40+ Mind-Melting Examples Of Real-Life Glitches In The Matrix
“What is real? How do you define real? If you’re talking about what you feel, taste, smell, or see, then real is simply electrical signals interpreted by your brain.”
This is what Morpheus said to Neo when introducing him to the simulated reality, The Matrix. So, are you sure you can trust your eyes? What if Elon Musk was right and we do live in a simulation? As you scroll through this collection of images, you might start to question just how real “reality” actually is. Come with us; we want to show you how glitchy, pixelated, blurry, and out-of-focus things can be if you would only take a moment out of your schedule to look at life from a different perspective.
Sky.jpeg is buffering
It kind of looks like we need to give it time to load properly. Maybe the technicians at heaven forgot to close in to render the rest of the cloud layer. Whatever the oversight is, it made quite the effect!
Also, it kind of looks like two pictures are spliced together. But we feel like that could be because the two cloud layers could be in two different levels. The difference in level and the perspective might have produced this image. Or did it?
What manner of sorcery is this?
Yeah, it is real. Did y’all think someone spraypainted the leaves on the wall, so when the shadow falls on it, it looks like it’s a real tree? Well, sorry to ruin your hopes for magic being real, but that is not spraypainted art!
There’s another live tree with leaves to the right side of this dead tree. A green-tinted light is directed at the live tree, so its shadow falls on the shadow cast by the dead tree, giving the illusion you see here. Pretty impressive, right?
Minecraft IRL
If your head starts to spin as you try to comprehend this image, don’t worry. You’re not alone. We were also puzzled at first by what looks like a still from GTA. This image isn’t a video game still but a real-life phenomenon.
It is what you call a Lāhainā Noon in Hawaii, and it happens when the sun passes directly over objects. When the sun does that, it doesn’t cast a shadow, or whatever shadow that’s cast cannot be seen if you look from above, creating this effect.
Such pixel, much pupper. Wow!
You’re quite sure you didn’t pick a Minecraft Shiba Inu from the pound. It looked pretty cheerful and adorable when you decided on it. You’re double sure because how can you forget that bark? Sounds like gravel in a blender. At least it’s cute.
The reason for this 8-bit effect is the refraction of light through this textured, wire-reinforced security glass panel. Apart from pixelating your dog, this particular type of glass is said to be quite strong. It can resist kick-ins to a certain degree if it’s properly fixed.
Gateway to the Matrix
How is it possible for a stack of mirrors to stand upon each other like that without falling and raining glass for acres? We did some digging to understand the physics behind this unique illusion. The answer we found was not what we were expecting!
This is one facet of a building! We’re not bluffing. This trippy architectural piece is the Department of Revenue building in the state of Georgia. While it’s innovative and unique from an architectural perspective, we hope they considered the birds too when designing this.
“In case I don’t see you… good afternoon, good evening, and good night”
It looks like the door Truman Burbank steps through to get to the real world. This image screams The Truman Show, but it’s not! The reality is pretty interesting on its own, although it’s not on the same level as that movie.
In reality, it’s a doorway to an underwater observatory under Lake Zug in Switzerland. As the name suggests, you can see the interior of the lake and some fish swimming by if you’re lucky. We have to admit that this looks super cool!
Tetris: Farmland
There’s nothing like the feeling of looking out of the window seat on a flight. Seeing the beauty of the earth, its uniqueness, shapes, and textures from a bird’s point of view is quite impressive. But what if you were to see this Tetris configuration?
What you see here in this image is not something out of a woodblock print. It’s flat farmland in Eastern Colorado. When the windblown or melted patches of snow covering the fields are seen from above, it looks like a 3D illusion!
Dude, where’s my car?
Has Toyota finally cracked the code that allows for time travel? It kind of looks like it. It also looks like Marty and Doc Brown found the Toyota sedan models are much more economical when compared to the legendary DeLorean.
What actually happened here is that there was a car crash. This car bumper was left at the crash site. With the rain-soaked streets, it looks like a car is trying to time travel or enter this dimension through a portal!
The reach of the Empire knows no bounds
A secluded beach is one of the best places for you to be alone with your thoughts.; it’s ideal for you to relax. You listen to the waves and look at the horizon… Oh my God, is that a Star Destroyer?
This is a superior mirage form called “Fata Morgana.” It happens when the air is frigid. As cold air bends light towards the eyes of an observer on the ground or coast because it is denser than warm air. The effect can alter things that are far away and creates this illusion.
Pixel glitch
Nope, this isn’t an interdimensional portal. This cool cloud is called a hole punch cloud. What you see here are called altocumulus clouds. They are made of tiny water droplets that are way colder than 0°C but have yet to be frozen into ice.
The clouds are made of ice crystals. Ice crystals occur when an Airplane passes by, and then the water droplets freeze, turn to ice, and fall, leaving a hole in the cloud layer that you wouldn’t see in warmer or sparser cloud formations.
End of simulation
If these leaves remind you of the late 90s and early 2000s computer games, then you’re in the right headspace. Is this the end of the game map? Wait, this has a different texture than the rest, so there must be loot or an entrance!
Truth is, as they say, always stranger than fiction. This is a printed construction barrier. Most of the time, you can expect this kind of construction shielding if the construction happens in an area where people might be present. But it does make you take a second glance!
Ice to see something like this
If the first thought that came to your mind happens to be, “wait, are those clouds? How big are these trees?” well, then we can be friends! While it looks like a forest with giant trees, that’s not the case here.
What happened is this: These trees have been flooded to the level of the ice formations. Then the flood water receded, leaving the ice patches fixed to the tree, looking like some giant mushroom of sorts. Nature sure is fascinating.
Langoliers!!!
While it looks exactly like a scene from the Stephen King novel, that is a trick. This is a weather phenomenon called a cold front. Remember that one particular scene in The Day after Tomorrow where the helicopters freeze and crash? That’s a cold front rolling in.
When a cold air mass collides with a warmer air mass, a cold front forms. The weather can change dramatically when a cold front passes. Winds increase stronger as the cold front passes. A significant drop in temperature is accompanied by heavy rain, with occasional hail, thunder, and lightning.
Desk portal
So, this person observed that his friend’s cup looked pretty weird. Like it was shrinking or like someone or something was pulling it from a rip in spacetime. We can see the level of liquid but not the bottom of the cup. What’s happening?
Sorry to spoil the fun with the truth, but the cup is actually inside a holder. When the liquid level inside the cup coincides with the level of the desk, it gives off the illusion that the cup is sinking. So mundane, we know!
Chasm inside a Church
You really shouldn’t wander into a place like this drunk. First, it’s a church; secondly, the arrangement of these tiles creates the illusion that there’s a deep fissure behind the pews. That’s enough to make us stand in the entrance and stare.
This arrangement of tiles can be seen at the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore – AKA the Florence cathedral in Florence, Italy. We can assume, based on the religious setting, the designer wanted to highlight the concept of salvation by leading your eyes to the cathedral.
Floating church spires
Now here’s something that grinds the gears inside your head. Expect steam to come out of your ears as you try to make sense of what you see here. Though it seems like a trick, this picture is no illusion!
This is called La Iglesia de la Recoleta Franciscana, which is located in the Plaza Francia in Lima, Perú. It was declared as a national heritage in 1973. The beautiful blue color of this gorgeous building blends perfectly when the skies are clear.
Animal Crossing mod installed
It does look like a tree from Animal Crossing. They have even managed to get the textures correct! It must take some talent to render this in real life. If this made you take your glasses off to give them a good rub, you’re not alone.
Even though it looks like it’s from a video game, this is a cultivar of an eastern redbud called the Rising Sun. This funky tree looks like this because of the emerging new growth. It’ll slowly transition to the same shade of green by summer.
Updated Windows 95 screensaver
If this made you wonder how the gardeners managed to take a spirit lever all the way up there to cut these with surgical level precision, the explanation is simple. They use a wooden scaffolding that is 34 feet high.
The scaffolding is that high because the hedges are. Towering at 36 feet, these hedges at the Schönbrunn Palace Park in Vienna, Austria are a real treat for the eyes. Even though they have lost the leaves due to fall, it still looks impressive.
Late 90s video game graphics spotted again
If you feel like you walked into a level in a 90s adventure game, look again. To understand what is happening here, first, let’s identify the location. This is one of the smaller sections of the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, known as the Blue Mosque of Istanbul.
This is a picture of the interior, and the mosque underwent renovations, so the pillars were covered with these wooden panels to protect them. Because of the light arrangements, no shadow is formed, making the pillars look like they are poorly rendered.
Real life Age of Empires
This shot looks like a still of Age of Empires. They have the grass patch texture to the last detail. Plus, it looks quite pleasing to the eye when you consider the contrast between the greenery and the white bricks.
The Eike Becker Architects designed this unique urban planning in Germany. They have tried redefining urbanity with much success by blurring the boundaries between the town and the country. We think this is a beautiful concept that they executed with perfection.
If you feel the need for a stiff drink after seeing this image, then by all means…
These trippy pillars are found in the Jama (Jumma) Masjid in Ahamadabad, India, which looks like a severe glitch caused by the merging of dimensions. What looks straight out of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse is a genius bit of engineering.
The pillars are cut with a method called angular chamfering, meaning that the right-angled edges are cut to make a symmetrical, sloping edge. That, coupled with the stone’s sharp edges, gives off the vibe that the whole mosque is glitching.
How is this even possbile?
This image is courtesy of a person who drove past this building for ages. This day, there was a traffic jam, and he was able to take this picture. Our heads hurt trying to figure out what’s happening here, but we did get it eventually.
This one-of-a-kind building is known as the 10 Universal City Plaza or the UCP, which the Comcast Corporation owns. Its unique rhombic shape gives the illusion that it’s just one facet suspended in the air. We think we could use more optical illusory buildings.
Nope, all of this is one photo, not two
What looks like a merging of two photos of the same location is one photo. You feel that way because of the positioning of the cloud cover. It looks like it separates the picture in two, creating two scenes that don’t match.
Those who are from Boston might recognize this place as the Charles River. Look closely, and you can also identify the Longfellow Bridge, which connects Boston with Cambridge. The river is famous wide over in Boston for all the watercraft activities done on it.
Picasso’s sofa set
These pieces look as unique as they can be. Also, as uncomfortable as they can be. What happened with the texture rendering phase – it didn’t go through as planned? Seems like it. But their boxy shape can help with the arrangement, so that’s a plus point.
Though they don’t look it, this furniture is quite comfortable. Designed by Belgian artists and designers Yves Milan and Arne Quinze for their brand Quinze & Milan, these pieces are part of the 1999 Primary Collection. They are made of QM FOAM™, a synthetic material they developed.
Who punched a hole in the sky?
Someone threw something so heavy at such a speed that it tore a hole in the fabric of reality. Or is this a glitch in the matrix simulation? Whatever it is, you would never expect this when you look up, that’s for sure.
In reality, it’s a B-2 ‘Spirit’ Stealth Bomber, owned by the US Air Force. This particular plane happened to be spotted near the U.S Pacific Command area of operations. With the sun above, It looks like a pixel death that occurred in the sky.
When you zoom in too much
Ever tried to zoom in on a location on a game map? If you have, chances are high that you have seen block-like structures instead of a clear image. That’s what is referred to as a polygon mesh in 3D computer graphics.
This picture of an apple is not taken from a low poly game. What has happened here is that the person holding the apple has sliced it with one of those sharp serrated knives. That serrated edge is what gives the low poly look.
Paint it Black
Guess someone misheard the lyrics to the hit Rolling Stones single. We did some digging, and this isn’t a digital manipulation. The entire house was painted black using 500 liters (132 gallons) of emulsion paint. Villains must be clamoring to place their bids on this place!
The German government would not allow citizens to paint their houses like this, most likely within any town or city limits in Germany. This was an art project on a house set for demolition, done by Erik Sturm and Simon Jung.
E(wick)ted flame
What is happening here? Looks as if something supernatural is taking place on this candle! The flame should be on the wick, not on the side. There has to be a simple explanation for this. That’s where we come in!
The wick doesn’t keep the candle burning, as it would burn quickly. The elevating wax is what burns for a long time. Usually, it’s the wick that pulls melted wax up, which is why the flame burns there. What happened here is that the heat got centered elsewhere.
Real thing or bad photoshop?
Colors characterize human visual perception. When light strikes on an item, some colors are reflected while others are absorbed. Only the reflected colors are visible to us. In the case of this black roof, it absorbs a lot of heat and light.
That is why it looks so out of touch with the surrounding. Since the roof is situated in an area well lit by sunlight, the effect is prominent. Plus, we don’t want to be inside a shed with a black roof. The temperature must be intense!
Surreal
If you feel like your head’s spinning, relax. We’re here to help you to make sense of this scene. Now, pay attention to the building in the top left corner. In the big building here, you see its reflection and the sky.
Also, that shadow on the right edge is from another building that isn’t in this image. The shadow’s edge lines up with the reflection of the edge of the building almost perfectly. It sure takes some work to untangle this illusion.
Work in progress
Why is it called building when it’s already finished being built? The English language can drive you up the wall sometimes, like the illusions we’ve encountered. But one look at this, and it makes sense to call it a building as it sure isn’t built.
Located in Houston, Texas, this building looks like it ran out of money before work could be completed. As long as people keep double guessing themselves, no one would notice that it’s unfinished. Well, at least that’s what we think.
When the Wi-Fi goes out during the download
From a distance, it looks like a LEGO pillar with its blocks starting to fall off. This seeming pixel glitch happens to be the second tallest building in Thailand. It’s called the King Power MahaNakhon and is located in Bangkok.
Build to the shape of a square prism, its pixelated appearance is enhanced by the horizontally and vertically divided glass walls. On the top is a balcony with a skywalk, which makes you feel like you are standing on air.
Smooth shading: On / Off
The more we see things like this, the harder it is for us to believe that we are not living in a Minecraft mod. Look at that pattern of shadows on the ground. It looks so aesthetically pleasing but suspiciously fake.
If multiple LEDs are set out in a grid pattern, each will cast its own shadow of the square bottom base at slightly different angles. They then overlap, producing darker areas where more shadows and lighter areas where fewer shadows would overlap.
Can’t get over this low qWALLity masonry…
Masons? More like meh-sons by the looking at this brickwork. They must have been on LSD to build a wall like this. Looking at it for prolonged periods will make anyone feel like they’re tripping. Who oversaw this, Salvador Dali? If so, then we’re disappointed. He would do better.
But when you look at it, it never ceases to amaze you. You can’t muck up like this without doing it on purpose. The brickwork seems too intentional. Maybe the owner wanted to be unique. We hope they got what they wanted.
Why you shouldn’t forget to replace the ink cartridges
There might be a chance this is not an honest photo, and it may have been doctored. The most distinct tide line in the picture – which we find super strange – runs perfectly horizontal across the entire image. It’s strange because the angle of the camera should create a different effect.
The camera is at the same level as the line and is pointing horizontally. The beach slopes fairly steeply in the camera’s direction, which is why it appears to be so high in the air. This is as real as it gets.
Between a rock and a hard bench
This is either the world’s worst bench design or the world’s slowest phasing rock. But the placement of the rock seems intentional. So being naturally curious, we did some digging to see why they have come up with a rocky design like this.
It’s an architecture design strategy called hostile architecture. Hostile architecture is an urban planning concept that employs built-environment components to direct or restrain behavior actively. It means to deprive homeless people of a place to sleep or to rest. Sounds quite inhumane.
Camouflaged foliage = camoufoliage
What a beautiful pattern of green and yellows on this leaf. It’s like nature perfected the art of jungle camouflage on its own. Nature sure is amazing. But what’s worrying is the presence of yellow on this, as we mentioned prior.
This coloring is caused by a plant disease called the Abutilon Mosaic Virus. Abutilon because it mainly affects the Abutilon species of plants, mosaic because of the pattern. Some people prefer this pixelated or mottled effect on leaves caused by this virus.
Something is very wrong with your graphics card
Why aren’t these trees textured like they are supposed to be? Guess someone is running the game at its lowest settings. You won’t get the cinematic experience you hoped for while playing it, but at least you can play the game.
If only things were that simple. This is real. Chemicals were sprayed to kill off pests. They covered the trees with these wrappings to minimize the damage caused to bees and people. But still, approximately 50,000 bees died due to these chemicals.
Howdy!
Seems like the person who took this photo ran out of data. We have all had this experience. One minute we’re scrolling through Instagram. The next minute everything is blurry is buffering. But why is the image of the airplane wing clear? Time to dig in.
It’s not because they ran out of data. There was a massive fog over the state of Illinois. This is why the image looks improperly rendered. In a way, it looks like a beautiful painting. Pointillism, if we assign an art movement.
Limbo
But how come a huge portion of this building is missing? For instance, there is a vast void between two units! The residents might genuinely be in limbo when going from one unit to another. This is surreal, for sure!
Not to worry, no dimensional anomaly here! This is a rare case of the paint on the building matching the color of the sky. How cool is that? Not so cool for the residents, though. You don’t want to be the person who panics when seeing this.
When things go side-aways
Here are we thinking only humans and animals get scoliosis. Guess trees get it too. This is a perfect example as to why a good posture is essential, people! We think this tree missed that lesson as well as many trips to the chiropractor.
In reality, the tip of the tree must have been removed at some point. Conifers like this grow lengthwise from the tip of the trunk and branches. If the tip is removed, the branches close to the top will grow up and try to be the trunk.
Texture: loading…
What’s with the censoring on this apple? It looks like they found something saucy and want to cover it up. Adds up when you look at it. But can this also be an example of a Chimera Apple? Let’s find out.
Chimera apples happen due to genetic instability in grafted trees. This phenomenon occurs when a leaf grows across the apple for virtually its entire life. Reduced photosynthesis on the apple’s surface hinders the formation of specific colors in the skin.
Guess Ron finally said Leviosa correct
In other news, evidence of witchcraft exists. Yes, you can find it in mundane places like grocery store parking lots. Don’t tell us that the carts sign is fixed! It’s hovering on space just like the one behind… wait a minute!
When you look at the panel on the back, everything makes sense. The board used here is grey. It matches the color of the sky! What are the odds of that happening? Guess we ranted for all the wrong reasons.
”Spirit” Level
Touching this spirit level might enable us to level up. It is pretty unusually rendered if you ask us. Wait, this could be in limbo, between dimensions! The chances of being transported to another dimension sound pretty likely! Or is it?
Here is another excellent example of a Lāhainā Noon in Hawaii. As we learned before, it happens when the sun passes directly over objects in the months of May and June. Late May and Mid-June, to be exact. Pretty interesting, isn’t it?