151. This Valensole, France Lavender Field
Found In: Valensole, France
Est. Cost: $90 per pound of dried lavender*
In June and July, you can see the Valensole, France lavender fields in all their glory. These fields are massive swaths of purple that seem to dominate the region of Provence. The fields are harvested during the second week of the month of July.
Valensole, France Lavender Field r/AbandonedPorn/Reddit
In addition to huge stretches of lavender fields, Valensole is also home to golden wheat fields, fields of sunflowers, turquoise lakes, and Provencal villages. It’s undeniable that this region is one of the most beautiful in the world, no contest.
152. Astronaut Bruce McCandless In Flight
Found In: Outer Space
Est. Cost: $60 million to develop his jet pack*
How terrifying does this look? The vastness of space is jarring, and this image is enough to make anyone nervous. Here we can see astronaut Bruce McCandless, wearing a $60 million jetpack, in flight.
Astronaut Bruce McCandless In Flight photos/7584757@N08/5441945296/flickr
Just his pack was guiding him as he soared through space unconnected to the main vehicle. This feat made history, as he was the first astronaut to spacewalk without lifelines tethering him to the $2 billion Challenger shuttle.
153. Giant Pacific Octopus vs. Human
Found In: Pacific Ocean
Est. Cost: N/A
This diver had a very special, alien-like visitor when he was diving into the sea. A Giant Pacific Octopus, no doubt curious as to what the human diver was up to, crept up behind him to investigate, creating this unsettling picture.
Giant Pacific Octopus vs. Human gallery/ifTqDX5/imgur.com
Adult Giant Pacific Octopus can grow to as much as 160 pounds in weight. They are also incredibly strong and very smart, able to open jars, interact with humans, and solve puzzles. Don’t worry, as we are not on this giant critter’s menu—Giant Pacific Octopus prefer to dine on crabs and clams.
154. Monstrous Moose
Found In: North America (Northern U.S., Canada, Alaska)
Est. Cost: N/A
This gigantic monster moose was spotted in Canada or the Northern U.S., possibly Alaska. The best thing for the driver to do in this case was remain still and let this giant creature go about his business in peace.
Monstrous Moose /flickr
Moose can grow to sizes of up to six feet high at the shoulder and 1,400 pounds in weight (male moose, that is—females are smaller). The biggest moose ever spotted was sighted in Yukon, Alaska in 1897, and he weighed 1,808 pounds and stood seven-and-a-half feet high at the shoulder. This big boy isn’t too far behind him, it appears.
155. A Wall of Water
Found In: Oceans
Est. Cost: N/A
It’s not clear where this photo was taken, but it is a beautiful depiction of the ocean. Those with both megalophobia and thalassophobia won’t exactly be fond of this image, which showcases how high and unending walls of water can seem.
A Wall of Water r/thalassophobia/Reddit
It’s amazing to think that, centuries ago, Vikings and other explorers traveled the seas without technology, lights, or anything. They had to brave waves like these in wooden ships with just hope and faith to protect them.
156. Giant Horse Statue
Found In: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Est. Cost: $2.5 million to construct*
You can’t miss The American Horse in Grand Rapids, Michigan, as this massive Meijer Gardens sculpture is a sight to behold. It cost around $2.5 million to build, and it was created by animalier (a fancy term for animal sculptor) Nina Akamu.
Giant Horse Statue r/megalophobia/Reddit
This gigantic bronze sculpture stands twenty-four feet in height, with visitors saying it feels even larger in real life. Akamu based her sculpture on sketches from Leonardo da Vinci, who wanted to create such a project but never got it off the ground.
157. Man Atop A Wind Turbine
Found In: Worldwide
Est. Cost: $2-$4 million to build a turbine*
This red arrow is pointing to a man standing atop a wind turbine, and the man is so small, you can barely see him. This image is jarring, reminding us of how tiny we are against our own creations.
Man Atop A Wind Turbine r/woahdude/Reddit
Wind turbines have to be massive in order to turn wind into electricity, and the average turbine costs somewhere in the seven-figure range. It takes two years to build and install one turbine, and the installation process, as you can imagine, requires a lot of mechanical assistance from heavy-duty machines.
158. Jetski Under A Massive Ship
Found In: San Diego, California
Est. Cost: $1.5 billion to build, adjusting for inflation*
The last thing these people would want to do is get in front of this massive, gigantic ship when it’s not moored, that’s for sure. This photo showcases a jet ski in front of a huge ship, and the effect is rather unsettling.
Jetski Under A Massive Ship r/megalophobia/Reddit
Humans look so tiny in front of the vessel, and, yet, humans are the ones who created it in 1943. The ship here is the U.S.S. Midway, a former naval aircraft carrier turned into a museum. This ship houses a lot of aircraft on board, and tickets cost $31 per adult.
159. Angel of the North
Found In: Gateshead, U.K.
Est. Cost: $1.5 million to build*
Created by artist Antony Gormley in 1998, Angel of the North stands guard at Gateshead in Tynes and Wear England. This artistic sculpture was meant to remind us of the coal miners who worked below it in the dark for hundreds of years.
Angel of the North /commons.wikimedia.org
The sculpture almost wasn’t made, as Gormley had his doubts in the face of engineering difficulties and local opposition. Eventually, the sculpture was finished, and its wingspan is almost the size of a Boeing Jumbo Jet.
160. Rockfall As Police Pass
Found In: North America
Est. Cost: $1 billion in damages in America each year*
Landslides and rockslides aren’t anything you want to mess with, as you can see from this frightening photo. According to the USGS, landslides cause $1 billion in damage in America every year.
Rockfall As Police Pass r/pics/Reddit
They’re a problem in all fifty states, and they cause as many as fifty deaths per year. Seeing this giant rock smashed on the highway is alarming, though it makes you grateful no one was in the wrong place at the wrong time when it fell.
161. Monte Kali
Found In: Henringen, Hesse, Germany
Est. Cost: N/A
Monte Kali, also known as Kalimanjaro, is the nickname for the gigantic spoil heap that towers over the little town of Heringen, Hesse, Germany. The site is where K+S, a chemical company, dumps its excess sodium chloride (better known as table salt).
Monte Kali /commons.wikimedia.org
All this extra table salt comes from the company’s nearby potash mining and processing, which is a huge industry in Hesse. This salt pile stands 1,740 feet above sea level, and it attracts climbers from all over the world who want a unique challenge.
162. Man Vs. Tree
Found In: Palm Beach, Florida (Photo Taken Here)
Est. Cost: N/A
This gentle giant tree is completely dwarfing the human in front of us, reminding us of just how majestic Mother Nature can be. Imagine if humans weren’t around—this tree and many like it would take over the world.
Man Vs. Tree user/polo2polo/Reddit
Such a tree is known as a Giant Kapok, and you can find it in Florida (this photo was taken in Palm Beach). Kapoks can grow as high as 200 feet, and they can grow as much as 13 feet annually in some tropical areas.
163. The Sun In Perspective
Found In: Outer Space
Est. Cost: N/A
This image really puts things into perspective, showcasing the massive might of the sun as compared to planets like ours. The sun is a huge, glowing ball that keeps us alive (and can sometimes cause us issues like sunburn and solar flares, too).
The Sun In Perspective r/woahdude/Reddit
The sun spans 864,400 miles across, making it 109 times Earth’s diameter. It also weighs 330,000 times as much as our planet, and this golden, glowing behemoth can fit 1.3 million Planet Earths in it.
164. Skogafoss Waterfall, Iceland
Found In: Skogar, Iceland
Est. Cost: Free to visit
This waterfall is almost 200 feet in height! Known as Skogafoss, you can find it along the Skoga River in beautiful southern Iceland. It is located near the cliff’s former coastline, and it dwarfs all who come to see it (for free, as there is no entrance fee).
Skogafoss Waterfall, Iceland ©Ladanivskyy Oleksandr/Shutterstock
The falls have just one drop, and the hike is not for the faint of heart. According to TripTins, the path to Skogafoss is fifteen miles, taking people one or two days to complete, depending on their speed. But, to see such a natural wonder definitely is worth it.
165. Christ the King in Lisbon
Found In: Lisbon, Portugal
Est. Cost: $5-$6 per ticket to visit*
Those who visit Lisbon, Portugal can’t miss one of its largest features: Christ the King, a huge statue of Jesus Christ. This image shows the shrine and monument from the top of Jesus’ head, showcasing how high this almost four-hundred-foot-tall statue is.
Christ the King in Lisbon ©ingusk/stock.adobe.com
Cristo Rei, as it is known, was inspired by Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer statue, which was seen by Lisbon’s head cardinal when he visited. After seeing it, he asked artist Antonio Lino to bring the vision to life in Portugal.