40 Intriguing Comparison Photos That Put Life into Perspective

By: Riley Brown | Published: Sep 10, 2021

Any previous knowledge of an object, whether from the past or present, can help you evaluate and appreciate that object. Hence, perspective is everything. People see things differently and have different understandings, but sometimes, an image can act as a uniting force. Through pictures of comparisons we can gain a powerful shared perspective.

Perspective can be likened to a pair of glasses. It gives you a new view of the world, and it is up to you what you want to do with this new knowledge. This article will explore how perspective changes our outlook on objects and why it’s essential. To illustrate the power of perspective, we have gathered some of the most thought-provoking comparison images on the internet. These photos are sure to amaze you and refresh your point of view.

1. The Evolution of Technology

Technology has evolved in surprising ways over the years. It used to be that the only way to make a phone call was by using a brick wired up as a telephone. It’s safe to say that technology has come a long way since then.

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When you look at the image above, you’ll see the differences right away. We used to have many things to carry with us, such as a camera, a watch, and a phone. All we need now are our smartphones to access all these features and perform all of their functions.

2. Real vs Fake Dollars

It’s prevalent to see news about the circulation of fake bills, and it’s sad to know that many people fall victim to these scams. Fake bills are a big problem, but there are things you can do to protect yourself from getting tricked by counterfeit cash.

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To spot the difference, real bills are more fibrous and feel plastic-y, while fake bills are more like paper and don’t stretch (or tear) like real money. Also, the ink used in real bills is more vivid. Can you spot the difference above? Particularly in the watermarks?

3. It Only Takes a Few Minutes

Every minute counts. People should learn how to appreciate every moment because we never know which one will be the last. Just look at the picture below. It demonstrates a 15-minute time difference in Seattle’s weather, creating a perfect reflection of how brief our time on Earth is.

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At first, it was gloomy, perfect for when you feel like doing nothing and want to sleep in all day. However, in a matter of 15 minutes, bright beams of light shone through the clouds, and there was a noticeable temperature change. Life truly can change in an instant.

4. The Largest Flying Animal and a Man

Quetzalcoatlus is an extinct animal believed to be the largest flying creature ever to have lived on Earth. A human being standing beside a Quetzalcoatlus will look like a small child. It lived 66-58 million years ago in North America, was approximately 10 feet (3 meters) tall, and weighed around 200 pounds (90 kilograms).

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Furthermore, these giants had teeth like a crocodile and wings like a bat. Their bodies are believed to have been covered with hair-like filaments that probably served as insulation. Several of them flying together would make the sky look like the inside of a beehive. Could you imagine being near one yourself?

5. A Perfect Illustration of Each Season

Each season has a uniqueness to it. Something that people love and long for each time it begins and as it disappears. Many of the unique things that happen throughout the seasons we don’t fully appreciate until the next season arrives.

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The picture above is a perfect example of how different the same area can look in each season. The one thing that holds steady is this scene’s enchanting beauty that captivates the soul. Once you settle into the scenery of each season, you are sure to feel peaceful and tranquil.

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6. When Love Finds You

Dogs are our best friends for a reason. They’re empathetic companions, eager to please, and always at our feet. The photo shown below expresses a powerful message to adopt dogs if you can.

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As seen in the first photo, the dog seems sad and indifferent. But the second photo shows a genuine smile that speaks so much. Although the dog was once abandoned, it still had hope. She smiles and shows that there’s still love in her heart. She’s found a home, and that’s all that matters to this abandoned dog.

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7. Some Things Never Change

Change is inevitable, but some things never succumb to it. Like this dog cuddling his favorite stuffed toy. The first picture shows a four-week-old Great Dane posing with his favorite dragon toy. The second picture shows a grown-up version of him cuddling the same toy that looks ten times smaller than before. 

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The picture is so adorable. This cute dog always has his favorite toy on hand so he can cuddle it at night. He has grown so much, but he still loves that same little stuffed toy all the same.

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8. What Dedication Looks Like

This picture was taken from the Mithi River in Mumbai. It is so polluted that you can’t even see the sand bar. The Mithi River is one of the largest rivers in India. Sadly, the water in this river is so polluted that it kills plants and causes illness in people who swim or drink it. As a result, people are starting to take more precautions by buying bottled water instead of drinking from the tap.

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An Indian lawyer, Afroz Shah, saw the situation and decided to take action. He spent a year cleaning it and explained the importance of the river and how it should be cared for and not polluted. He became the UN Champion of Earth in 2016 because of his efforts and was recognized as a global ambassador for clean water.

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9. Bizarre Starfish

Starfish are very different from other animals. They have a backbone, but they don’t have any other bones. They usually live in water and can be found all over the world. Starfish belong to a group of animals called echinoderms, which also include sea urchins and sea cucumbers.

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One unique thing about starfish is that the number of arms is not fixed. As shown in the picture, some have 4, 5, 6, and so on. One thing we can’t deny is that they all look beautiful.

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10. Art Meets Reality

The painting and the image are from the same place – the city of Porvoo in Southern Finland. With its distinctive restaurants, shops, and cafés, this lovely little town has become one of the most popular weekend destinations for many people living in Helsinki.

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Besides being a popular destination for visitors from Helsinki, Porvoo is also home to one of Finland’s finest music festivals. Nothing much has changed between the painting created in 1892 and the image taken in 2020.

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11. How Modern Corn and Domesticated Corn Differ

Corn is one of the most widely grown crops in the United States. The US produces over 130 billion bushels of corn every year, making it by far the largest producer in the world. About 9,000 years ago, corn spread and was domesticated in Central America.

Corn was domesticated to improve the yields and reduce the labor involved in growing it. The first domesticated corn was not what we now know as modern corn, and it is still produced by many cultures today.

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12. When You are Your Mother’s Reflection

Have you ever seen a person that is a total copycat of their mother? The picture below shows a half-face comparison of a mother and daughter. It is so perfect that it looks like it is one person.

If you don’t look closely at the image, you’ll be fooled. After a few seconds, however, you’ll realize it’s two different people. It’s fascinating that when you look at the picture on the right, you may assume that the freckles were covered up with make-up.

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13. First-Day vs. The Rest of The Days

We’ve all been there. The first day of school is something that we all dread yet oddly look forward to. Of course, the first day of school is just one day out of the entire semester, so what about the rest of the days?

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The second picture is a perfect portrayal of how the following days look. Hang in there, everyone! School may be demanding and stressful at first, but we all feel the same way about it, and we’ll all get through it.

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14. Different Paintings of Sunflowers from Five-year-old Kids

It is fascinating how people think about the same things differently. This is part of what makes the world fun and interesting because it creates endless variety. Just take the photo below, for example. The paintings were created by four different children of the same age.

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We know how creative and imaginative kids are, and it reflects in how they chose to paint the sunflower. Children are very observant. These kids demonstrated their observations with different colors, petals, flowers, leaves, and shadows in their paintings.

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15. Wait! Let Me Take a Selfie

How amazing would it be to take a photo with the King of the Jungle? Lions are majestic and beautiful, and we know some of you would love to see one of these beautiful beasts up close and personal.

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In the picture, you can see how big the head of a lion is compared to a human being, which is a bit scary. They can grow up to 9-10 feet long, 3.5-4 feet high at the shoulder, and weigh as much as 420 pounds. They are known for being ferocious animals, and they always look after themselves in the wild. So, selfies are probably not the best idea!

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16. The Effects of Global Warming 

It is alarming to see endless scientific reports coming out confirming what we already knew: the planet is experiencing a disturbing rise in average global temperatures. There is no “us” and there is no “them” when it comes to global warming. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you live because we’re all affected by this together.

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Global warming is real, and this picture offers proof. The first photograph was taken in the Arctic 103 years ago, while the second was taken in 2020. As you can see, the ice in the mountains has vanished in the second picture, and this is the result of global warming.

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17. A Larger Version of a Cute Cat

Tigers are beautiful creatures that are always a joy to see (from a safe vantage point). They provide a sense of wonder with their vivid orange color, incredible stripes, and herculean paws. However, tigers aren’t the only felines out there. Just like their smaller cat cousins, they are cute and fluffy too.

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It’s only when you see the difference of a tiger’s paw compared to a man’s hand that you experience terror. Its claws are sharp and lethal, but still, it’s an animal that deserves much love and care.

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18. When Mother Nature Heals

Forest fires are something no one wants to experience first-hand. Though they are a part of nature, they can often be incredibly destructive to the environment. As we saw in Australia in 2019 and 2020, the damage can be so severe that many animals in the area are affected.

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As destructive as some of her forces can be, when Mother Nature chooses to heal herself, the aftermath turns into pure beauty. Eventually, plants are seen growing in places where we thought no life could ever thrive again. The warm air is so refreshing and the color of the sky so vibrant that it seems impossible that anything violent ever tore through this beautiful scene. Mother Nature truly heals, offering a little ray of sunshine that forest fires are never forever.

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19. Grandmother and Her Grandchild

Genetics plays a significant role in human existence. If you look through some of your photo albums, you will notice some resemblance with one or two of your family members. This is not a surprise, of course, because it happens all the time. We cannot deny that some of our attributes are inherited from our parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents.

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This picture shows a grandmother, 61-years old, and her granddaughter, 12-years old, having almost the same facial features. Although they are 49 years apart in age, they look very similar when placed together like this.

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20. A Humongous Cactus

Cactuses are succulent plants that grow in deserts and other dry climates. They can also adapt to grow in dark, damp locations such as the basement of a home. Cactuses are often placed in decorative pots and baskets for indoor or outdoor use. There are many different varieties of this popular plant, such as the prickly pear cactus, saguaro cacti, and opuntia cacti.

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They can grow as tall as what you see in the picture – about 60 feet or more – and weigh as much as 3,200 to 4,800 pounds. These monster cactuses are usually found in Mexico, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Nevada, or California. They are the largest of the cactus species.

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21. The Untold Similarities of a Grandpa and His Grandson

A 70-year gap between a grandfather and his grandson reveals substantial similarities in their facial features and the things that interest them. Not to mention the fact that they look like they’ve been up all night in their pictures!

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With this photo, we can see that more than just physical attributes are being passed to us from older generations. It’s also possible that the interests of our older family members will be passed on to us too. That’s why some families are primarily doctors or accountants, but this is not the case for everyone.

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22. A Sequoia Tree Towers Over Humans

Sequoia is the noble, enormous tree that has been known since ancient times and epitomizes the Californian forest. It has a diameter of 21.3 meters, a height of 190 meters, and reaches a maximum age of 4,000 years. It is also one of the largest trees in the world. This particular one is a giant compared to the human beings at its base.

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The Sequoia remains one of North America’s most renowned symbols, and its mighty silhouette can often be seen from afar. These giant trees are an essential asset for all Californian ecosystems because they provide food, shelter, and habitats for animals such as bobcats, deer, and elk. They regulate groundwater, play a vital role in flood prevention, store carbon dioxide (CO2), and so much more.

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23. Australia’s Expensive Cigarette

To control the consumption of cigarettes, the Australian government increases its taxes on them year after year. After the most recent increase, one packet of cigarettes could cost $40. The result of this action is profound as it prices many people out. Those who want to smoke cigarettes have to sacrifice more money, and that’s not easy to justify.

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Cigarettes come at an average cost of $10,000 a year for Australians, and $10,000 is a considerable amount. So, many citizens are now looking for a better choice. As you can see in the picture above, one packet of cigarettes is equivalent to tons of grocery supplies.

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24. The Size Difference of a Baby Hummingbird and a Raspberry

Hummingbirds are fascinating little creatures, and they’re relatively easy to keep as pets. However, not all hummingbirds are the same – there are more than 330 species in existence. If you want a low-maintenance pet bird that will live for many years and is always happy to see you when you walk through your door, a hummingbird is what you need. 

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A baby hummingbird is about one-quarter of an inch long and weighs just 1/8th of an ounce. That’s about the size of a raspberry, which we can determine by knowing that the average raspberry is around 4.6 centimeters long and weighs 1 gram.

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25. What Alzheimer’s Can Do To Us

Alzheimer’s is a disease that causes memory loss. It is a type of dementia that results in the triad of symptoms: difficulty remembering, difficulty communicating, and difficulty with tasks such as planning or organizing. Alzheimer’s can also damage areas of the brain that control different skills.

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William Utermohlen, a UK-based American artist, made these paintings. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 1995. You can see in the images the progress of the disease each year. In the picture dated 2000, we can see that he has slipped into a permanently abstract state of mind.

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26. A Majestic Creature of the Sea: The Blue Whale 

Blue Whales have an average length of up to 30.5 meters (100 ft) and an average weight of around 200 tons. These marine mammals are the largest living animal on our planet. Although these creatures can be found in all oceans, they tend to stay in arctic or subarctic waters.

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Blue whales live for about 80 years and come together in small groups of one male, two females, and their offspring. Compared to this diver, the blue whale is a giant of epic proportions.

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27. Harvesting Honey in Different Seasons

There’s a difference when you harvest honey in spring, summer, and fall. It has few color differences, but still, it’s honey. Look at the photo below, and you’ll see how honey harvested in different seasons turns out.

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When you harvest honey in spring, its color is daffodil yellow. In summer, it is a bit more golden, and in fall, the color becomes dark amber. All the colors of honey depend on the nectar of the blossoming flowers. Also, the more types of flowers there are, the more types of honey there will be, which is why we can get all of these varied colors and flavors at different times of the year.

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28. Choosing a Healthy Lifestyle is a Must

Being healthy is a necessity. Living a healthy lifestyle makes a person happier and more productive. To create a consistently healthy lifestyle, it helps to have a personal goal. One of the best ways to establish a personal plan is to reflect on your current state and identify a problem you wish to address. A common issue many people face is being overwhelmed, which causes stress and can lead to unhealthy habits.

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The picture above shows a success story of a man wearing his old clothes after losing 220 pounds. Always remember that you are doing a favor for yourself when you put in the effort to become happier and healthier.

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29. Summer Floof vs Winter Floof

Ragdolls are large and muscular cats that typically weigh more than thirteen pounds at maturity and can get up to twenty-five pounds or even more! They have an elongated head with large eyes, wide ears, and a huge, fluffy tail. They also like to change their coats to suit the season.

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Floof – internet-speak for fluff and fluffiness – is that especially fuzzy and velvety fur that only particular cats and dogs have in abundance. Look at the picture above and see the difference.

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30. The Result of Losing Weight

Permanent weight loss is a dream for many people. It’s the hope that every dieter has as they shed unwanted pounds. So, why doesn’t it ever seem to stick? For some people, the lack of weight loss might be attributed to their lifestyle choices, but diligent dieters might wonder what they are doing wrong.

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Although we are all beautiful, whatever our size is, it is still recommended to lose weight if your size is impacting your quality of life. To inspire you, the picture above shows two shirts before and after losing 400 pounds. Make sure to talk to a professional if you plan to lose weight as this will give you a higher chance of success.

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31. What Heaven and Hell Look Like

The Australian fires were devastating to the local population, and everyone living in this world. At times like this, we are reminded of the importance of our actions and choices in life. We know that we all have a responsibility to the people around us and the planet we inhabit. The fires reminded us of how important it is to be aware of our actions and what they can do to others.

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You can see in the picture how the fires affected the environment, taking over everything including the sky. It looked like hell on Earth because of these raging fires that caused untold damage.

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32. Time Flies 

Look at how a small kid turns into a man who knows he did something of which he can be proud. The picture on the left is his first day of primary school, while the other is the last day of his training as a teacher.

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From someone who aspires to be something special in the future to someone already doing it, this image tells a story. It is also a reminder that there is no harm in dreaming as this is the first step in making those dreams come true.

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33. When You Know You Had a Great Time

You know those moments after an epic day when all your energy is drained but the memories still live? That’s how it is for this dog. The first picture is of him on the way to the lake. The next one shows him traveling back home.

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This dog had so much fun. You can tell that the people around him are full of love just by looking at how well they treat their dog.

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34. A Grandmother and Her Grandchild

Our grandparents are the most interesting people we know. They’re wise, creative, funny, and full of life, even in their 80s. They are so precious too. You can see in this picture an 80-year-old grandma with her grandchild.

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The grandmother has lived a physically hard life, working as a farmer in Korea. Look at her smile as she gazes at her grandchild. It is a tender and loving smile that is so precious.

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35. Time Changes Everything

Time affects everything, which is why life is so precious. An example can be found in the comparison below. The left image shows a dominant green color, but after a week, the wall has turned completely red, as shown in the right photo.

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This is a sign that we must cherish and love every day that we have with the ones we love. We should appreciate the things that are happening around us because you never know when they might change.

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36. A Nap vs. Full Sleep

We’ve all been there. Our position when we start sleeping is normal, but when we wake up, everything is askew. We can definitely sympathize with the guy in the picture below.

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Dogs sleep like they own your bed, and you’ll feel a little guilty for even considering moving them. They’re so cute in that sprawled-across-your-space kind of way. So, you’ll cuddle them instead.

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37. What Mussels Can Do

Mussels are a family of aquatic bivalve mollusks that live in saltwater. They have a shell made of two valves joined by a flexible ligament that creates an impressively strong hinge.

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Furthermore, mussels can filter 5-10 gallons of water every day. To do so, they use their kidneys to excrete water, secreting excess salt into their tissue. Mussels also utilize an organ called a mantle. The photo shows how quickly mussels can clean a tank of water.

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38. Is It Human Hair or Not?

If you think this photo is two people looking down, you are mistaken. The hair on the right is the boyfriend of the photographer’s daughter, while on the left is their pet Peruvian guinea pig. Examine the picture, and you’ll see that it is not human hair in that hand on the left.

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Sadly, Peruvian guinea pigs are one of many guinea pigs kept for their meat. Their hair is as shiny as human hair if properly cared for, which explains the pictures above.

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39. Two Different Parking Lots with a Shared Feature

These two pictures are taken from different parking lots. The left picture was taken in front of a liquor store, and the right one is the parking lot of a laser eye surgical clinic. When you look at them side-by-side, there’s a striking similarity.

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What do you think a liquor store and an eye clinic have in common? If you know, then you’ll get why the poles in these pictures all look so damaged. Drive carefully, please!

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40. St. Helens: Before and After the Eruption

St. Helens offers a range of outdoor adventures for those interested in biking, hiking, or kayaking. The mountain’s forest is popular with Portland locals. It provides lodging in all price ranges and a range of restaurants and shopping destinations, making it easy to enjoy the day outdoors before returning to the city at nightfall.

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However, an earthquake triggered a landslide on May 18, 1980, and it took the lives of 57 people. The president of the US said that it looked like a golf course. As you see in the picture, the result of the volcanic eruption is quite a scary view.

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