan Neuswanger

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore In Wisconsin By Bryan Neuswanger

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#42

Alexander The Great, Based On His Busts And Ancient Accounts Of Him

Alexander The Great, Based On His Busts And Ancient Accounts Of Him

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LonelyLittleLeafSheep
Community Member
11 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

But how did they know what color his eyes were? Edit: kind of looks like Gerard Butler when he was younger.

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#43

Fascinating Facts

Fascinating Facts

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JayWantsACat
Community Member
11 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I assumed this was one of us Americans. It's sad that I'm actually pleasantly surprised it wasn't us this time.

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#44

Wendy The Whippet With Myostatin Gene Mutation

Wendy The Whippet With Myostatin Gene Mutation

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Kira Okah
Community Member
11 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Her name is Wendy, she lived a perfectly healthy and normal life. She died in 2017 at just shy of 14.

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#45

The Way You Can See The Truck Through These Pipes

The Way You Can See The Truck Through These Pipes

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#46

Stereoscopy - The Optical Illusion Of Seeing A Picture In 3D Without Equipment. Cross Your Eyes Until The Images Overlap To See The Effect

Stereoscopy - The Optical Illusion Of Seeing A Picture In 3D Without Equipment. Cross Your Eyes Until The Images Overlap To See The Effect

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Fynne
Community Member
11 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Don’t cross your eyes. Instead, hold the phone up against your nose and slowly move it away from your face. It should form a 3D image

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#48

Theodore Roosevelt National Park In North Dakota By Zak Zeinert

Theodore Roosevelt National Park In North Dakota By Zak Zeinert

TheWalkingBob Report

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Miss Frankfurter
Community Member
11 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Thank you Theodore Roosevelt for the establishment of the concept of National Parks.

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#49

This Was The Scene When Driving Through Paradise, California During The Fires On The 8th November.... Photo; Oakland Firefighters Local 55

This Was The Scene When Driving Through Paradise, California During The Fires On The 8th November.... Photo; Oakland Firefighters Local 55

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J. Norton
Community Member
11 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I drove through a little less than a year after it happened and it was just surreal. You could *feel* the pain & horror, just awful.....💔

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#50

Full Contact National Lightsaber League And Tournament

Full Contact National Lightsaber League And Tournament

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#51

A Different Facial Reconstruction That Shocked Me A Couple Of Years Back..king Tutankhamun

A Different Facial Reconstruction That Shocked Me A Couple Of Years Back..king Tutankhamun

s0me0ne_else Report

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EliR
Community Member
11 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

New reconstructions from autopsies showed that in real life he had a very distinct underbite and cleft pallet and other issues as a result of incest like a curved spine with some fused vertebrae, it’s very interesting to read about.

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#52

Chart Of "Big Five" Psychological Traits Broken Down Into Sub-Facets

Chart Of "Big Five" Psychological Traits Broken Down Into Sub-Facets

Heath-Relecovo Report

#53

Counties Where A Language Other Than English Is The Most Spoken, According To The Us Census

Counties Where A Language Other Than English Is The Most Spoken, According To The Us Census

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#54

Herbivore Megafauna Of Modern Europe

Herbivore Megafauna Of Modern Europe

zek_997 Report

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David Paterson
Community Member
11 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I looked it up, and any terrestrial mammal weighing more than 100 kg is counted as megafauna. That includes me.

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#55

Andrew Jackson (1844) - First Photograph Of Any Us President

Andrew Jackson (1844) - First Photograph Of Any Us President

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Shoe
Community Member
11 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He also was also responsible for the Indian Removal Act and the Trail of Tears.

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#56

A Stack Of Wasps. Not Sure If They're Fightin' Or Fornicatin'

A Stack Of Wasps. Not Sure If They're Fightin' Or Fornicatin'

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#57

Worlds Largest Jellyfish? What Can It Be?

Worlds Largest Jellyfish? What Can It Be?

19°23'06.7"N 37°19'49.5"E found on Google Maps at these coordinates

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#58

Uss Bennington Sailing By The Wreck Of Uss Arizona, Honolulu, Us Territory Of Hawaii, 30 May 1958

Uss Bennington Sailing By The Wreck Of Uss Arizona, Honolulu, Us Territory Of Hawaii, 30 May 1958

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#59

Old Bottle Caps From Tailgates Past At Miller Park

Old Bottle Caps From Tailgates Past At Miller Park

sunflower53069 Report

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Zephyr343
Community Member
11 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why does this not surprise me it is in WI? Oh, and Summer Shandy is a really good beer.

#60

I Teared Off A Sticker And What Appears Was A Pretty Accurate Map Of The World

I Teared Off A Sticker And What Appears Was A Pretty Accurate Map Of The World

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