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Bored Panda

Entertainment

Ilona Baliūnaitė

50 ‘Mildly Interesting’ Things That May Surprise You (Best Of All Time)

Bored Panda Helen Keller

It’s no secret that here at Bored Panda we’re fond of all sorts of content, be it something mind-blowing or mildly interesting. And today, it’s the latter we’re focusing on, as we’re taking some time to appreciate the best of the best of the ‘Mildly Interesting’ subreddit.

Below you will find a collection of some of the most mildly interesting posts from the sub we’ve ever shed light on, which might take you down memory lane if you have followed us for quite some time already. If you’re just starting now, welcome and enjoy some of the most amusing, random, unexpected, and just mildly interesting content.

Seeking to learn more about what makes us curious about such content, Bored Panda got in touch with two experts in curiosity, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Williams College in Massachusetts, Dr. Susan Engel, and behavioral expert, author, speaker and consultant, Dr. Diane Hamilton, who agreed to answer a few of our questions on the topic. You will find their thoughts in the text below.

#1 This Pet Shop Doesn’t Sell Bunnies At Easter

Image credits: TheDampTeacloth

#2 My Cat Has One Eye And This Is How She Peeks Around Corners

Image credits: TigerSpec

#3 Cafe I Went To In Indianapolis Is A No-Tipping Establishment

Image credits: jman1255

One might wonder, what can be so captivating about something that is only mildly interesting to make a netizen browse such content for hours? While the answer to that likely differs with each person, chances are that all of them are led by curiosity; to some extent, at least.

“Curiosity motivates a wide range of behaviors. It makes us open a bag when we don’t know what’s inside, ask friends a million questions, look things up, scan a new situation, and test our predictions—will this hold me up if I step on it, for instance?” Dr. Susan Engel told Bored Panda, adding that every person is different in regards to the level of curiosity and what it is directed at.

#4 The Way Our Wallpaper Installer Covered The Vent

Image credits: robbiehaf

#5 Someone Placed A Small Stick On Each Of The Dog Graves In This Cemetery

Image credits: zherper

“A combination of factors determine a person’s level and kind of curiosity,” Dr. Engel continued, pointing out that curiosity tends to be associated, to some degree, with levels of intelligence. “It’s also deeply influenced by the way adults spoke with you when you were very young and associated with temperament, too; with how comfortable you are with novelty, for instance.”

#6 There Is A House Near Me That Looks Like It’s Out Of A Fairytale

Image credits: reddit.com

#7 This Cute Wizard Made Out Of Soap Is My Son’s First Try At Whittling

Image credits: reddit.com

#8 A German Supermarket Pulled All The Russian Products In Its Russian Aisle And Replaced Them With Sunflower Seeds

Image credits: thedubiousstylus

“Curiosity is the magic potion that leads to learning, which makes it all the more important that parents and teachers nurture it in childhood,” Engel told Bored Panda.

Data suggests that quite a few people see said potion as a key element of a successful future. A survey carried out in 2018 found that as much as 94% of parents believe that curious children are more likely to become successful adults.

#9 The Petals Of This Camellia Flower

Image credits: ewilio

#10 This Is What Happens When Frogs Eat Fireflies

Image credits: mtlgrems

#11 Our Teacher Had Us Do Word Searches In Asl To Practice Finger Spelling

Image credits: First_Bike_82

According to another expert, Dr. Diane Hamilton, curiosity plays a role in every aspect of our day-to-day lives. “Our curiosity determines our interest in doing things, from whether we want to learn something new, hike a new trail, or seek a job that fulfills us,” she told Bored Panda.

“Without curiosity, we would be in limbo, remaining in status-quo behaviors and leading rather dull lives. That is a significant problem in the workplace and why I work with so many organizations to build a culture of curiosity. When we spark curiosity, we create innovation, engagement, and productivity.”

#12 This Bookshelf In Tallinn Airport

Image credits: qasqaldag

#13 What Happens When You Grow A Pumkin Inside A Plastic Mold

Image credits: TheNameIsKevin

#14 This Is What Happens When You Put Horizontal Mirrors On A Shack In The Desert

Image credits: AdamE89

According to Dr. Hamilton, we are all born with high curiosity levels, but they decline at around the age of five. “My research for the Curiosity Code Index (CCI) found that four things inhibit curiosity and reduce our levels: fear, assumptions, technology, and environment (FATE).

“Firstly, we often fear asking questions for fear of looking stupid. Secondly, the voice in our head might tell us that it assumes we won't like something because it would be too difficult. Thirdly, we might over- or under-utilize technology, and lastly, everyone in our environment—family, friends, teachers, and anyone with whom we have had contact—might influence our curiosity through their lack of support.”

#15 A House In My Neighborhood Has These Plaques Outside Commemorating Former Residents Who Became Victims Of The Holocaust

Image credits: mmmarms

#16 These Kittens With Perfect Moustache Patterns

Image credits: reddit.com

#17 1930’s Parquet Flooring Restored Today!

Image credits: Fallinator95

The same way fears, technology, and people do, culture, too, can influence our curiosity. Dr. Hamilton, who discussed the topic in two of her books—Cracking the Curiosity Code and The Power of Perception—told Bored Panda:

“Culture falls into the environmental category, which is one of the four factors of FATE. Anyone in our circle of influence, like friends, family, and others, shows us how our culture accepts or rejects our actions.

“Culture is a significant influencer and teaches us if something is a good or wrong way to behave. Consider a culture where women are not supposed to work. Then, a woman's curiosity about job potential would be quite different.”

#18 This Bar That Decorated Its Bar Top With The Confiscated Fake Ids Of College Students

Image credits: beeedeee

#19 What Happens When You Swing A String Of Glow Sticks With Burning Steel Wool At The End And Take A Long Exposure Photo

Image credits: Chris Matthew Brady

#20 Locals In Puerto Rico Painted This Mural. They Made Sure To Include The Dog That Chills There Often

Image credits: gemjammm

Closely linked with another inhibitor of curiosity, technology, the internet seems to be a double-edged sword when it comes to a person’s eagerness to familiarize themselves with the unknown.

“I think for some people, online access to information is a boon to curiosity,” Dr. Engel shared. “And research has shown that feeding curiosity is the best way to increase it. So, being able to answer one’s questions online can fuel the fire of curiosity.

“On the other hand, answering a specific question—when did the continents break apart, how is Alzheimer's diagnosed, what is neoliberalism, for instance—is very different from surfing the internet for distraction and passive entertainment. To the extent that those activities preoccupy people, the internet depresses curiosity.”

#21 What Happens When Water Gets Really, Really Cold

Image credits: angry_m0nkey

#22 My Chickens Greeting Me When I Come Home From Work

Image credits: eagledragonblood

#23 Beach Has Baskets For People To Help Clean Up

Image credits: reddit.com

“Internet content can spark curiosity by putting images out there that intrigue us,” Dr. Hamilton pointed out. “Sometimes, a picture brings back a memory from childhood. Like that voice in our heads that told us we might not like something or things might be too hard, sometimes that voice can be positive, telling us that an image was something we enjoyed. There is little risk of clicking on a picture to see what intrigued us. When we are safely behind a screen, it can make us more adventurous to explore random pictures.”

If you want to see how browsing random images affects your curiosity, check out this guy photoshopping himself into random pictures next; but if you’d rather stick to something you already know to be at least ‘Mildly Interesting’, feel free to scroll through our previous editions on the subreddit here or here.