46. The Statue of David
Found In: Florence, Italy
Est. Cost: $100 million-$1 billion* (Est. Value)
The Statue of David, created by world famous artist Michelangelo, is a masterpiece. This Italian Renaissance sculpture took three years, from 1501 to 1504 to build. When Michelangelo was done, the statue reached a height of 17 feet.
The Statue of David @buzzfeed/Pinterest
Michelangelo was inspired to create David because of the biblical tale of the character, which featured a young boy who slew a giant, Goliath, using nothing but a handful of stones and a handmade sling.
47. Murder Hornets Size Comparison
Found In: Asia, U.S., Canada
Est. Cost: $450 to exterminate a nest*
The Asian Giant Hornet, nicknamed the “Murder Hornet” because of its terrifying appearance, is a gigantic species of hornet that can fly an alarmingly-fast twenty-five miles per hour. These hornets can grow up to two inches in length, and, in Japan, they cause 50 fatalities a year.
Murder Hornets size comparison @Google/Pinterest
Usually, these hornets aren’t too aggressive unless you invade their territory. If they are provoked to sting you, their large size makes the pain excruciating, according to survivors. Their venom is particularly toxic, with victims comparing it to being stabbed with a hot metal pin for hours.
48. Scotland’s Kelpies During a Thunderstorm
Found In: Falkirk, Scotland
Est. Cost: $6.37 million to build*
These horse-head sculptures stand one-hundred feet tall, looming majestically over Grangemouth, Scotland. The Kelpies were built to honor working horses throughout Scotland. These horses now work the fields and farms, but they used to pull barges along the country’s canals.
Scotland’s Kelpies during a thunderstorm @Pinner62764345/Pinterest
It took a long time (and $6.37 million) to build the Kelpies, but the hard work paid off, as the statues are an incredible tourist attraction that draw in five million visitors a year. As of 2023, these statues are the largest equine sculptures in the world.
49. Mercury in Front of the Sun
Found In: Outer Space
Est. Cost: N/A
Mercury is both the tiniest planet in the Solar System as well as the planet closest to the Sun. This terrestrial planet has a cratered surface, as it has a very rough atmosphere and zero geological activity. Mercury next to the Sun is proof of just how large and powerful the Sun is.
Mercury in front of the Sun @Pinner62764345/Pinterest
This rocky planet can reach 800 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and, conversely, -290 degrees Fahrenheit at night. Though Mercury is closest to the Sun, it isn’t the hottest planet—that honor goes to Venus, which has an atmosphere that better traps heat.
50. How Big Anchor Chains Are
Found In: Worldwide
Est. Cost: Unconfirmed
Obviously, this one makes sense, as anchor chains need to be massive to stop a ship in its tracks. Still, seeing these chains next to human beings drives home just how large they are. The rule of thumb is that you need one chain for every foot of your boat.
How big anchor chains are @Pinner62764345/Pinterest
For example, Navy anchor chains come in 90-foot “shots” (lengths) that weigh 125 pounds per each two-foot link. Each Naval shot weighs 20,500 pounds, and the entire anchor and chain system of the USS Ford is 100,000 tons (200 million pounds).
51. This massive underwater waterfall
Found In: Islands Worldwide
Est. Cost: N/A
It’s possible you might not have known that an underwater waterfall was a thing, and we don’t blame you. However, it definitely is real, and these waterfalls can be massive and, for those who aren’t too keen on the ocean, intimidating.
r/woahdude/Reddit
These waterfalls are created by sand and silt, which run off the ocean floor in a way that makes them look as though they are pouring down a waterfall. The flow of undercurrents creates these dramatic images, which captivate tourists who visit islands around the world and take pictures such as these.
52. A beached tree
Found In: Undisclosed
Est. Cost: N/A
Trees are all around us. Even those of us who live in the city still see trees, though not as many. Pictures like these remind us of how large trees really are when compared to humans, as they make us look miniscule in comparison.
people/12320317@N04/flickr
This beached tree likely came loose miles away and, somehow, found itself “beached” on the shore. Perhaps the beaching was caused by a rough storm or ship accident, as this photo leaves the cause up to your imagination.
53. The Sendai Daikannon Statue
Found In: Miyagi, Japan
Est. Cost: $3.39 to visit*
This is the Sendai Daikannon, one of the tallest statues in the world. It is Japan’s tallest goddess statue, as it features the “White-Robed Kannon” with a religious object in her hand. The monument is 330 feet tall, including its 28-foot pedestal.
r/woahdude/Reddit
It was completed in 1991, and, inside, the statue’s rooms are full of Buddha depictions. Visitors who wish to see this awe-inspiring sight do have to pay a small fee of 500 yen ($3.39) to visit. Soon, Sendai will undergo a $1.5 million restoration to repair surface cracks and other small, yet important, issues.
54. King Albert’s Tower
Found In: Somerset, England
Est. Cost: $254,000-$294,000 to build in 1769*
Pictured here is Somerset, England folly known as the King Alfred’s Tower. King Alfred’s Tower is massive, standing 161 feet in height. Its construction was an impressive feat at the time, as it was built in the late 1760s.
King Albert’s Tower r/pics/Reddit
The tower was designed to commemorate King Alfred, who raised his mighty standard in Somerset in 870. The cost to build this statue was anywhere from $6,300 to $7,300. Adjusting for inflation, that’s a price of $254,000 to $294,000!
55. Iceberg vs. house in Greenland
Found In: Greenland
Est. Cost: $5 for a day tour of Greenland’s icebergs*
Living so close to massive icebergs might seem shocking to those not living in Greenland. But, Greenland citizens are used to seeing these gigantic blocks of ice pass by, shadowing everything in their paths.
/imgur.com
Icebergs can, as you can see from this photo, grow to a huge size, reaching heights of over 300 feet. Their mass ranges anywhere from 100,000 tons to over 10 million tons, though remember—as much as 90% of the iceberg’s mass is totally underwater, belying its great size.
56. Mega-Galaxies found by the James Webb Telescope
Found In: Outer Space
Est. Cost: $10 billion* (Cost of the JWT)
Sure, these images might not look like anything to write home about, but, once we explain them to you, you’ll be awed. The James Webb Space Telescope, under the instruction of researcher Ivo Labbe and his team, discovered six mega-galaxies in space.
Mega-Galaxies found by the James Webb Telescope ©Associated Press/Alamy
These galaxies are hundreds of millions of years old, and they are huge, weighing more than 100 billion times the weight of the sun. Labbe called these galaxies “monsters,” claiming he and his researchers were stunned and delighted to make their awesome find.
57. The UK’s Dragon’s Eye Stone Mine
Found In: Lancashire, England
Est. Cost: N/A
Here we see two climbers posing next to the Dragon’s Eye, an incredible-looking metamorphic rock formation. This formation, which bears a resemblance to the eye of a dragon, was discovered in a stone mine in England.
r/interestingasfuck/Reddit
This discovery is, according to local paper LancsLive, a “closely-guarded” secret. Local residents keep the Dragon’s Eye close to their chest, and it is hard to access. You can only reach the Upholland phenomenon through a “window in the floor.”
58. A 22,000-pound cactus from the 1890s
Found In: Northwestern Mexico
Est. Cost: $49.99 to buy one to plant at home*
Found in Mexico in the 1890s, this cactus is known as the Cardon Cactus. As someone on Reddit pointed out, it truly is an “absolute unit,” as it has reached an impressive height of 26 feet. It weighs more than 22,000 pounds.
r/ImagesOfThe1800s/Reddit
This large cactus is native to northwestern Mexico, which means you won’t find any more Cardons outside the region. These cacti can live as long as three-hundred years, as this plant isn’t just large—it’s also incredibly hardy.
59. Gigantic bolts made for planes or ships
Found In: Aviation/Naval Industries
Est. Cost: Unconfirmed
When you think of bolts, you might think of tiny little nuggets that have a tendency to go missing and fall underfoot. However, when it comes to planes and ships, these bolts take on an entirely new significance. They are massive, and they require an equally-huge machine to screw them in.
r/EngineeringPorn/Reddit
These bolts are made from titanium, aluminum alloys, stainless steel, and alloy steel, and they are used where, as the EAA says, “high strength” is required. We’re not sure the exact cost, but we’d expect these bolts to be priced in the thousands, at least.
60. The frightening-looking Mola Mola fish
Found In: Tropical/Temperate Waters
Est. Cost: Unconfirmed
The Mola Mola fish can grow to epic proportions, as you can see from this photo. One of the world’s heaviest fish, the Mola Mola can grow to ten feet in length and weigh as many as 2,205 pounds. Adults are native to tropical, temperate waters around the world.
@schish76/ /twitter.com
The Mola Mola basically looks like a giant fish head without a tail. Also known as the Ocean Sunfish, the Mola Mola are predators that can lay as many as 300,000 eggs at once. They’re pretty friendly to humans, unless they jump onto your boat and accidentally cause an injury.