Everything depends on the context. Without it, you might not even notice anything strange about some seemingly innocent photos. However, your response may alter significantly if you are aware of more details regarding what is depicted. uncooked. visceral. utterly terrified. However, some images exude evil and trigger our fight-or-flight (or freeze-or fawn) reaction right away.
Today, we’re showcasing some of the spookiest images ever captured, as published on X, the former Twitter account, by the hugely popular @fasc1nate account. Look them out by scrolling down, and don’t forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page with your thoughts on the pictures.
Note that some of the issues on this list are extremely sensitive, so it’s not for the weak of heart.
1. The Last Moments Of A Man Who Jumped In A Tiger Enclosure, 2014
2. Motel Manager James Brock Pours Muriatic Acid In The Monson Motor Lodge Pool To Evict Black Swimmers, 1964
3. Survivors From The 87th Floor Of The World Trade Center (North Tower) Wandering In The Dust After The Collapse Of The South Tower – New York City, September 11, 2001
The BBC points out that even seemingly commonplace objects, including dolls, clowns, and mannequins, can have eerie associations.
Behavioural scientist and horror specialist Dr. Coltan Scrivner claims that practically everyone can relate to the creepy feeling. “What most people mean when you say you’re creeped out is exactly what they know.” It’s really realistic.
4. The Haunting Look Of An 18-Year-Old Russian Girl After Being Liberated From Dachau, April 29, 1945
5. The Nuclear Shadows Of Hiroshima
6. The Mask Worn By Dennis Rader (Btk) When Carrying Out His Attacks
Studies reveal that eerie objects are typically vaguely menacing. According to a 2015 study on the psychological aspects of creepiness, it can occur in the grey region between potentially dangerous and non-threatening situations.
Things like dolls, mannequins, and clowns are very unsettling to a lot of people. They perceive an underlying malevolence in these (objectively benign) objects.
7. Richard Ramirez In Court
8. The Start Of The 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami
9. A Pod That Allows A User To Take Their Own Life. At The Push Of A Button, The Pod Would Fill With Nitrogen Gas, Rapidly Lowering Oxygen Levels
In real life, clowns paint on smiles, but on TV, dangerous clowns frequently paint on frowns, according to Dr. Scrivener, who spoke to BBC Bitesize. The scientist said, “This sends mixed messages about whether they’re actually safe.”
In the meanwhile, some people find mannequins, dolls, and clowns frightening due to the uncanny valley phenomena. It has to do, in essence, with the unease people experience when they witness something that nearly resembles a human being yet falls short.
10. Photograph Of Ted Bundy Having Fun With Kids In His Neighborhood
11. The Last Photo Before The Dyatlov Pass Incident
12. Btk Killer Takes A Photo With His Daughter
Not just humans, animals, and objects can frighten us. Just like desolate forest roads, landscapes can make us feel uneasy. Given that humans are social animals, you should definitely ask yourself “why is nobody else here?” if you’re by yourself and notice that nobody else is around. Is there a problem with this location? Is it risky? stated Dr. Scrivner.
13. A Chinese Woman Whose Feet Were Bound From Childhood, Late 1800s
14. Photo Of Jeffrey Dahmer At High School With A Fellow Student
15. A Mickey Mouse Gas Mask For Children During Ww2, 1942
Silence, sounds, and music can all have comparable effects. But in this case, context is crucial. It’s only eerie when a door creaks open when you’re alone. The scientist noted that it may be a hint that someone or something is moving slowly.
Alternatively, a badly-oiled door would be, at most, a mild irritation in a house full of people you know. Why? because you are comfortable and feel safe.
16. Coal Miners Returning From The Depths After A Days Work, Belgium, C. 1900
17. A Photo Of Clowns Found At An Abandoned Old Folks Home
18. British Pows After Their Release From Japanese Captivity In Singapore, 1945
The curators behind the @fasc1nate account developed the viral thread, which was a huge success—at least in terms of internet notoriety. A lot of people were interested in it. The post had received an astounding 2 million views as of the writing of this article.
19. A Photo Taken Shortly Before A Huge Wave Hit The Shore During The Devastating 2004 Tsunami
20. Ted Bundy’s Yearbook Photo From 1965
21. The Last Photo Taken By Bill Biggart, The Only Journalist Who Lost His Life. Covering 9/11
Because it addresses forbidden subjects, unusual, odd, and even gruesome content can draw large audiences. Figuring out the secret behind odd and even uncomfortable content—be it images, videos, or narratives—tends to pique people’s peculiar attraction.
22. A Photo Of A Possibly Shell-Shocked Soldier During Wwi
23. A Drawing Of Ed Gein Done By John Wayne Gacy
24. A Doll With Two Faces
On X, the @fasc1nate account is highly well-known. A staggering 3.3 million consumers follow it. Since its founding in 2013, it has posted for more than 11 years, accumulating this big following. The account is a component of the larger online and social media initiative “History Defined.”
25. The Modern Remains Of A Kindergarten Classroom After The Chernobyl Disaster
26. Acute Radiation Sickness, Photos Taken In A Specialized Clinic, Soviet Union, After The Chernobyl Disaster Of April 26, 1986
27. A Photograph From 2019 Shows Two Colombian Soldiers Giving A Final Salute As They Free Fall. The Rope That Was Carrying Them Suddenly Broke During An Airshow
Which of the pictures on this list, Pandas, gave you the creeps? What has been the scariest thing you have ever encountered in person? If you hadn’t known the background to some of these pictures, would you have felt uneasy looking at them?
Leave a remark with your ideas and experiences if you’re not too scared.
28. This X-Ray Reveals A Tear Gas Canister That Was Fatally Embedded In A Protester’s Brain During Anti-Government Protests In Iraq In 2019
29. Jean Libbera, Aka “The Double-Bodied Man,” Had His Parasitic Brother, Jacques Libbera, Connected To Him From His Chest-Stomach Area
30. Alison Parker, A Young Journalist, Met A Tragic End During A Live Television Broadcast In 2015
She was doing an interview when she and her cameraman, Adam Ward, were shot by a former colleague. This picture here is a snapshot from that previous interview.
