Science is an amazing discipline. At its core, it’s just a bunch of people being curious about stuff. The invention of the microscope helped scientists to be able to look more closely at the stuff they were curious about. It also helped them realize that everything looks weird and/or disgusting under the microscope. That must have been a wonderful day.
Here are eight common items in all their weird, magnified glory: see how many you can guess.
Common Item 1:
This one’s gonna gross you out! It looks like some kind of futuristic alien special effect.
Answer: Dental floss. This is why mama told you to brush your teeth!
Common Item 2:
I am proud to say that I guessed this one correctly. It’s so pretty– the kind of image I could stare at all day.
Answer: Beach sand.
Common Item 3:
I guessed this one, too. It’s one I could feel instinctively, rather than consciously. I said to myself, I know this feeling. I have done this before.
Answer: Needle and thread. Now you know why folks who sew will occasionally emerge from silent placidity into a raging string of blue profanities. It’s fekking hard to thread the damn needle!
Common Item 4:
I admit it: I was completely stumped by this one. My husband got it right away, though. To me it looks like a deep-space battle between stringy, sticky slug creatures to me.
Answer: Velcro.
Common Item 5:
Don’t show this to your hipster friends! It will give them the ammunition they need to justify their hour-long morning hygiene ritual.
Answer: Left– beard hair shaved with a straight razor. Right– beard hair shaved with an electric razor.
Common Item 6:
From a distance, it looks like a blue stream flowing amongst some trees. Look closer, and– nope! Here’s a hint: this one’s on your body.
Answer: Eyelashes and an eyelash mite. Kinda makes you want to hit the shower for about five hours, doesn’t it? Don’t worry, though: these little guys are helpful.
Common Item 7:
Kinda looks like a sweater pattern from the ’80s, don’tcha think? I’m having totally tubular flashbacks.
Answer: Floor sweepings.
Common Item 8:
Yes, this is a real thing. I saved it for last because it is by far the coolest.
Answer: Marijuana. And I like to imagine the scientists were totally baked when they did this one!
