40 Times People Saw Something That Made Them Go “Hmmm” And Had To Share It (New Pics)

How long do you need to look at a picture before you get what’s going on in it, Pandas? According toresearchers at MIT, the human brain can process visuals in 13 milliseconds. So, you’re supposed to get what’s in aphotographbefore you even blink.But is that really the case with the pics from the r/hmmm subreddit? They usually haveno context, feature some detail that’s just a tad bit off, or confuse you in general. If you’re a fan of weird stuff on the Internet, you’ll probably appreciate this newest collection of random as heck pics, so, scroll away!More info:RedditThis post may includeaffiliate links.

But is that really the case with the pics from the r/hmmm subreddit? They usually haveno context, feature some detail that’s just a tad bit off, or confuse you in general. If you’re a fan of weird stuff on the Internet, you’ll probably appreciate this newest collection of random as heck pics, so, scroll away!

More info:Reddit

This post may includeaffiliate links.

Pie with a toy car partially covered in whipped cream, creating a ‘hmmm’ moment.

Man holding a cat, drink, and sandwich, standing by no-entry signs, creating a humorous scene that makes one go ‘hmmm’.

Pumpkins on steps carved with car warning lights, capturing a ‘hmmm’ moment.

13 milliseconds are hardly enough to fully understand the pics from the r/hmmmsubreddit. You might need to do some double or triple takes to fully get the meaning and notice what’s really going on there. But people like that kind of stuff on the internet: the r/hmmm subreddit has over two million followers (or internet aesthetes, as they call themselves).If you’re unsure what qualifies fora “hmmm” image, the subreddit has some guidelines. They claim that hmmms are supposed to be textless and rely on the visual only. A good hmmm, according to the subreddit, will “make you think about the context, do a double take, invoke a deeper meaning, or just leave you thinking about how or why they exist.”

If you’re unsure what qualifies fora “hmmm” image, the subreddit has some guidelines. They claim that hmmms are supposed to be textless and rely on the visual only. A good hmmm, according to the subreddit, will “make you think about the context, do a double take, invoke a deeper meaning, or just leave you thinking about how or why they exist.”

Giant Rubik’s Cube structure among concrete blocks near the ocean.

BMW car parked meticulously in a unique, oddly shaped parking spot, prompting a “hmmm” reaction.

Hmmm

On the weird side of the internet, ripe with communities like r/lowrescrops, r/internet funeral, and r/mildlyinteresting, the r/hmmm subreddit stands out for its dedication to aesthetics. “hmmmsshould be aesthetic and meaningful, avoid anything that is merely r/mildlyinteresting,” the subreddit’s bio states.It’s no surprise, then, that the community has “internet as an art” in its description. Thus is the art of the internet:random, nonsensical, sometimes confusing, self-referential, and doused in sarcasm. So what if it takes us a few moments to understand what’s happening in a picture? We’ve got nothing but time to procrastinate when we’re online, right?

It’s no surprise, then, that the community has “internet as an art” in its description. Thus is the art of the internet:random, nonsensical, sometimes confusing, self-referential, and doused in sarcasm. So what if it takes us a few moments to understand what’s happening in a picture? We’ve got nothing but time to procrastinate when we’re online, right?

Painter capturing a scene of a bank with an unusual twist, making observers go ‘Hmmm’ in curiosity.

GMC Sierra with exhaust pipes labeled as HDMI 1 and HDMI 2, a humorous sight in traffic.

Barber shop car wrap creates optical illusion of a man getting a haircut, making viewers go ‘hmmm’.

If we were to treat these confusing images as art, then there’s no shame in having to look at them just a bit longer than usual. Yet that’s not to say that people tend to look at paintings for very long. One survey, for example,foundthat people look at a painting for an average of 17 seconds.

A black cat riding a shark in the ocean with a sailing ship in the background; an unusual sight prompting curiosity.

A curious black cat sits beneath a long crack on a white wall, provoking thoughts of ‘hmmm’.

Person in Snoopy costume surrounded by playful beagle puppies, an amusing sight that made people go ‘hmmm’.

The Louvre claims that most visitorslookat the Mona Lisa for about 15, and a survey from the MET found that people look at an artwork for about 32.5 seconds. Do those 17 or 32.5 seconds allow us to fully understand a work of art? Depends on the person, of course, but the same goes for confusing internet images.

Whimsical village scene with tall, surreal houses and people in colorful attire.

Rusty industrial equipment partly submerged in water, evoking a ‘hmmm’ reaction with its unusual placement and weathered appearance.

Abstract musical notes arranged in a 3D shape, creating a puzzling visual.

Our brains might be able to categorize the objects in a photograph in milliseconds, yet we’re not quite able to understand its full meaning that fast. Just like we need to look at a painting for longer than 30 seconds, we might need longer for that meme or confusing pic in order for our brains to be able to decipher it.

A door latch using a horseshoe secured with two padlocks, making it an unusual sight that made people go ‘hmmm’.

Group shelters under large statue’s dress during rain, a quirky sight making them go ‘hmmm’.

Hands holding two stones with intriguing skeletal imprints.

The way we see and interpret images is quite fascinating in general. The amount of things that happen all around us and bombard our visual senses is enormous. Our eyes also don’t see a stable image all the time: we walk, move our heads and eyes, and even blink, so, the visual inputchanges constantly. Yet why is the image of the world around us always so stable?

Power line on fire during a forest fire, creating a surreal scene.

Santa with four goths on Christmas-themed chair surrounded by gifts, an unexpected ‘Hmmm’ moment.

Mud-covered vehicle with driver inside at a muddy field event, capturing a ‘Hmmm’ moment.

In 2022,researcherswere able to somewhat answer that question. Our brain doesn’t analyze every single visual snapshot. Instead, it has a stabilization mechanism. Our brains perceive the average of what our eyes have seen in the last 15 seconds. It’s sort of like living in the past: the brain consolidates all the visual input it receives into one impression every 15 seconds.

Man in polka dot dress, holding Minnie Mouse head, making people go “hmmm” on a city street.

Painting of fast food with flowers, making people go ‘hmmm’, showing a burger, fries, shake, and roses in a jar.

Footprints in snow leading to parked cars, creating a curious and intriguing scene.

Trying to interpret every single visual stimulus that happens around us all the time would simply make us go mad. “If our brains were always updating in real time, the world would feel like a chaotic place with constant fluctuations in light, shadow and movement,” the study’s authorswrote. “We would feel like we were hallucinating all the time.”

Fingers holding cable above a city street, resembling a giant plug for the building, creating a quirky optical illusion.