The world is a treasure trove of mysteries and wonders that our eyes can only catch a part of. However, through the magic of photography, we are able to see things that are usually overlooked or imperceptible.
These 30 photos will take you on a visual adventure that reveals the hidden side behind things.
Hedges, the natural green barrier, are often neatly trimmed, and people tend to notice only their pruned appearance. However, its true identity is a thickly grown, impenetrable shrub.
Castle toilets in medieval Europe were not only used to meet personal needs, but also served as fortifications in times of war. Its ingenious design can even be said to be the "biological weapon" of that era.
Most trees decay at the end of their lives and eventually return to nature. However, under certain special conditions, such as lack of oxygen due to volcanic ash cover, these trees may undergo a petrification process and become petrified wood.
The contrast between wheatgrass and wheat roots is striking. Wheatgrass has a long root system that even exceeds the height of an NBA player. Growing wheat for a long time can lead to soil weathering.
The inner walls of the water pipes used by the waterworks for many years have accumulated thick sediments, which form a hierarchical structure similar to tree rings, witnessing the traces of the water flow over time.
A cargo ship owned by South Korea's Hyundai Group suffered misfortune on the East Coast of the United States, with a cut hull reminiscent of Operation Guzheng from "The Three-Body Problem", demonstrating the interweaving of modern industry and science fiction imagination.
The cross-section of the Boeing 747, which represents the wide-body airliner, shows a sophisticated design: the upper deck is a luxurious long cabin, the middle deck is economy class, and the lower deck is a spacious cargo compartment, and some models are equipped with elevators.
The cross-section of the wind turbine blades reveals the hollow structure inside it, a design designed to reduce weight. Depending on the size and material of the blades, a corresponding number of brackets are added to ensure stability.
The internal structure of the submarine's engine room and living compartment is complex and dense, which makes people marvel at the degree of sophistication. As an ordinary person, you will feel as if you have entered a labyrinth, and it is hard to imagine how you can live in it for more than three days.
Air filters within France's Maginot Line during World War II demonstrated a multi-layer filtration design: the upper layer intercepts large particles, the middle layer filters dust and fine debris, and the lower layer of activated carbon adsorbs organic matter.
The "camouflage tree" of the First World War era was a peculiar piece of equipment. In trench warfare standoffs, where every step of the soldier is fraught with danger, this camouflage tree provides a degree of protection for the soldier.
A cutaway model of the No. 4 reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant shows the aftermath of the nuclear accident. The reactor core in the middle and the green water recycling system are telling the story of the disaster.
The interior of the Leaning Tower of Pisa is astonishing. Although its exterior is widely known, the hollow design of the interior of the tower and the existence of a spiral staircase are less well known.
This cross-sectional photograph of a pine cone that is not yet fully ripe shows the arrangement of pine seeds inside. Interestingly, the opening and closing of the wooden scales are closely related to the humidity of the air and can also play a role in forecasting the weather.
Emperor penguins have the densest feathers in birds, and their double-layer structure makes them natural insulation. The black surface of the feathers is rapidly heat-absorbing and hydrophobic, allowing emperor penguins to remain comfortable in all climates.
Photographs of the hollow decay inside the knot reveal its complex structure. In addition to the outer bark, the inner branches have also been preserved, and this part is the hardest part of the tree, showing the tenacious vitality of nature.
A cross-sectional photo of the blade shows the combination of different types of metals. The combination of black hard steel providing strong hardness and lighter soft iron adding toughness makes the blade both sharp and durable.
After the giant wasp nest is cut open, its internal structure is like a human writing system, and each worker bee is contributing to the operation of the hive, as if they are composing a symphony of life together.
A bank vault that has not yet been completely demolished reveals its sturdy interior. The dense and criss-crossing steel bars inside the walls make brute-force hacking nearly impossible, highlighting the ingenuity and security of the vault's design.
A cut section of the trans-Pacific submarine cable shows its complex internal structure. With a diameter of 7 centimeters, the cable weighs up to 20 pounds per meter, and in the harsh environment of the seabed, the fragile fiber needs to be protected to ensure unimpeded communication.
The cross-sectional photo of the USB-C cable is stunning, with so many components integrated into such a small space, which is much more complex than we thought and a testament to the craftsmanship of modern technology.
A spectacled bear with alopecia stands out at the Leipzig Zoo in Germany. Having lost its fur, it looks like a mouse trapped in an elephant, making one wonder about the diversity of the natural world.
The cross-section of the desert giant cactus bears a surprising resemblance to a man-made cable. The various layers, from the pith to the epidermis, demonstrate the unique way in which the cactus adapts to the desert environment, highlighting the magic of nature.
Cross-sectional photographs of sunflowers reveal the wonder of their inner structure. When the sunflower is cut in half, we can see that the middle part is covered with numerous small flowers, which only grow large petals around them, which is a distinctive feature of Asteraceae flowers. Each little flower eventually bears fruit, highlighting the magic of nature.
The huge cable cross-section of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, USA, is breathtaking. These cables, which are almost a meter in diameter, are actually tightly woven from 27,572 tiny sub-cables.
Silversea Cruises has shown an extraordinary spirit of innovation in building larger cruise ships. They cut the Silver Spirit in half with military precision and cleverly inserted a new section of the hull, extending the hull length from 195.8 to 210.7 meters.
As one of the three largest waterfalls in the world, Victoria Falls presents an amazing change during the dry season. The waterfall has been reduced to less than one-tenth of its original width, and the spectacle is a sight to behold.
Looking down at President Hill from above, the majestic image looks small compared to the vastness of nature. This shift in perspective allows us to re-examine our relationship with nature.
Ayers Rock is located in Australia and looks like an inconspicuous mound from the ground. However, when we look down from above, we can appreciate its true magnificence. That's when we realized that what we had seen was just the tip of the iceberg of Ayers Rock.
The image of the Burj Khalifa has always been towering in people's minds. But when viewed from above, we can not only feel its majestic height, but also the extent of its area. This visual impact is reminiscent of an alien spaceship descending on Earth.