Why are some of us so compelled to stare at unsettling photos and videos of things that we'd prefer not to see in real life? A bloody scene from Grey's Anatomy, or a putrid peek at Dr. Pimple Popper squeezing pus-filled blemishes. It's like we can't help ourselves, even if our stomachs are churning.
Some scientists believe it's because viewing such content from a safe distance allows us to be both disgusted and curious at the same time. Both are evolutionary feelings. And both can protect us. But more on that later...
First, we're going to test your ability hold down your breakfast while scrolling through some rather unsettling medical images. From a really creepy-looking medical dummy, to an x-ray of a brain after a piece has been removed... Bored Panda has put together a list of "look away but not quite yet" medical photographs shared by people online. Each image tells its own story, and all provide a window into a world that we wouldn't ordinarily see.