Many things can call for a double-check, be it something unusual we thought we saw at the store (until we glanced at it again and realized it was nothing out of the ordinary) or something unexpected we noticed while browsing on the computer. No matter the scenario, such situations typically make us stop in our tracks for a second and go “wait, what?!”
Plenty of situations evoking such a reaction are shared on the subreddit titled exactly that. Boasting more than 14,000 members, the ‘Wait What’ community is dedicated to all sorts of unexpected turns of events and humorous stories, some of which you can find in the list below; so scroll down to view them and see for yourself how a joke can stop you dead in your tracks.
#1 Vaccines Exposed
Image credits: Dildo_Emporium
#2 Hmmmm
Image credits: CreatedByJaRo
#3 Yta And Need More Socks
Image credits: VeryBadLlama
While typically accompanying something rather shocking, wait, what moments can actually benefit a person, as surprising information is believed to enhance one’s memory, consequently helping them learn.
According to Scientific American, novelty within a familiar context allows a person to store a certain event in their memory more easily, thanks to the brain part known as the ‘novelty detector’.
Located in the temporal lobe of the cerebral cortex, for those well familiar with what’s happening inside our heads, the said ‘novelty detector’ is the hippocampus—one of the most significant brain regions in regards to discovering, processing, and storing sensory information.
The reason why the hippocampus is called the ‘novelty detector’ is because it is activated more by new stimuli than by something one is already familiar with.
#4 Shaming Is Bad, No Matter Who It's Directed To
Image credits: the_blueprint
#5 ?️? ?️ What
Image credits: canadiangooseboy
Scientific American continued to explain that the hippocampus compares new information with already stored knowledge, and if the information doesn’t match—meaning that there’s something new and likely surprising—it releases a pulse of dopamine into one’s system.
After traveling through different parts of the brain, it connects to the hippocampus again and triggers release of more dopamine, creating a feedback mechanism known as the hippocampal-SN/VTA loop, which can help people memorize and learn things more easily.
#6 Everyone Would Use Shapeshifting In Their Own Ways I Guess
Image credits: Akadragonfly
#7 Wait What
Image credits: MonadoBoii
#8 That's Just How I Am
Image credits: reddit.com
Our memory—and consequently, our ability to learn—are not the only aspects that tend to be affected by unexpected wait, what moments. In a Ted Talk back in 2019, a psychologist and professor emeritus at Southern Oregon University, as well as an expert in life-changing events, Dr. Michael A. Rousell, PhD, suggested that surprises can change our beliefs, too.
#9 Wait A Dang Minute
Image credits: Entitled_Goose
#10 Oh
Image credits: GreenDoomsDay
#11 At Least He's Having Fun
Image credits: Pennyquest_
Professor Rousell started his Ted Talk with an example; he asked the audience to imagine themselves standing in traffic, when they see the car next to them start to hover all of a sudden. “You’d be surprised,” he said, adding that in such an instance, one’s eyes might open wide and their jaw might drop; they are likely to experience a burst of dopamine and instantly stop what they were thinking or doing.
“And then you instantly form a new belief—cars can hover,” the expert continued, and pointed out that people don’t form such a belief intentionally; it happens to them and there’s nothing they can do to undo it.
#12 Plot Twist!
Image credits: MasterpieceFit6715
#13 Amputation???
Image credits: Ach3r0s
#14 I Would’ve Stared Back And Lost The Contest
Image credits: reddit.com
Dr. Rousell pointed out that as surprising as hovering cars are, they might make for interesting dinner conversation, but not much more. However, surprises in regards to the beliefs a person holds about themselves can be defining and formative in their life, which means they can be used strategically to intentionally enrich someone else’s life.
One way to do it, according to the professor, is to trigger surprise by suggesting that something one considers a weakness is actually an asset: astonishing someone in such a way hijacks their attention and forces the person on the receiving end to try to make sense of the information, and consequently form a positive belief about themselves.
#15 Well
Image credits: BabyTheOctopus
#16 I Can Only Imagine What It Looked Like For Them
Image credits: MasterpieceFit6715
#17 Haha Oh That Too
Image credits: Emmulah
While the surprising pictures on this list might not make people change their personal beliefs for the better, online content in general can lift up their spirits or positively influence their well-being.
Studies suggest that as long as people are mindful about it, routine social media use—logging in to respond to content shared by others, for instance—is positively linked with one’s social well-being, positive mental health, and self-rated health.
#18 Missing The “Eez”
Image credits: reddit.com
#19 Arrrrrrr Matey
Image credits: Livid_Cabinet_2701
#20 Already Included
Image credits: AlanLeFloch
A survey carried out by Sky Media found that around one third of people—in Britain, at least—turn to social media for their daily dose of positivity, spending roughly two hours a day seeking it. According to the survey’s results, animal content tends to leave them smiling the most, followed by posts depicting random acts of kindness.
#21 Wait Hold Up!
Image credits: reddit.com
#22 Look Once Again
Image credits: sopadebombillas
#23 Wait A Minute
Image credits: mati22123
If it’s smile-inducing animal content that appeals to you the most, you might want to move on to Bored Panda’s animal category next, but if you enjoy the somewhat bizarre and surprising content, like the images on this list, continue to browsing these weird and surprising things people just had to share or these dark humor comics with surprising twists next.
#24 That's Not How You Do It
Image credits: rondelekXD
#25 This Ones Kinda On U
Image credits: LongAstronomer1296
#26 This Happened To Me The Other Day
Image credits: Constant-Mud-7995
#27 Really Bro?
Image credits: hippom3lon
#28 The Whole Onion In This Advertisement Has The Peel On It, In The Slicer
Image credits: I_SHIT_A_BRICK
#29 Awww. Look At That Sad Panda…
Image credits: Mackoi_82
#30 Um Hold On
Image credits: mobiletophat
#31 Wait What!!!
Image credits: Modder404
#32 Subscriber Stonk
Image credits: Kazzo_kid
#33 Choo Choo I'm A Train Now
Image credits: FerretPublic6142
#34 Now Serving........fried.... Just Fried
Image credits: st0ned_boner
#35 Have A Nice Day
Image credits: XBeauty_bubblesX
#36 But I Want Front Legs!
Image credits: GeoNitzel
#37 Wait What-
Image credits: yourgoingtoh_ll
#38 But How?!?!
Image credits: mouZe512
#39 Ayo Wait What?
Image credits: Waifuslayer666
#40 He Is Right Though
Image credits: reddit.com
#41 Skill Issue
Image credits: MasterpieceFit6715
#42 Not Grandma
Image credits: NotCompatible_UwU
#43 Corona Free
Image credits: Racingteamsam
#44 How Did This Happen
Image credits: ro2tr
#45 Wait A Second…
Image credits: GreenDoomsDay
#46 Get Roasted
Image credits: MasterpieceFit6715
#47 Wait... What?!
Image credits: GreenDoomsDay
#48 Hmmm...interesting
Image credits: Masterdestroyr
#49 Wait A Sec
Image credits: appledrugstore
#50 Oh, Ummm
Image credits: l34rn3d
