This article was originally published on WHerMoments
The thing about ordinary objects is they're just that — ordinary. From the kitchen toaster to the pencils on your desk, there's little about them that would make you think they're hiding anything special. While nearly all of us handle these sorts of items regularly without much thought, in many cases, they're a lot more fascinating — and surprising! — than we might realize. Here are photos of ordinary items that had some very unusual things hidden inside them. They're so odd that seeing them might convince you to start investigating everything around you...
1. An unhappy cactus
Take a look at this dog toy that was destroyed. The doll on the left was the original toy, and it was full of smiles and good vibes.
Underneath it, however, was a sad plush toy that probably didn't want to come out and play. At least we know the dog is having a good time!
2. The secret behind the snap
Do you remember those snap bracelets when you were in grade school? The way they instantly rolled around your arm was so cool, but how did they work?
As it turns out, measuring tape can often be found inside these snap bracelets! It makes sense — measuring tape is adept at snapping to and fro.
3. A broken bocce ball
This person broke a bocce ball playing what must have been one of the most intense games ever. When they peered inside the crack, they were stunned to see what looked like a pool ball peeking out at them!
This one looks specifically like concrete and old plastic balls from various games. We doubt all bocce balls are made this way, but it's still interesting to see.
4. Two-for-one fruit
Talk about getting your money's worth when you go shopping! This person bit into a grape, and they found a second, smaller grape inside. That's what people call a twofer!
They're probably pretty rare, but knowing that something like this exists will make biting into fruit far more enjoyable from now on. You never know what you're going to get!
5. False packaging
Whoever bought this product simply wanted a spray to get the odor out of their shoes. They didn't intend on buying women's deodorant spray instead! The good thing is that it probably works just the same.
The bad news is, you apparently can't use this spray if you're a man. Sorry, guys!
6. Is that sand or rubber?
This person's curiosity got the best of them, and they just had to see what the inner workings of a golf ball were like. What they found inside was a dull-colored rubber. Or... is that some kind of weird sand?
We have no clue what it is, but it's definitely not what we expected to find inside a golf ball.
7. Should've grabbed the water...
Can you imagine buying a can of soda only to pop the top and realize there was another can inside? Maybe after they break into the second can, they'll find a third can beneath that one, just like a Russian nesting doll!
We'd be kind of disappointed if there wasn't a little prize hidden inside, though... or at least a few drops of soda!
8. What did the frog eat?!
This discovery is pretty cool. This ceramic frog was accidentally dropped onto the ground, where it shattered. Inside, however, were two miniature statues of snowmen! This person lost their summer decoration but gained two winter ones.
How did this happen, you ask? We can only assume that the frog had a hankering for snowmen...
9. A candy conspiracy
This might be a Kit-Kat, but someone needs to give a break to whoever the employee was who allowed this slip-up to sneak through the cracks. The wafers are supposed to run horizontally, not vertically!
There's just no way that the vertical wafers tasted the same as the horizontal ones. This is a Kat-Kit, not a Kit-Kat!
10. A pointless ruler
This person purchased a laptop not knowing there was a hidden bonus inside: a ruler! Unless they're measuring anything under two inches long, however, they might want to think about using a different tool for the job.
This little guy would be ideal for measuring how much you care about that email you just sent, right?
11. A tree in a tree
Check out the inside of this tree that someone chopped down. It actually had another thinner tree running down the middle of the trunk! It's almost like the smaller tree was wearing a jacket made of bark.
There must be some kind of scientific explanation for how this happened... Scientists, care to elaborate?
12. Think smarter, not harder
Have you ever looked at a nine-volt battery and thought, "Gee, I wonder how these are made?" Well, if you buy one and open the packaging, you'll quickly realize they're just six triple-A batteries put together. Who knew?
Now, this is the definition of "think smarter, not harder." Such a simple way of making a more powerful battery.
13. The center of a bowling ball
Many of us have gone bowling, but we've never seen what the inside of a bowling ball actually looks like. Well, here it is, and it's definitely unusual-looking. It looks like this is the weight that makes bowling balls so heavy.
The rest of the ball is just hard plastic! You'll never look at the balls the same way again.
14. Cookie Monster's heart
This person bought their pooch a plush Cookie Monster doll to play with. Naturally, the dog ripped the toy apart... but in the process, the owner found a small heart that was actually inside the doll.
Well, where else would the heart be? Every stuffed animal should come with a little heart inside!
15. A flimsy illusion
You might think the desks and tables you're putting your things on are made out of sturdy wood so they won't collapse. This person, however, came to the startling realization that their table was made actually made out of simple cardboard!
Is this a work of structural genius, or a flimsy illusion? Pile ten bowling balls on top and you'll soon find out.
16. Two handy tools
This black screwdriver actually had another miniature screwdriver resting right inside the handle. This person must have been doing some serious screwing to break this tool in half, but once he did, he was treated to a surprise.
The manufacturer must have seen this breakage coming. Why else would they have connected the drive tip to a smaller, stronger handle?
17. We've been hustled
Someone got a little too into a game of pool and accidentally cracked this cue ball. Upon further inspection, however, it looks as though a striped red pool ball had been masquerading around as the cue ball the entire time!
That totally explains why we kept missing the red ball on our turn. It's been disguising itself in a white shell!
18. What's my line?
Clotheslines are a handy way to hang out wet clothing to dry, and one would assume that the rope used for the line is made of, well... rope! This person tore open their rope, however, and found none other than Mickey Mouse.
A Disney design inside a thick rope... yeah, that's too weird to make up. This simply has to be real.
19. A familiar sound
This dog toy manufacturer took recycling to a whole new level.
The dog's owner knew that something about the loud, crackling dog toy sounded familiar, but they never could have guessed that the sound belonged to an old, crushed-up plastic water bottle! Now that's a clever product, if not a well-made one.
20. The cupped cups
This bra certainly has an interesting and, let's be honest, slightly creepy design on the inside of its cups.
It makes you wonder if it feels like your bust is being held by a stranger's hands while you wear it! Let's hope not. That would make for an unsettling experience, indeed.
21. Genius design
This leather-bound case appears to fit a camera, but underneath the leather exterior is the most interesting part. Whoever made this actually reinforced the material with old toothpaste boxes.
It might sound strange, but apparently, it works! If it's durable and waterproof, then who's to judge what it's made out of?
22. USB what now?
Now, this is a nice surprise! What looked like an ordinary car charger — you know, the device you plug into your car so you can charge your phone while you drive — revealed itself to be far more interesting when the face plate fell off.
Inside was not just one, but two USB ports! Now you can charge two phones for the price of one.
23. Fore!
We dare you to guess what this odd purple circle is doing inside an old log. If you guessed "ancient tree mold" or "log-dwelling alien creature," you'd be wrong! Apparently, what we're looking at is a long-lost golf ball. How did it get in there, you ask?
Well, the logger who discovered the ball after he chopped the log in half has no clue. It's a fore-gotten mystery.
24. Pepper prank or magic?
Is this real, or just a carefully-constructed internet prank? If it's real, then this person won the vegetable lottery! Two peppers for the price of one doesn't happen every day.
If they got this pepper from their garden, then we're dying to know what their secret trick was to growing a pepper inside another pepper. Magic seeds, perhaps?
25. A literal pony tail
Um... huh? If you're confused by this image, then you're not alone. Apparently, someone was curious about how the horse toy manufacturer attached the horsetail to the plastic, and, well... now we know.
Never in a million years would we have guessed that the hair was, in fact, a real ponytail.
26. Better than a worm
We'd rather bite into an apple and see this than a worm! It looks like the apple seeds somehow started to sprout the beginnings of another apple. Maybe this is how the two-in-one pepper from earlier came to be?
We wonder what would happen if this person tended to the little sapling... would it grow another apple?!
27. Puzzling pearls
Pearls are usually admired for their outer beauty, but they’re just as beautiful on the inside — if you’re willing to take a hammer to them, that is.
Pearls are formed when contaminants enter an oyster’s shell and combine with calcium deposits. It doesn’t sound very pretty, but the end product always is.
28. Lily pads
Every frog’s favorite stomping ground isn’t as leafy and delicate as it looks.
Turn a lily pad upside down, and you’ll see an unexpectedly complex network of veins that are much thicker than you’d think. So that’s why they don’t buckle under the weight of Mother Nature’s heavier frogs!
29. Layers of road
How cool does this multicolored layer of road look? Given the shape, it almost looks like an ice cream dessert with vanilla, nuts, and chocolate further up. Rocky road, anyone? Well, it's a rocky road, but not the edible kind.
It actually consists of materials such as gravel, concrete, and asphalt, so we'd put down the spoon if we were you.
30. Sunflower
Who doesn’t like to see sunflowers in bloom? The attractive plant pretty much signals that the sunshine months are here. You’re most likely familiar with the ones with bright yellow petals and a brown center.
But have you ever seen the inner workings of a sunflower? Well, a Reddit user was kind enough to share one with us. Pretty awesome, right?
31. Inside the leaning tower
Sure, you’ve seen the outside of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, famous for its slightly-askew design. But what’s going on inside the complicated structure?
As it turns out, the inside doesn’t look as complex as you’d think. In fact, it’s completely hollow. It is a tower, after all!
32. Poor Ronald!
Shield your children — and maybe even yourself — from this very unsettling sight: Ronald McDonald without his face! Honestly, the McDonald’s mascot is a little creepy even with his characteristic clown appearance.
In reality, this is just the molding cast for a Ronald McDonald statue, so there’s nothing to fear... probably.
33. Complicated game
This system of tunnels isn’t as complicated as it looks. Can you guess what it is? If you guessed 'the inside of a pool table,' you'd be correct!
This shows us what happens the moment we push that 8 ball into a corner hole. The wire tunnels are at an incline so the balls always end up where they need to be.
34. Boom!
Considering how awe-inspiring fireworks are when they’re lighting up the night sky, it’s no surprise that they look like this on the inside.
The careful gunpowder arrangement in this shell is mesmerizing to look at. One little spark and you’d have an explosive situation on your hands!
35. Space-age nightmare
Nope, this isn’t some kind of nightmarish space-age port-a-potty. Step inside and you’ll find somewhere to put your arms, legs, and head!
This space suit probably weighs a ton, but the oxygen tank and all that machinery are necessary for astronauts to survive in space. Thank goodness for zero gravity.
36. Rattlesnake rattle
If you’ve ever come across a rattlesnake in the wild, you were probably either terrified or captivated. This is what a cross-section of the snake’s hollow rattle looks like.
It is apparently formed out of interlocking segments of keratin that collide when the serpent’s tail rises and vibrates its muscles.
37. Baseball core
Ah, baseball – widely considered to be America’s national pastime. Of course, at the center of this noble sport is the ball itself. But have you ever looked inside one?
Well, if you cut the ball in half, you will discover a rubber core held in place by tightly wound yarn and string.
38. Gas station secrets
Whatever you do, don’t strike a match around here! This is what’s actually lying beneath our feet when we pump gas.
We’ve never really thought about where gasoline comes from at gas stations, but now that we’ve seen how enormous those tanks are, it’s impossible to forget.
39. Cactus
Who doesn’t love the sight of a cactus? According to Bored Panda, the spine-filled plants have around 2,000 distinctive types in a whole host of different sizes, shapes, and colors.
And when the plants are cut in half, you can really get a sense of how resilient they are.
40. Look at the Big Picture
There’s something special about seeing a movie in a theater, and it’s not just because of the gift that is movie theater popcorn.
Check out those speakers hidden behind the gigantic movie screen! We’ll never take quality surround sound for granted ever again.
41. Spray paint surprise
You know that clicking sound that comes from a spray paint can when you shake it? That sound actually belongs to a small marble! It’s actually called a “pea,” and it’s used to keep the paint well-mixed.
It’s not always a marble, either. Sometimes it’s made out of metal, plastic, and even glass!
42. Nikon camera
Nikon is one of the biggest names in photography. The inner workings of one of the corporation’s DSLRs is on display in this cross-section image.
Check out the expertly crafted plastic, metal, and glass delicately placed together that ultimately leads to a high-resolution image.
43. French pastry
Just uttering the words French pastry is probably enough to make some of us salivate. But have you ever cut one of the tasty treats expertly in half?
Well one Reddit user has, and this is what it looked like when they cut a canelé in two. Check out the custard center and delectable caramelized crust.
44. Cargo ship
Thousands of cargo vessels trawl the sea at any one time and they are, of course, vital for international trade. Take a look at this huge capsized one posted by St. Simons Isl Vacation Rentals on Facebook.
We’re not sure why it was cut in half like this, but it makes for some fascinating viewing all the same.
45. Fire extinguishers
The intrepid folk over at the Waterjet Channel on YouTube decided to cut open a depressurized fire extinguisher. Because, why not, right? This image shows the surprising results.
You can see the dry chemical powder used to put out flames, the tube, and, of course, the safety pin.
46. Tree fern
Biologists have identified an astonishing 10,560 different species of tree fern on the planet, according to some studies. The vascular plants – which are used for everything from pottery to textiles – regularly shoot up to 25 meters in height.
They also have a striking color and pattern inside them that is visible when they are chopped in half.
47. Opening Redbox
Let’s take a short walk down memory lane! Renting a DVD from a Redbox machine used to feel super futuristic, but take a look at what was going on inside.
It’s no wonder these machines seemed to break down all the time; the DVDs were deposited from a spinning rack. Thank goodness for streaming services!
48. Don’t look into its eyes!
We’d recognize those gigantic eyes anywhere, which is good because the rest of this creature is pretty horrifying. If you’ve ever wondered what your beloved childhood Furby probably looks like now, this is it.
We knew a Furby wasn’t your average stuffed animal, but we didn’t expect all this machinery!
49. Inside Space Mountain
Without its daily sprinkling of pixie dust, Space Mountain looks less intergalactic and more mechanical. While you’re whipping around the pitch-black cosmos during the ride, this is really what you’re flying through!
So this is why they tell you to keep all of your limbs inside the vehicle at all times...