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Entertainment

Donata Ruzgaitė

50 Times People Found Pictures That Seemed Fake But Were Totally Real (New Pics)

Steve McCurry

These days, you never know whether something that you see on the Internet is fake or not. With AI technology seeping deeper and deeper into all aspects of content creation, it's easier than ever to create authentic-looking visuals. But in this list, we're focusing on pictures that only seem fake yet are 100% real.

These come to you from people who came across things and sights so improbable that one cannot help but think: "This can't be real." But we promise, Pandas, these photos have not been photoshopped! From mind-blowing scenery and optical illusions to incredible art pieces and giant-sized safety pins, prepare to be wowed as you scroll through this list of definitely real pics!

#1 Mule Nannies Are Used In Italy When Grazing Animals Are Moved From High Pastures Down To The Plains

Newborn lambs are unable to make the journey own their own. They ride in pouches of a specially made saddle. At rest stops lambs are returned to their mothers for a meal & some nuzzling.

Image credits: medeamoon

#2 This Fountain Was Designed To Look Like It's Pouring Lava For A Brief Time Per Day When The Sun Hits It Just Right

Image credits: RincnCuriosoo

#3 Reflecting In Yosemite

Image credits: franklinsteinnn

Although no AI was used in the making of these pictures, artificial intelligence is one of the most polarizing topics nowadays on the Internet. Just a few weeks ago, the Pew Research Center published a study about Americans' perceptions of AI, and the majority of respondents believed it's going to harm the U.S.

As AI is permeating many aspects of our lives, people believe some areas will benefit from the technology. Like medical care: 44% of Americans think that AI will be useful to doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals. But people worry most about the impact of AI on the news and elections, as only around 10% believe it will have a positive impact on them.

#4 An Origami Woman In Dress, Folded From A Single Square Of Paper

Image credits: Paulorigami

#5 Tampa International Airport’s New Flamingo

Image credits: 911Dougm

#6 Giant Yucatan Butter Avocado

Image credits: Me_la_Pelan_todos

The Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence recently published a 2025 AI Index Report. It revealed the different attitudes people in different parts of the world have towards AI. Asia, for example, shows way more optimism for the use of AI in most aspects of daily life.

People in countries like China (83%), Indonesia (80%), and Thailand (77%) believe that AI-powered products and services have more advantages than drawbacks. And in Canada (40%), the United States (39%), and the Netherlands (36%), folks are much more likely to perceive any AI-powered tools and services with caution.

#7 This Is What An Albino Raccoon Looks Like

Image credits: Orion117

#8 Smallest Active Vessel Of The Us Navy

Image credits: Sea8ird

#9 I Recently Started Working In An Er At A Hospital. This Vein Finder Is The Coolest Piece Of Tech Equipment I’ve Come Across

Image credits: DRdidgelikefridge

When it comes to photography, artists and their audiences have serious concerns about the use of AI. In April 2023, the project "90 Miles" about Cuban refugees by National Geographic's photojournalist Michael C. Brown made waves online because of his use of AI.

Granted, Brown was open about using AI and even described the project as an "A.I. reportage illustration experiment." Still, people pointed out that this doesn't count as photojournalism and questioned his integrity.

#10 Extreme Waves In The North Sea

Image credits: Morksky

#11 Took A Picture Of My Daughter Walking Through A Tunnel And The Lighting Made It Look Like A Bad Photoshop

Image credits: RZA816

#12 A Single Egg Carton

Image credits: WhoppingRook09

There have been controversial stories in photojournalism when photos were actually too good to be true. In 2022, American photographer Kittiya Pawlowski submitted gorgeous photographs of a snow leopard in the Himalayas. The problem? The photographs proved to be doctored after a French publication called their authenticity into question.

#13 The Wire Art Of Benedict Radcliffe

Image credits: benedictradcliffe

#14 Basketball Players Standing Next To Cheerleaders

Image credits: Heart-Bubbles

#15 My Orange Toolbox Looks Like A Real Life Pickup Item Under My Room's Blue Light

Image credits: MSFoxhound

At first, Pawlowski refused to address the controversy but later explained that she never claimed these photos to be undoctored. "News and media from around the world stole my images and published them with their own meaning. They did not ask me if they were edited. They interpreted them in their own way and spread them around the world. They told their followers that they were not edited. This is untrue, I always edit my images."

#16 It Looks Like It's Only Raining Over One House

Image credits: chalupa4me

#17 Urinal For Ladies

Image credits: Nanahiraaa

#18 This Ridiculous Giant Teddy Bear With A Tiny Face

I saw it in an arcade and literally played the machine it was in until it stopped working. I need this bear. It's so funny, and I can't stop thinking about it.

Image credits: MathematicianIll5862

Some photographers dance around similar controversies by claiming that they're not "photojournalists" and are merely "storytellers." That was the excuse Michael C. Brown gave news outlets after his "90 Miles" debacle, as did photographer Steve McCurry when he got accused of using Photoshop to edit his photographs.

#19 I Came Across A Blue Mushroom

Image credits: laobalaomadecai

#20 This Screw

Image credits: Brujinii

#21 Oranges In Tropical Regions Have Green Skin Instead Of Orange

Image credits: 1954isthebest

In one of his images, McCurry removed a traffic sign that was sticking out of a passerby's leg. For another, he removed two people from a photograph entirely. Commenting on the issue, Sean D. Elliot, ethics committee chairman of the National Press Photographer's Association (NPPA), said that McCurry should "uphold the ethical standards of his peers and the public, who see him as a photojournalist" and called his actions "an ethical lapse."

#22 Door Knob Is Higher At The Doctor’s Office To Prevent Kids From Escaping

Image credits: qbertking

#23 Someone Put The Sky In The Trash

Image credits: erickogan

#24 Biggest Dandelion I’ve Seen (My Hand For Scale)

Image credits: AdCreative6508

Some news agencies have rules against photographers using any kind of digital editing software. The Associated Press' code of ethics for photojournalists states: "The content of a photograph must not be altered in Photoshop or by any other means. No element should be digitally added to or subtracted from any photograph."

#25 My Grandfather Grew Black Tomatoes

Image credits: Qba_szw

#26 This Single Flower Coming Off A Tree

Image credits: phrausty

#27 Double King

Image credits: Kosmosnoetos

In 2015, Reuters banned the submission of RAW files and started demanding photographers submit files only in JPEG format, which makes it harder to edit visual information. A Reuters spokesperson told PetaPixel: "While we aim for photography of the highest aesthetic quality, our goal is not to artistically interpret the news."

#28 First Time Seeing A U Turn Light

Image credits: The-Legged-Man

#29 This Airport Has A Bathroom For Service Animals

Image credits: CesaroSalad

#30 Curving Escalator

Image credits: CoeurdePirate222

Although none of the pictures featured on our list would qualify for news, they haven't been digitally manipulated. So, yes, that giant avocado is actually real! Let us know your favorite pics from this list in the comments, Pandas. And while you're here, be sure to check out similar articles featuring 100% real photos that seem fake here and here!