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How do you define 'interesting'? What is interesting? After writing a surplus of articles about interesting facts and mildly interesting stuff, we can tell you that it's all about gut feeling. Humans know humans, just like we know that we will never be tired of looking at previously unseen, fluffy animals from exotic corners of the Earth.

Today's r/interesting, then, is a rather normal cousin to 'Mildly Interesting'. Not bound by a specific timeline or subject matter, this community describes itself as "a place to share something interesting." And as you'll see on today's list, it sure does that, bringing bite-size infotainment like a cooler version of 'Encyclopedia Britannica' where people vote on what's hot and what's, well, less interesting. Buckle up, pandas, because it's going to get interesting!

#1

I Would Find This Interesting

I Would Find This Interesting

Lost_Tumbleweed_5669 Report

In the early 1980s, at the dawn of the age of the personal computer, people were afraid of the darn machines. 'Computerphobia' was spreading like wildfire. And the idea that one day we'd all be chronically obsessed with computers, in as much with the internet, seemed as ridiculous as having all tomes of Encyclopedia Britannica and much more at the tip of your finger.

Today, however, we'd be pretty much lost without going online. According to one study, more than half of Americans admit to learning most of what they know thanks to the internet. When the pandemic happened and we were all collectively locked inside our homes, God knows how bad things could have gotten if not for the ability to have online classrooms.

#2

Kathey ❤ What An Effort 🙄

Kathey ❤ What An Effort 🙄

Longjumping-Ad9665 Report

"You can learn anything on the internet, so why do I so often learn things I don’t want to know?" Daniel T. Willingham, author of 'Outsmart Your Brain,' ponders in his article. It's a valid question, particularly when we consider just how much information we are constantly bombarded with.

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According to the latest estimates, 328.77 million terabytes of data are pumped into the web each day. Of course, it's not clear how much of it is new information unseen on the net before. But considering that it takes around 5-6 hours (or two Avengers films) to read a single, unfiltered terabyte of data - and two more hours to stop your addicted fingers from scrolling friends' feeds on Insta - we're kind of happy there's r/interesting to filter out the most curious bits of it.

#3

A 106-Year-Old From The Philippines Is Vogue's Oldest Ever Cover Model

A 106-Year-Old From The Philippines Is Vogue's Oldest Ever Cover Model

BigfootDynamite Report

#4

Ain’t Stupid If It Works

Ain’t Stupid If It Works

bethebumblebee Report

#5

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar And Coach John Wooden. ‘’never Forget Who Helped You’’

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar And Coach John Wooden. ‘’never Forget Who Helped You’’

brolbo Report

#6

Just Look The Précision

Just Look The Précision

brolbo Report

In order to understand what makes this subreddit so appealing not only to us, curious pandas, but to the rest of its 250,000 daily visitors, Bored Panda reached out to the folks who run r/interesting. "One of the main challenges faced by the mods is people not being civil," u/Yell0w_Submarine, who joined the community's moderating team this March in order to help it grow, explained via message.

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#7

This Sundial Shows The Time Digitally

This Sundial Shows The Time Digitally

Owsn Report

#8

American Firefighters Extinguishing The Fire In Mexico Without Crossing The Border

American Firefighters Extinguishing The Fire In Mexico Without Crossing The Border

Owsn Report

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#9

Green House, Made From Recycled Church Stained Glass Windows

Green House, Made From Recycled Church Stained Glass Windows

Late-Yesterday2106 Report

Another problem arises from users who engage in spamming activities, like sharing links to malicious websites or repeatedly posting the same content across various communities to accumulate internet points known as 'karma.' "Making sure every comment is read can be a long task," they said.

#10

Tibetan White Yak - The Snow White Yak Is The Rarest Color Phase Of Yak In The World. In China And Tibet They Figure Their Numbers To Be Around 3% Of The Population, With The Vast Majority Of Those Residing In Tianzhu Tibet, There Almost All Of Their Yaks Are White!

Tibetan White Yak - The Snow White Yak Is The Rarest Color Phase Of Yak In The World. In China And Tibet They Figure Their Numbers To Be Around 3% Of The Population, With The Vast Majority Of Those Residing In Tianzhu Tibet, There Almost All Of Their Yaks Are White!

ailmn_cwb Report

#11

A Snow Leopard In Its Natural Habitat At Spiti Valley, India Appears Flawlessly Camouflaged, Effortlessly Blending Into The Surrounding Environment

A Snow Leopard In Its Natural Habitat At Spiti Valley, India Appears Flawlessly Camouflaged, Effortlessly Blending Into The Surrounding Environment

dikam_saroj Report

#12

This Bonsai Tree Was Planted In 1625 And Has Lived Through A Lot Of History In It's 400 Years Of Existence. It Survived The Atomic Blast In Hiroshima On August 6, 1945 Even Though It Was Only Two Miles Away At That Time

This Bonsai Tree Was Planted In 1625 And Has Lived Through A Lot Of History In It's 400 Years Of Existence. It Survived The Atomic Blast In Hiroshima On August 6, 1945 Even Though It Was Only Two Miles Away At That Time

Rifletree Report

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As you might have guessed, occasionally there's someone who throws in a random Skittle into the bowl of M&Ms that is r/interesting posts. "We do get a lot of mildly interesting and not interesting/off-topic submissions," u/Yell0w_Submarine noted. "While it is subjective, in my opinion, the posts that are mostly approved are original, create a feeling of amazement and are just sometimes really cool. 'Mildly' interesting posts, meanwhile, can be coincidences or just do not elicit a sense of amazement."

#13

British Coins Make A Shield When Put Together

British Coins Make A Shield When Put Together

Fish_Boi19 Report

#14

Flathead Lake, The Clearest Water On Earth

Flathead Lake, The Clearest Water On Earth

Unfair-Purpose-2100 Report

#15

A Melanistic & Albino Alligator

A Melanistic & Albino Alligator

Weekly-Reason9285 Report

It appears, then, that nature is a shared interest among members of r/interesting and Bored Panda readers. "Nature is one of the most popular types of content posted on this sub," they said. While it's been found that spending at least 120 minutes, or 2 hours, a week in nature is associated with good health and well-being, dedicating a similar amount of time to immersing ourselves in the captivating world of wildlife on our screens can't be all that detrimental, right?

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#16

Bloody Australian Dawn

Bloody Australian Dawn

MOKSHA82 Report

#17

110-Million-Year-Old Dinosaur Very Well Preserved Discovered Accidentally By Miners In Canada

110-Million-Year-Old Dinosaur Very Well Preserved Discovered Accidentally By Miners In Canada

excelsior_frenemy Report

#18

There’s A Very Tiny Muscle In The Forearms That Contracts Only When Lifting The Pinky Finger. Michelangelo’s Moses Sculpture Is Lifting The Pinky, Therefore That Muscle Is Contracted. Incredible Attention To Detail

There’s A Very Tiny Muscle In The Forearms That Contracts Only When Lifting The Pinky Finger. Michelangelo’s Moses Sculpture Is Lifting The Pinky, Therefore That Muscle Is Contracted. Incredible Attention To Detail

donlic Report

But what exactly drives us to seek information which may not be necessary or actively sought after? There's no one simple explanation, Daniel Willingham, a Professor of Psychology at the University of Virginia and the author of 'Outsmart Your Brain,' explained to Bored Panda.

"Curiosity is a desire to gain more information," he said. "We expect ourselves to be curious about things that are either a topic that's interesting or have some utility for us in the long term." Apparently, neither of that is 100% true. Instead, Willingham argues that "curiosity seems to be to have a very short time scale it cares about."

#19

The Duck Is The Mother Of Fishes

The Duck Is The Mother Of Fishes

snxliang Report

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#20

The Third Grade Teacher Teaches Science In A Full Body Suit!

The Third Grade Teacher Teaches Science In A Full Body Suit!

Sea_Land_1944 Report

#21

Bic Using The Same Pen Design Since 1955

Bic Using The Same Pen Design Since 1955

Quimi864 Report

Let's say, for example, that you're an ardent stamp collector and stumble upon a conversation where someone claims to possess intriguing insights about the World War II postage stamps that graced France. Your initial reaction? Nonchalance. Why? "You would not feel any curiosity exactly because you feel like you already know pretty much everything, even though it's of great interest to you," Willingham argued.

Now, let's flip the script. Imagine a scenario where someone, unaware of your stamp-collecting prowess, suggests sharing the very knowledge you hold dear. They entice you with the prospect of uncovering a treasure trove of information, as you stand on the precipice of ignorance. Curious, right?

Well, not quite, it turns out. "You wouldn't feel any curiosity [in the subject] because the information wouldn't feel meaningful to you," he explained. "In order for information to feel meaningful, you have to have something to connect it to."

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#22

An Afghan Citizen Offering A Cup Of Tea To An U.S. Soldier On The Duty

An Afghan Citizen Offering A Cup Of Tea To An U.S. Soldier On The Duty

Owsn Report

#23

Found A House That Looks Like The One From "Up" In Vancouver, Canada

Found A House That Looks Like The One From "Up" In Vancouver, Canada

IsaacJB1995 Report

#24

112 Year-Old Vaccine Cards. And It Didn't Cause Society To Crumble As You Can See

112 Year-Old Vaccine Cards. And It Didn't Cause Society To Crumble As You Can See

hamcharonstyx Report

According to Willingham, one of the most important ingredients for the sake of our curiosity is being surrounded by new juicy information that we're not particularly interested in already. It's this very notion that subreddits like r/interesting thrive upon, constantly offering users a stream of captivating tidbits. However, this is why traditional educational institutions often struggle to evoke a sense of curiosity in students.

"It's so difficult for teachers to make children feel curious about school content because some of them already know it. A lot of them don't know anything at all about it, so they can't connect with anything." Unlike the boundless realm of the internet, where we have the freedom to indulge our curiosity by delving deep into topics that pique our interest, the educational system presents a different reality.

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In school, we are bound to follow a structured curriculum that encompasses a wide range of subjects. We don't have the luxury of cherry-picking only the areas that intrigue us. Instead, we must navigate the entire breadth of the curriculum.

#25

The Camera Caught The Light Reflecting Off The Water Droplets Of The Steam At The Right Angle To Make Magical Corn

The Camera Caught The Light Reflecting Off The Water Droplets Of The Steam At The Right Angle To Make Magical Corn

SleepParalysisDemon6 Report

#26

A Female Falcon Was Equipped With A Satellite Tracking System In South Africa Before Migrating To Finland. Image Shows Tracker Data. In Just 42 Days, She Flew Over 10.000 Km, At An Incredible Average Of 230 Km Per Day And Nearly In A Straight Line

A Female Falcon Was Equipped With A Satellite Tracking System In South Africa Before Migrating To Finland. Image Shows Tracker Data. In Just 42 Days, She Flew Over 10.000 Km, At An Incredible Average Of 230 Km Per Day And Nearly In A Straight Line

Yell0w_Submarine Report

#27

Thousands Of Years Ago, The Inuit And Yupik People Of Alaska And Northern Canada Carved Narrow Slits Into Ivory, Antler, And Wood To Create The World's First Snow Goggles. This Diminished Exposure To Direct And Reflected Ultraviolet Rays—thereby Reducing Eye Strain And Preventing Snow Blindness

Thousands Of Years Ago, The Inuit And Yupik People Of Alaska And Northern Canada Carved Narrow Slits Into Ivory, Antler, And Wood To Create The World's First Snow Goggles. This Diminished Exposure To Direct And Reflected Ultraviolet Rays—thereby Reducing Eye Strain And Preventing Snow Blindness

ailmn_cwb Report

With the advent of Google and the ability to access an infinite pool of information at our fingertips, the landscape of curiosity has undergone a profound transformation. "The expectation [nowadays] is that we should feel curious sort of all the time," Willingham said, noting that this perpetual state of curiosity can be both exhilarating and draining.

Recent statistics show that 1-in-5 Americans admit to feeling overloaded by information - a phenomenon that runs counter to the very essence of curiosity. "There should always be something that we're eager to learn about or at least enjoy. And if we're not, we don't see why we should be bored, right?" 

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#28

The Lens Flare In This Photo Looks Like Eric Cartman

The Lens Flare In This Photo Looks Like Eric Cartman

rraattbbooyy Report

#29

Friend Rehabilitated An Injured Chicken And Adopted It As A Pet. Chicken Got To Attend Friend's Wedding

Friend Rehabilitated An Injured Chicken And Adopted It As A Pet. Chicken Got To Attend Friend's Wedding

SoftandChewy Report

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#30

Topography Of USA - Pretty Cool

Topography Of USA - Pretty Cool

Witty_Control6793 Report

#31

A Shoe Worn By Allied Spies During World War II Has An Inverted Heel To Mislead The Germans When They Track Their Trail And Direct Them In A Completely Wrong Direction

A Shoe Worn By Allied Spies During World War II Has An Inverted Heel To Mislead The Germans When They Track Their Trail And Direct Them In A Completely Wrong Direction

bigbl4ck Report

#32

A 7000-6000 Year Old Burial Of A Young Woman (Aged Around 20 When She Died) And Her Newborn Baby From Vedbaek, Denmark. By Her Head Were 200 Red Deer Teeth, And The Child Is Cradled In The Wing Of A Swan With A Flint Knife At Its Hip. It’s Thought The Pair Died Together In Childbirth

A 7000-6000 Year Old Burial Of A Young Woman (Aged Around 20 When She Died) And Her Newborn Baby From Vedbaek, Denmark. By Her Head Were 200 Red Deer Teeth, And The Child Is Cradled In The Wing Of A Swan With A Flint Knife At Its Hip. It’s Thought The Pair Died Together In Childbirth

MSDeltaBound Report

#33

This Table

This Table

NorrisMcNorris Report

#34

President Obama Sitting For The Very First Ever 3D Presidential Portrait

President Obama Sitting For The Very First Ever 3D Presidential Portrait

Owsn Report

#35

Sloth Elephant Tunnel.these Tunnels Were Dug By A Giant Ground Sloth That Lived 10.000 Years Ago In Brazil

Sloth Elephant Tunnel.these Tunnels Were Dug By A Giant Ground Sloth That Lived 10.000 Years Ago In Brazil

ailmn_cwb Report

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#36

First Lamb Grown In An Artificial Womb

First Lamb Grown In An Artificial Womb

JettMe_Red Report

#37

Taking Art To A New Level

Taking Art To A New Level

Sapiosexual___ Report

#38

Meteora, Greece

Meteora, Greece

MOKSHA82 Report

#39

“Gee’s Golden Langur” Currently Very Endangered. Expressions Are So Human

“Gee’s Golden Langur” Currently Very Endangered. Expressions Are So Human

EldenTingz Report

#40

Weighing Over 400 Pounds, This Is The Heart Of A Blue Whale, The Largest Animal That Has Ever Lived

Weighing Over 400 Pounds, This Is The Heart Of A Blue Whale, The Largest Animal That Has Ever Lived

brolbo Report

#41

Penguin Feathers

Penguin Feathers

BigfootDynamite Report

#42

Alexander The Great 330 Bc, Facial Reconstruction From His Marble Bust

Alexander The Great 330 Bc, Facial Reconstruction From His Marble Bust

sexymess777 Report

#43

What The Pyramid Of Khafre Looked Like 4,500 Years Ago Compared To Today. The Pyramids Of Giza Were Originally Covered With Highly Polished White Limestones, With The Capstones At The Peak Being Covered In Gold

What The Pyramid Of Khafre Looked Like 4,500 Years Ago Compared To Today. The Pyramids Of Giza Were Originally Covered With Highly Polished White Limestones, With The Capstones At The Peak Being Covered In Gold

MSDeltaBound Report

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#44

Alpine Refuge From World War I Located At 2760 Meters, Monte Cristallo, Italy

Alpine Refuge From World War I Located At 2760 Meters, Monte Cristallo, Italy

TX908 Report

#45

In The 1940s, Men Dressed In Short Shorts And Cowboy Boots Served Up Women At A Drive Through Across The Street From Love Field In Dallas, Tx

In The 1940s, Men Dressed In Short Shorts And Cowboy Boots Served Up Women At A Drive Through Across The Street From Love Field In Dallas, Tx

MSDeltaBound Report

#46

Most People Just See The Man With A Giant Head On His Knee, And Cannot See The Baby

Most People Just See The Man With A Giant Head On His Knee, And Cannot See The Baby

Electronic-Sun-8275 Report

#47

"I See You Have Made 3 Spelling Mistakes". Last Words Of The Marquis De Favras After Reading His Death Sentence Before Being Hanged (1790)

"I See You Have Made 3 Spelling Mistakes". Last Words Of The Marquis De Favras After Reading His Death Sentence Before Being Hanged (1790)

om11011shanti11011om Report

#48

Garter Snakes Coming Out Of Hibernation And Into A Tens Of Thousands Strong Mating Ball In Southern Manitoba, Canada

Garter Snakes Coming Out Of Hibernation And Into A Tens Of Thousands Strong Mating Ball In Southern Manitoba, Canada

Sea_Land_1944 Report

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Manic Mama
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Speaking as an Australian, who's used to a certain amount of snakes, HELL NO!

Remi (He/Him)
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As these aren't Aussie snakes, they're harmless and people have them as pets

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dingliusyeeeeeeeeeee
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

get the flamethrower and call the swat team. VOLDEMORT HAS RISEN ONCE AGAIN!!!!!

Adam Belaire
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Pits of Narcissus. Went there as a kid and I'd love to go back. https://www.gov.mb.ca/nrnd/fish-wildlife/snakes_narcisse/index.html

Brooklyn Roffman
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Jesssssssice, will you be my date to the mating ball? Sorry Sssssssstephen, I’m already going with sssssspensssser.

The Bloody Raptor ️‍
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Garter snakes are actually quite harmless, even though they might make you smell bad.

Denise
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They go off into the marshes and return in September. Snake tunnels were built under the highway to reduce the amount killed by passing cars. It is quite the attraction here.

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Sheila Noreen
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love snakes. I used to catch garter snakes and put them in my pockets when I was a toddler. Surprised my mom when she checked my pockets when doing laundry!

Never Snarky
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'll have nightmares for a long time after just glancing at this picture.

Melinda Flick
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'd be backing up fairly quickly and then turning and hobbling away as fast as I could!

Jeff Rhodes
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

one female can attract many males from a mile away when she releases her "perfume"

真壁まつり
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Being swallowed and flowing with them and if possible not getting a bite then it sounds like pleasure to me

NoNicknamePanda
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And I was just getting ready to go to sleep. Not anymore. Huge nooooope.

Rikki Kay
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I live a short drive away from there. If you're brave enough, pick one up and it's attached to at least 20 other males with one female at the centre. They're all trying to mate with her, and there are soooooo many mating balls, it's almost beautiful in a gross sort of way!

Kelly Von Tee
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Garter snakes are harmless but it would be traumatizing to watch that much snake sex.

Carole Strawn
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That is the biggest NOPE ever! I'm not especially creeped out by snakes but that is just too many at one time.

y~
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And to think: you're all scared of Australian wildlife - heh. Sure several of ours are highly venomous but at least we only have to dodge one at a time.

Nobody
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

crushed under the weight all those males, myrtle was dying to visit the ladies room

StrangeOne
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm so glad I don't live in those rural towns. They get everywhere. There's videos showing them slithering in the school light fixtures. Some of them become roadkill all over the highways. But pretty harmless things.

Patricia Stilwell
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What? No flipping SPIDERS? I'd pick up a ball of these before I'd let a tarantula walk on me.

ShyWahine
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh HELLLLLL NO! Remind me to stay TF away from Southern Manitoba, Canada near the end of hibernation season...

Quarkbeast
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I like snakes and this is creeping me out. But you do you snakes!

Heze Alii
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm glad I live in an island where the only snake species is more akin to a worm.

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#49

Disney Tried To Be Creative With Marketing Back In The Day

Disney Tried To Be Creative With Marketing Back In The Day

historyinmemes Report

#50

This Dentist Has A Free Soda Machine, And Coffee In The Lobby

This Dentist Has A Free Soda Machine, And Coffee In The Lobby

underthund3r Report

Note: this post originally had 79 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.

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