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This essential photography lesson shows how selfies distort what we really look like

Don't be fooled!

selfie, image, focal length, dysmorphia

Evey Winters/Facebook, Vox/YouTube

What you look like in a selfie camera isn't really what you look like in real life.

We've all done it: You snap a selfie, look at it, say, "OMG is my nose swollen?" then try again from a different angle. "Wait, now my forehead looks weird. And what's up with my chin?" You keep trying various angles and distances, trying to get a picture that looks like how you remember yourself looking. Whether you finally land on one or not, you walk away from the experience wondering which photo actually looks like the "real" you.

I do this, even as a 40-something-year-old who is quite comfortable with the face I see in the mirror. So, it makes me cringe imagining a tween or teen, who likely take a lot more selfies than I do, questioning their facial features based on those snapshots. When I'm wondering why my facial features look weird in selfies it's because I know my face well enough to know that's not what it looks like. However, when a young person whose face is changing rapidly sees their facial features distorted in a photo, they may come to all kinds of wrong conclusions about what they actually look like.

Not that it should matter, of course. But we're talking about people living in a society obsessed with personal appearance. It's going to matter to a lot of people, and if they get the wrong impression of their face, some people will go to all sorts of lengths to change it. That's why understanding a bit about how focal lengths on cameras can impact what we see in photographs is vital.

Writer Evey Winters shared some of that education in a post on Facebook. She writes about this topic through a trans and dysmorphia lens, but it applies to everyone.

Winters points out that if someone is thinking of doing surgery to change their bodies, they should seek sources outside of themselves and a cellphone camera.

"I have dysmorphia and recognize that in myself," she wrote, "but even if I didn’t, there’s not a selfie I’ve ever taken that would accurately help me make choices about my face. Mirrors are slightly better only for their minimal distortions."

"If you want the best chance at getting good feedback pre-op about what you might want to change," she added, "I’d recommend a skilled photographer take a series of photos of you at different focal lengths and even then none of these will be entirely accurate as none of these employ humans binocular vision and filtering."

Winters shared a collage of photos of the same girl's face at different focal lengths to show the significant difference it makes. "Notice how in different photos this child’s eyes may appear to be slightly hooded," she wrote. "The nose appears enlarged disproportionately. Hairline seems to shift with every snap. So does jaw shape, face shape, and even the width and size of the ears."

The difference between each of these photos is significant, but the difference between the first and the last is stunning. Cellphone selfie cameras usually have an even smaller focal length than the 40 mm shown here (Winters points out that the iPhone 13 Pro Max selfie camera has the equivalent of a 23 mm focal length), so they distort facial features even more. It also depends on how far away from the camera you are—the closer you are, the more distortion you'll see. Lighting matters, too, but even the best lighting can't cancel out what the focal length is doing.

Vox shared a video specifically about the "big nose" phenomenon with selfies, showing how drastic the distortion can be.

As a parent of two teens and a young adult, I find these photos to be fantastic tools for teaching my kids not to put too much stock in what they see in a selfie. Far too many people are increasingly seeking out plastic surgery to change a nose or a forehead or a jawline that doesn't even really exist. Imagine looking in a funhouse mirror and thinking you need to do something to change how you look. Selfie cameras are basically mini funhouse mirrors. Smartphones and apps are getting better at making filters that adjust for those distortions, but none of us should be relying on selfies of any kind to see what we really look like, much less taking major measures to alter our appearance based on what we see in them.

Even if you have some physical feature you simply can't accept and want to change, make sure you get a skilled photographer to give you the most accurate picture of what it actually looks like. As Winters concluded at the end of her post: "Make sure you’re not reshaping your body for a you that only exists in selfie cams."

Thank you for the reminder, Ms. Winters.

This article originally appeared three years ago.

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7 'old people' sayings that are actually solid life advice at every age

"Make all your words sweet because tomorrow you may have to eat them."

Photo credit: Canva

Elder wisdom can come in handy.

With age comes wisdom, or at least we hope it does. As we get older, we collect life lessons that we can pass along to younger generations, sometimes with lengthy stories, sometimes with quippy sayings.

Adages like "A penny saved is a penny earned," or "Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise," have been part of our collective treasure chest of life advice for generations, but the aphorisms that spring from the experience of our loved ones and mentors are often the most meaningful.

Someone shared that they'd read and appreciated this old man's advice: “My grandpa once told me 'if you get on the wrong train, get off at the nearest station, the longer it takes you to get off, the more expensive the return trip will be.' He wasn’t talking about trains.” The person asked for more tidbits of wisdom from old folks and people started sharing sayings they heard from their elders growing up.

from AskOldPeopleAdvice

Here are some of the best "old man advice" sayings and how they can be applied in a person's life.

"You might miss what’s ahead of you if you keep concentrating on what’s in the rear view mirror."

Another commenter put it another way: "Don't look behind you, you aren't going that way." This adage is about not dwelling on the past. Many of us have a tendency to spend more time mentally in the past, rehashing old memories or being nostalgic for what once was, than we do in the present or looking forward to the future. There's nothing wrong with a little reflection, but if most of our focus is in the past, we miss out on the present. Rear view mirrors are for quick glances, not where our focus should be.

"Do the right thing, even if nobody is watching."

This saying is about good character and true integrity. If you notice someone drop a $20 bill and no one is around to see but you, do you give it back to them or do you pick it up and keep it? If you realize that a store didn't charge you for an item, do you point it out and make it right or do you allow the mistake to remain? There are opportunities each day for us to choose between right and wrong, and those choices really speak to who we are if they are made without anyone else knowing.

bart simpson episode 21 GIFGiphy

"Be nice to everybody you meet on the way up the ladder. You'll see the same faces on the way down "

Don't get cocky and don't burn bridges you think you won't need to return to. There's value in being kind for its own sake, but there's also the reality that being kind also makes people like you. When people like you, they're more likely to lend you a helping hand, and you never know when you're going to be in a position to need one. It's also a good reminder that you're not inherently better than anyone else just because of where you are in life. We're all constantly in flux, so it's important to stay humble and kind.

In other words, "Make all your words sweet because tomorrow you may have to eat them."

"One of the most powerful negotiating tools is silence."

The power of silence in general is often underrated, but it can be an especially useful tool in a negotiation. Some people are so uncomfortable with silence that they will make concessions simply to avoid it. And sometimes the best response to an unreasonable demand is to just say nothing and stare, letting the other party come to the realization themselves. It takes calm confidence to simply be quiet and let the silence fill the room, which can feel surprisingly intimidating.

Eddie Murphy Shut Up GIF by BounceGiphy

"Always listen to your gut, even if you can’t explain it."

Ah, the strange and mysterious sense of intuition that we can't really describe but know when we feel it. Whether it's getting a creepy vibe about a person or a little voice telling you to do or not do something, those "gut instincts" can serve us well. Of course, if we are prone to anxiety, our instincts can sometimes be confused with anxious thoughts, but "go with your gut" is solid advice anyway.

“It doesn’t matter what path you’re on if it’s the wrong mountain.”

Sometimes people trying to find their way end up hitting roadblock after roadblock, which may mean they just haven't found the right path yet or might mean they need an entire overhaul of their life. That might look like switching career paths entirely, rather than trying to find a job in your field that fits. It might mean changing majors in the middle of your studies when you find yourself not enjoying any of your classes. It might mean finding a new community or reevaluating your relationships.

"The harder I work, the luckier I get."

Several sayings line up with this one, like "Luck is the intersection of preparation and opportunity," and "Luck favors the prepared mind." There's a lot to be said for fortune and hard work going hand in hand. If we expect good things to just land in our lap, we will likely be disappointed, but if we move in the direction of things we want to happen and do the work of preparing for good things to come our way, "luck" frequently seems to follow.

Finding a saying that resonates can be really helpful when we're facing a specific challenge in life, especially when we commit it to memory and repeat it often.

This article originally appeared in March.

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13 men spill the weirdest, silliest secrets women don't know about guys

At some point, we've all fantasized about sacrificing our lives so others can escape danger.

Canva Photos

Tongs must be clicked a certain number of times. And all men dream of saving the day.

Men are simple creatures. We have far more emotional depth than we get credit for, but in truth we're very easy to please. It doesn't take much at all to truly make us happy: Good friends, a pat on the back, throwing rocks into a river. You know, the good stuff.

Alas, guys remain completely misunderstood. Modern masculinity forces men to wear masks, to conceal their emotions and true deepest desires for fear of ridicule and rejection. And it turns out that those deepest desires aren't really all that unusual. If you've ever wondered what the men in your life are really thinking about, it's probably much simpler and sillier than you could have ever imagined.

One man took to social media to clear up a few misconceptions. He posed the question: "What’s a 'guy secret' that’s completely harmless but weirdly universal?"

men, masculinity, truths about men, misconceptions about men, toxic masculinity, reddit, viral, funny, humor No matter their age, men yearn for a sleepover with the boys. Photo by Husna Miskandar on Unsplash

Men from all over the world were eager to chime in and spill the tea, even as others jokingly urged them not to reveal too much.

1. Men play little pee games in the bathroom

"Peeing on the side of the toilet so there’s no noise," one user wrote in the popular thread on Reddit's r/AskMen.

Or aiming for little real or imaginary targets in the bowl. All guys do this whether anyone realizes it or not.

2. Men love a good hole, or a stick, or a rock

"It's also pre programmed that I must go and have a look if I see a bloke digging a hole," someone wrote.

Many users agreed that finding cool sticks and pretending they were guns or swords was a staple pastime. If you thought this was only something little kids do, you thought wrong.

3. Men also love a good piece of heavy machinery

men, masculinity, truths about men, misconceptions about men, toxic masculinity, reddit, viral, funny, humor Men appreciate a good piece of machinery.Giphy

"Had a problem with the fire alarm at work yesterday. A few of the guys and I went out to check out the firetruck. Real nice piece of machinery, that," a guy shared.

Tractors, Monster Trucks, helicopters. You don't have to be a total gearhead to appreciate the amazing engineering at work on these vehicles.

4. Men fantasize about saving the day

One guy said, "The most random universal one I can think of is at some point (or often) fantasizing about saving the day. School shooters, hijackers, someone robbing an elder in front of you, some dudes trying to hurt someone.... and in all situations you turn it around. Think everyone has thought of it at some point"

Can confirm. We've all pretended or imagined that we were the hero, rehearsed our lines for the follow-up interview on the evening news, and no, this urge doesn't go away any as we get older.

men, masculinity, truths about men, misconceptions about men, toxic masculinity, reddit, viral, funny, humor Men secretly want to be Captain America. Or just Chris Evans.Giphy

5. Men love the nod, and its many facets

'"The nods' with their subtle differences, but completely different meanings," one user wrote.

Another translated some of the meanings: "Nod up: what’s up dude? Nod down: hello sir"

And, "Nod to the right - come here and look at this. Nod to the left - can I have a word with you outside?"

And they say men don't communicate!

6. Items demand to be tested and fidgeted with

"When holdin a drill, it must be Zzzt Zzzted....Tongs must be clinked at least twice," someone wrote.

One does not simply hold a ball without tossing it from hand to hand, either.

7. Men dream of making the ultimate sacrifice

"We all fantasize about our death having meaning or purpose," someone added. "Holding the line while your brothers retreat. Sacrificing ourselves to save others. Fighting the boss fight and winning but slowly bleeding out in the soft snow and silence of a winters night. Till Valhalla, my brothers."

Yes, we all basically want to go out like Boromir from The Lord of the Rings. Gotta die one way or another anyway, right? Might as well go out in a blaze of glory.

men, masculinity, truths about men, misconceptions about men, toxic masculinity, reddit, viral, funny, humor A hero's death is something men fantasize about regularly.Giphy

8. Men sometimes perform acts of chivalry that no one notices

"Sadly maybe not universal, but my mum taught me the man always walks on the side of the road to protect the lady from puddles and such. ... A fair few of my exes didn't understand why I was switching sides when necessary, when we crossed the road or something," someone wrote. "I thought it was a shame it's not common. ... On the flip side, if I see a couple walking around, and see the man on the correct side, I immediately gain respect for him without having to know him in the slightest."

For many of us, holding the door for strangers or waiting to make sure a friend or loved one gets inside their house safely before we leave; things like this are engrained in us from a young age, even if they're sometimes invisible.

9. Men are deep, but very capable of thinking about nothing

"When we say we are thinking about nothing, we are thinking about nothing," a user wrote.

Others clarified that nothing can mean nothing, or can mean a stream of thoughts so inane and irrelevant that we wouldn't dare to speak them out loud, even if we could make sense of them.

10. Things should never be handed that can be thrown instead

"You never hand another guy the keys. They must be thrown, even if you’re 18" apart," a guy revealed.

I take this approach with my kids. Oh you want this shirt? Better catch it!

men, masculinity, truths about men, misconceptions about men, toxic masculinity, reddit, viral, funny, humor We like tossing things instead of handing them over.Giphy

11. Men are highly superstitious.

The obvious must always be stated out loud, lest something terrible happen.

"If you don’t slap the tie down ratchet strap and say the words 'That’s not going anywhere' then it will in fact go somewhere," one guy said.

Similarly, if it's raining outside, we must always remark that it is 'really coming down out there' even though everyone can see it with their eyes.

12. Men secretly want a hug.

"Some guys want a hug bad but are afraid to say it. Try putting out a hand and saying 'do you do handshakes or hugs?' and a lot of people want a hug," a user added.

Don't assume that guys don't want or enjoy physical affection, even from each other, just because they might be too embarrassed to initiate it.

13. For guys, it doesn't get any better than adding another log to a roaring fire.

"Putting logs in a bonfire and watching it while being amazed. Never gets old," one man wrote.

How could you ever get bored of watching flames dance around?

The thread is a great reminder of the simple things that really make life worth living. A popular myth says that men think about sex every seven seconds, and otherwise they are machines of pure ambition, strategizing and scheming how to make more money and get ahead. Not so! What people don't know is that most of the time men are thinking about playing the hero, clicking a pair of tongs, or even nothing at all.

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45 years ago, Carl Sagan beautifully explained the fourth dimension with just an apple

Sagan was the Mister Rogers of complex scientific concepts.

via Carl Sagan Planetary Society/Wikimedia Commons and John Finkelstein/Pexels

Carl Sagan used a sliced apple to perfectly explain the fourth dimension.

The concept of the fourth dimension seems beyond human comprehension. As three-dimensional beings, we are unable to see beyond a physical object's height, width and depth. What else could there be? Even if you understand the concept, it is almost impossible to picture it in your mind, which is bound by the limits and realities of the physical world around us.

Enter Carl Sagan, revered as one of the greatest science communicators of his time. Perhaps best known for his research into extraterrestrial life, he was one of the first people to demonstrate that life could have existed on Mars. Sagan possessed a unique gift for demystifying complex scientific concepts, making them accessible and thrilling for the general public. If you never had the pleasure of watching him on television, you could imagine him as something of a Scientific Mister Rogers. Friendly, a wonderful storyteller, and always able to distill difficult lessons into their simplest form.

In 1980, on Episode 10 of the groundbreaking PBS show “Cosmos,” Sagan embarked on a mission to explain the seemingly impossible fourth dimension.

carl sagan, cosmos ,4th dimension, 3-D, 4-D, 2-D, physics, theoretical physics, math, science, space, spacetime, einstein A great communicator and handsome, to boot.Giphy

Many of us have commonly heard of time being considered the fourth dimension. That's not so hard to understand — in order to locate an object in the universe, you'd need to know three dimensions of its spatial location and also the time during which it exists.

But there is also a more theoretical and harder to understand place, where all four dimensions are spatial. It is nearly impossible for any of us to comprehend... without the help of a gifted teacher.

What’s excellent about Sagan’s explanation is that he uses simple and relatable objects: an apple and a Tesseract, or a hypercube.

carl sagan, cosmos ,4th dimension, 3-D, 4-D, 2-D, physics, theoretical physics, math, science, space, spacetime, einstein Sagan explains that if an apple existed in a 2-dimensional space, anyone living in this "flatland" would only see a cross-section of it at a time.Giphy

"In discussing the large scale structure of the cosmos, astronomers sometimes say that space is curved. Or that the universe is finite but unbound," Sagan begins. "Whatever are they talking about?"

Yeah, this guy gets it.

Sagan then goes on to explain how a two-dimensional being living in a flat world would perceive a three-dimensional object like an apple.

Watch his full explanation here. It's hypnotic and entertaining and incredibly enlightening.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

“Imagine we live in this ‘Fllatland’/2-D plane with no concept of ‘up’ or ‘down.’ Then along comes a 3-D object like an apple. We do not even notice it until it crosses our plane of existence — and even then, we have no idea what the apple is,” Sagan explains. “We see only a fragment as it passes through our plane. There is no way we can comprehend the 3-D quality/dimension of the apple, because it is more than we can understand. We only have the evidence of what has passed through our plane.”

To further demonstrate, Sagan stamps the apple into an inkpad and then onto the surface in front of him, which represents Flatland and all of its inhabitants. Inside Flatland, the apple exists only as its points of contact on the paper; or four small dots. He adds that as the apple passes through the 2-dimensional Flatland, its cross-section changes. So someone living in that plane of existence would experience the apple as an ever-shifting and rearranging set of shapes or objects. Wild!

Sagan then related this two-dimensional experience of the third dimension to how we might try to understand the fourth. To do so, he used the Tesseract, a four-dimensional cube, to demonstrate how difficult it is for us to perceive or visualize dimensions beyond our own three.

carl sagan, cosmos ,4th dimension, 3-D, 4-D, 2-D, physics, theoretical physics, math, science, space, spacetime, einstein A tesseract can not exist in 3-dimensional space, but it can be approximated the same way a cube can be drawn on paper.Giphy

Sagan explains that the tesseract is a cube expanded into a 4th dimension, but "I cannot show you a tesseract because I, and you, are trapped in three dimensions." But what he can do is show us a 3-dimensional rendering of one. Just like a cube can be drawn and approximated (or cast a shadow) onto a piece of paper, a 4-dimensional tesseract can be imperfectly represented in 3-dimensional space. Still following?

At this point, Sagan is asking the viewer to expand their minds to understand the fourth dimension metaphorically. Though we cannot see it or even properly visualize it, that doesn't mean that the things we can see can't offer clues and lessons about the fourth dimension.

Studying 4-dimensional space can help in our understanding of the universe around us. Just because we see and experience only three dimensions doesn't mean that's all that exists. It's critical for physicists and mathematicians to be able to understand and map these theoretical spaces to better comprehend things we otherwise can not explain. Remember the ever-changing, rearranging set of shapes as the apple passes through Flatland?

Sagan’s demonstration of the fourth dimension isn’t just a wonderful explanation of a scientific idea that many of us find difficult to comprehend; it’s also a great example of how to teach complex ideas by combining clear explanations, everyday concepts everyone can understand, and brilliant storytelling.

This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.

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Severely traumatized dog has breakthrough 13 days into foster care and everyone's bawling

Tiki was almost completely shut down and even experts worried he wouldn't be able to heal.

Courtesy of Isabel Klee (@simonsits/TikTok)

Tiki's healing journey is bringing people so much hope.

If someone were to walk into the shelter where Tiki the rescue dog was taken, he might be the last dog who would ever be chosen for adoption. Obviously traumatized from whatever abuse he had endured, Tiki was totally shut down and not in a "please pet me I just need some love" kind of a way. He was paralyzed with fear, wouldn't leave his bed, would sometimes bite, and would lose control of his bowels. Not exactly a dog you'd bring home for the kids.

Foster mom Isabel Klee (@simonsits on TikTok) shared that Tiki came to the shelter through the ASPCA, which handles sensitive and sometimes criminal cases that don't allow for background information to be shared. While she couldn't share the details of what Tiki has been through, it clearly wasn't good.

tiki, isabel klee, simon sits, rescue dog, shelter dog, animal abuse Tiki was in bad shape when he was rescued, and people were worried he wouldn't be able to be rehabilitated.Courtesy of Isabel Klee (@simonsits/TikTok)

Experts who saw Tiki weren't sure about whether or not it was even possible for him to get better. Some behaviorists said he wouldn't. Some said getting him out of the shelter might help. Either way, it wasn't going to be an easy attempt, but Isabel was determined to give it a shot.

"I believe all dogs should be given a chance," she said. "Were gonna take it real slow and see what happens."

@simonsits
We’re so ready for you, Tiki. Thank you to @Muddy Paws Rescue and the @ASPCA for giving him a chance 🥺

Sure enough, Isabel and her partner Jacob took it very slowly. In fact, on Day 3 of fostering, Tiki was only just coming out of his crate occasionally for short periods. Isabel would feed him cheese a few times a day to get him used to being near her and accustomed to her touch without being frozen with fear.

@simonsits
Day 3 with Tiki: we’re starting to get a little more comfortable with touch 🥲 @Muddy Paws Rescue @ASPCA

On Day 6, Isabel removed the gate from around Tiki's crate and left him free to explore the apartment. At first, he didn't want to come out, but slowly he grew more courageous and comfortable. In fact, he didn't even flinch when Jacob and their dog, Simon, came into the apartment and Simon barked.

Seeing that he seemed okay with it, the family moved closer to him—but not too close—and he stayed where he was outside his crate. A big step forward.

@simonsits
Day 6 with Tiki: he hung outside of his crate for 30 ENTIRE MINUTES 😭 @Muddy Paws Rescue @ASPCA

By Day 11, Tiki had explored the apartment and made friends with Simon. He was clearly growing more comfortable and starting to show his personality a bit, but still wasn't comfortable with touch.

At this point, it's clear that he really wanted it, though. He walked up and sniffed Jacob and his body language often appeared to want affection. But as soon as they'd reach their hand toward him, he'd suddenly cower away. It's like he's having an internal fight between him wanting to be loved on and being afraid.

@simonsits
Day 11 with Tiki: every day we get closer and closer ❤️ @Muddy Paws Rescue @ASPCA

On Day 12, Klee shared a video synopsising their time together, from the first day when he wouldn't leave his bed to the twelfth day when he was comfortable pouncing around the apartment. The healing has been slow and incremental, but he has very clearly been making excellent progress.

@simonsits
Day 12 with Tiki: a little celebration for how far our boy has come! ❤️ @Muddy Paws Rescue @ASPCA

And then, on Day 13, it finally happened. This fearful, shut down dog approached his foster parents to ask directly for affection, and hoo boy was it everything anyone could have hoped for.

Such a simple gesture, but so incredibly meaningful:

@simonsits
Day 13 with Tiki: to be loved is to be changed 🥹 @Muddy Paws Rescue @ASPCA

The way he looked right into Isabel's face as she scratched his ears and face. So much trust. So much courage. Such vulnerability. So beautiful.

People completely lost it after following his story for nearly two weeks. Even big TikTok accounts like YouTube, Chewy, and Columbia Sportswear are invested and chimed in with feelings about Tiki's progress.

"13 days. A lifetime of neglect, of learning humans are bad creatures. And it only took him 13 days to give humanity another chance. 😭😭😭"

"The way he stared at you!!! Please tell Tiki we are so proud of him!! 😩🥹"

"I’m crying. The look Tiki gives you is heartwarming and heartbreaking all at the same time. It’s 'I am going to trust you. Please don’t hurt me.' He has wanted this so much."

"Thank god this happened on a Friday so I have two days to recover before work on Monday."

"56 year old mechanic crying on his couch."

"I love knowing thousands of us are crying at the same time."

"The level of vulnerability in his eyes is so touching. As they say, we don’t deserve dogs."

"Crying like everyone, but also realizing Tiki is a motivation to me and possibly others to be brave and move through our fears. Our pasts traumas do not define us. Thank you for sharing him."

OOF. Tiki still has a long way to go in his healing journey, but this milestone was huge. Kudos to Isabel and Jacob and Simon for giving Tiki the loving home and patient, tender care he needs to become the dog he's meant to be. You can follow Tiki's ongoing journey on TikTok.

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Animals & Wildlife

Afraid of seagulls? Animal enthusiast explains why the beach pigeons are actually terrifying.

Turns out Albert Hitchcock used the wrong bird for his famous film.

Photo credit: Canva

Why seagulls are actually terrifying, it's okay to be afraid

Beach pigeons: nature's cleanup crew–better known as seagulls. If you've ever been near a beach you've likely come into contact with seagulls. As long as you don't pull out French fries or any other food, they mind their business but when the smell of food wafts up to their tiny nostrils, prepare to be harassed. Although, there's no legal document that can keep seagulls from dive bombing you in hopes to bully you into giving up your cheese puffs, these birds are more terrifying than one might realize.

Animal enthusiast Mamadou Ndiaye, who has a habit of telling the public terrible unexpected things about the most adorable looking animals. This time is no different. While some people might be afraid of seagulls, many just find the to be a noisy price to pay for enjoying a day at the beach. Thanks for Finding Nemo, they're also seen as adorably possessive of things that don't belong to them. But Ndiaye reveals that the birds are not just crumb snatches but can be aggressively violent to humans and other animals for little to no reason outside of feeling a bit snack-y.

seagulls; pigeons; seagulls stealing food; seagulls scary; birds; seagulls killing whales; seagulls attacking people French Fries GIF by ViralHogGiphy

It's immediately clear upon introduction of the bird that people are in for a rude awakening as Ndiaye says, "out of all the animals that can bring the world to its knees, seagulls might have an actual argument." He describes the bird as an avian antichrist, and it's not because he has some unresolved trauma around a childhood seagull attack. The information that follows is genuinely concerning enough that seagulls probably need to be added to a watchlist for Homeland Security.

"They'll swallow anything that isn't nailed down. This includes other birds like ducklings, starlings and they'll even past tense and prey on pigeons. To rodents, rabbits and even squirrels, seagulls have no morals and no gag reflex," Ndiaye says flatly while a video of a seagull eating different animals plays behind him.

seagulls; pigeons; seagulls stealing food; seagulls scary; birds; seagulls killing whales; seagulls attacking people Seagulls Beware GIFGiphy

How does a bird go from stealing fries to eating other species children? That's certainly a leap that many people didn't see coming but the disturbing facts didn't end there. Just when you think the little devil birds can't get much crueler, they tell you to hold their chips. It gets worse. Much worse and there's no way of unhearing the information, people have tried. Legend has it that viewers of the video have not closed their mouths since hearing about seagull hijinks. Now we can all have nightmares.

On top of them scraping the blubber off of baby whales likely causing an increase in deceased whales in Patagonia, they apparently stalk pregnant seals.

@mndiaye_97 I don’t hate all birds but I do not care for these ones #seagulls #birds ♬ original sound - Aura

Ndiaye calmly explains, "seagulls will also spawn camp by stalking pregnant seals and swarming the baby and gouging its eyes out. Just so they can eat the blind defenseless baby seals alive and like flying hyenas they start from the softest spots. Some seagulls will also cannibalize the chicks of their own species. They'll also mob other birds like puffins and literally steal the food right out of their throats before they can feed their family."

It's a lot to unpack about seagulls and even though the video is less than two minutes long, it seemed to go on much longer much to the horror of viewers. Though the video did make some people feel justified in their fear of seagulls, with one person writing, "I’ve always hated seagulls…. They’re horrifying and annoying, I hate the sound of them. One of the reasons I’m one of few people who would NOT want to live right on the water, f*cking seagulls."

seagulls; pigeons; seagulls stealing food; seagulls scary; birds; seagulls killing whales; seagulls attacking people Sf Giants Baseball GIF by San Francisco GiantsGiphy

"I am SHOCKED! WHAT!?!?!?! SEAGULLS ARE THAT CRUEL???? OMG!" another says.

"as someone who lives on the north Wales coast I fluffing hate sea gulls!! i saw man get a chunk of his lip bit off because a seagull swooped and tried to get the food he was eating!" someone else reveals.

"Whaaaat!! uggghh never gonna see seagulls in the same way again," one person writes. Neither will anyone else who stumbles across his video, unfortunately.

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seagulls attack