106. The Harpy Eagle
Found In: Mexico, South America
Est. Cost: N/A
If you want to see a bird that is sure to give you nightmares, look no further than the Harpy Eagle. Standing as high as forty inches tall, this strange-looking eagle is one of the largest birds in the world (as evidenced by this photo).
The Harpy Eagle ©megalophobia/Reddit
In a serious chase, these eagles can fly as fast as fifty miles an hour. Though Harpy Eagles might look fearsome, they’re actually pretty friendly and not afraid of humans (something that doesn’t work out in their favor, unfortunately).
107. The Higgins Lake, Michigan Dropoff
Found In: Higgins Lake, Michigan
Est. Cost: N/A
For more than forty years, Higgins Lake in Michigan has made quite a few “Most Beautiful” lists. The lake is lovely, but its twenty-one-mile-long shoreline does feature a steep dropoff, sure to frighten anyone with thalassophobia.
The Higgins Lake, Michigan Dropoff @Datema Media/Facebook
When you see it in an aerial view, the dropoff is a bit alarming. The lake goes from turquoise, shallow-seeming waters to dark blue depths in an instant, making us wonder what could be lurking in the deep.
108. The Giant Highland Banana
Found In: New Guinea
Est. Cost: $9-$12 per banana*
Musa ingens, better known as the Giant Highland Banana, is one of the largest plants of its kind. The plant can grow up to sixty-six feet in height, with leaves as long as sixteen feet in length.
The Giant Highland Banana ©megalophobia/Reddit
Once the Giant Highland Banana plant flowers, it can produce around three-hundred bananas, each of them much larger than what you see at the supermarket (and much more expensive as a result).
109. Gigantic Rubber Duck
Found In: Worldwide
Est. Cost: $200,000*
This rubber duck is a gigantic behemoth, looking ominous in this photograph. It is looming over an innocent population, possibly plotting against them. This hilarious photo stars “The World’s Largest Rubber Duck,” an art installation that sails all around the world.
Gigantic Rubber Duck ©megalophobia/Reddit
Mama Duck, as she is known, is sixty feet tall and weighs just under sixteen tons. Created by artist Mark Burrows, she is part of the Kindness Duck Project, created to spread kindness throughout the world. Or else.
110. Ronald McDonald, Super-Sized
Found In: Sunbury, Ohio
Est. Cost: Free to visit
Not a fan of clowns? Then you’re sure to hate this gigantic statue of none other than Ronald McDonald, one of the world’s most famous clowns. This McDonald’s mascot is located in Sunbury, Ohio, where he serves as a very unique roadside attraction.
Ronald McDonald, Super-Sized ©megalophobia/Reddit
Those traveling west of I-71, south of Highway 37 (really, you don’t need super-specific directions because you can’t miss it) would be wise to check out this clown statue, if only to have a very interesting story to tell their kids.
111. Megalodon Jaws
Found In: N/A (Extinct)
Est. Cost: N/A
The Megalodon was not a sea creature anyone wanted to meet millions of years ago, as this long-extinct shark was truly a monster. This photo shows a human compared to Meg’s jaws, and the difference is striking.
Megalodon Jaws @britannica/Pinterest
This sixty-foot-long predator was king of the sea, eating thousands of pounds of food per day. The colossal predator eventually went extinct, though, of course, conspiracy theorists swear that the Meg is still down in the ocean’s depths, just waiting to be found.
112. Frozen Waterfall
Found In: Unconfirmed
Est. Cost: N/A
This human looks so small standing next to this frozen waterfall, and we can only imagine the force of the water when it’s not frozen. It must be a very, very cold climate to freeze such a volume of water.
Frozen Waterfall ©megalophobia/Reddit
This fascinating frozen waterfall was spotted in the mountains by hikers, who did what we all would do and immediately posed next to it. The mountains are, of course, one of the prime places to find beautiful, unusual natural features.
113. Towering Thunderclouds
Found In: Unconfirmed
Est. Cost: N/A
Cumulonimbus clouds are dense and towering, forming when water vapor is carried upwards by powerful winds. As we all know, these clouds mean rain, thunder, and lighting, if not tornados and hail.
Towering Thunderclouds @boredpanda/Pinterest
They can be very intimidating yet, in the right light, also beautiful, as you can see from this photo. The storm clouds look like they’re about to swallow the Earth whole, and they are lit up with an eerie orange light, to boot.
114. The Propellers Of The Titanic
Found In: The Titanic
Est. Cost: $400 million to build, adjusting for inflation*
Adjusting for inflation, the Titanic cost hundreds of millions of dollars to build, and there was, of course, the theory that it was too large to sink. We all know now, more than a century later, that that was not the case for this doomed ship.
The Propellers Of The Titanic @boredpanda/Pinterest
Its propellers were massive, with its three-bladed wing propellers weighing thirty-eight tons and spanning twenty-three feet. Now, these propellers are at the bottom of the ocean, a striking reminder of how cruel the sea can be.
115. Ponte City Apartments
Found In: Johannesburg, South Africa
Est. Cost: N/A
Ponte City was once a very desirable address to have in Johannesburg, South Africa. This massive skyscraper was constructed in 1975, but its luxe rep didn’t last long—by the 1980s, it became infamous for crime, dereliction, and poor maintenance.
Ponte City Apartments @boredpanda/Pinterest
Ponte City Apartments consisted of fifty-four floors, spanning 607 feet in height. The building was cylindrical in construction, with an open center allowing light to flood into the apartments. Ponte City has fallen far, with The Guardian naming it Johannesburg’s “tallest, grandest urban slum.”
116. The Zubr-Class Hovercraft
Found In: China
Est. Cost: $315 million*
China is currently in the process of obtaining the Zubr-class hovercraft. This ship is the largest hovercraft in the world, with each unit costing around $315 million. It has a load displacement of 555 tons, and just ten are in service now.
The Zubr-Class Hovercraft @boredpanda/Pinterest
The Russian Navy also uses the Zubr-class, which has a maximum speed of almost seventy miles per hour. This massive, gargantuan ship is intimidating, bringing a whole new meaning to the word “sea monster.”
117. Bagger 288 Excavator
Found In: Worldwide
Est. Cost: $100 million*
The Bagger 288 is a feat of German engineering, constructed by Krupp as a mobile strip-mining machine. Bagger 288 is the world’s heaviest land vehicle, having a weight of 13,500 tons. Just one of these machines costs $100 million.
Bagger 288 Excavator @boredpanda/Pinterest
Standing 315 feet in height, the Bagger isn’t exactly fast moving, its speed is only around thirty-three feet per minute at most. The 288 is used by Rheinbraun, a mining and energy firm that powers it using 16.6 megawatts of external electricity.
118. Las Vegas’ The Sphere
Found In: Las Vegas, Nevada
Est. Cost: $2.3 billion*
The Sphere is a massive entertainment arena that you can find, fittingly, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Sphere is part of the Venetian Resort, a famous Las Vegas hotspot. It can hold as many as 18,600 people.
Las Vegas’ The Sphere @boredpanda/Pinterest
This venue, which you can find at 255 Sands Avenue, is officially open in late September of 2023, and Vegas hopes it pays off. The entire structure cost $2.3 billion to create—that’s almost double its original $1.2 billion cost estimate.
119. The Cargo Tank Of A Liquified Natural Gas Tanker
Found In: Worldwide
Est. Cost: $250 million*
A Liquified Natural Gas carrier, also known as an LNG, is a tank ship that has been specially designed to turn natural gas into liquid. These tankers are huge, as you can see from this photo that depicts the interior of one.
The Cargo Tank Of A Liquidifed Natural Gas Tanker @boredpanda/Pinterest
Spanning almost 1,000 feet in length, the LNG uses membrane technology to ensure maximum conversion efficiency. There are tons of LNG tankers in the world, and each cost around $250 million for the latest and greatest.
120. Troll-A Before It Gets Sunk To The Ocean Floor
Found In: Norway
Est. Cost: $650 million*
Troll-A is an offshore natural gas platform located off the coast of Norway in the Troll gas field. This Condeep structure is gravity-based, and this picture features the Troll-A when it is out of the sea, rising above the water like a sea monster.
Troll-A Before It Gets Sunk Onto The Ocean Floor @boredpanda/Pinterest
This platform stands 1,549 feet tall and weighs, with its ballast, 1.2 million tons (683,600 without). This platform is famous for being the tallest structure, so far, to ever be moved by mankind.