These Things Worn Down Over Time Tell Fascinating Stories

The Wear And Scuff Marks That Look Like Something Else Entirely

By looking at this boat, we can say with confidence that time is a wonderful artist. Take the Grand Canyon for example; water flowing through the stones has carved out a beautiful landscape. Or look at sand dunes that were carved by the wind in the desert. It’s amazing how nature itself is one big piece of art. Here, the wear caused by the water has left something that looks like a beautiful oil painting on this boat.

It shows that art is everywhere, and we just need to open our eyes to really see it. We wonder how this wasn’t auctioned for millions of dollars instead of being left on the dock like this.

Old Vs. New

Companies that take good care of their customers often survive. A big shout out to this company who replaced the 14 years old Dutch oven with a brand new one. This person contacted them when the enamel lining in the pot chipped, and they sent a new one within a week, no questions asked. They didn’t inquire if the temperature was above the recommended range or anything about the terms and conditions mentioned on the warranty card.

So, a lifetime warranty means a lifetime warranty for this company. It is important that customers look for reliable brands that offer quality over extremely low rates and substandard products.

Grandma's 70 Years Old Elementary School Lunch Box

This person’s grandmother had kept her elementary school lunch box in pristine condition for over 70 years. So, the only thing that has worn down is the grandmother. Kidding! The truth is that when we come across things from the past, there are often both sweet and bitter memories associated with them. That’s why people tend to get attached to objects they grew up using.

It’s interesting to note that function mattered more than aesthetics when it came to design in the old times. Obviously, there's no Pokémon anywhere in sight. Anyhow, it's a lovely memory.

Same Set of Buttons Bought 35 Years Apart

We often come across things that are timeless in our day-to-day lives. It could be an ornament that’s been on the shelves for ages or a household item that has been time tested and we have been seeing and hearing about it from the elders. It’s interesting to see that this person came across the same buttons that her grandma purchased 35 years ago for her. It was like destiny wanted her to buy the same set of buttons.

Although fashion and trends are ever-evolving, the buttons have remained the same for 35 years. Who knows, this lady’s grandchildren might buy the same buttons too one day.

Two Identical Knives, 5 Years Apart

A butcher used the knife on the left for 5 years and next to it is the same knife in new condition. We’re confused. Does the meat eat up the knife? It looks more like a filet knife now. Some may say it seems more like one of Wolverine’s claws. Jokes aside, we all know that he has sharpened the same knife over and over again. The butcher has kept the curve of the knife so pleasingly perfect that it looks a different type of knife altogether.

Well, this butcher definitely got their money’s worth. It’s good to see that some people try to extract every penny from the things they bought with their hard-earned money.

That's One Fuzzy Jack-O'-Lantern

As if Halloween Jack-o'-Lanterns weren't creepy enough already, this one is going the extra mile. Mold has grown out of this pumpkin and it really gives it a scarier feel. At first glance, it seems like a fluffy cat had somehow made its way inside the pumpkin. It also seems like Jack-o'-Lantern has grown a mustache. Or that it has some devious plans it's about to execute. We're honestly creeped out a little.

We hope this person took some precautionary measures before removing this evil from their home. It is because mold contains mycotoxins and carcinogens that can trigger asthma and intense reactions.

A Piece of Wall by the Sea

This is what happens to a wall located right by the sea, where the bricks disintegrate due to the water while the mortar part remains intact. Once again, we can say that time leaves unbelievable traces of art. Just imagine how many times the water hit this wall over the years to wash away tiny layers of brick, making it into what it is now. It looks like a lengthy process!

This is something only mighty Mother Nature can do. The beauty of such little, mundane things often goes unnoticed.

He Wore The Badge For So Long, It Turned Him Into A Ghost

If anyone had any doubts about how long this guy has worked for this company, he should show them this badge holder. It held his badge for so long, a ghostly image of his face was imprinted on the plastic. We hope this ghostly evidence of loyalty earned him some praise from his boss, if not a raise. It's not so common for people to hold on to a job anymore!

This looks somewhat like a scene from a Sci-Fi movie, where the person is trying to communicate from another dimension. But we digress.

An Old Chair Becoming A Part of The Nature

Eventually, nature will take over everything. It is only a matter of time. If anyone doubts it, they should leave one of their belongings outside for a few years. Try a car or anything that is of value. It’s amazing to see how vegetation has covered this entire chair, making it look like some eerie-looking shrub. Nature basically said, this is mine now. It actually still looks comfy, though!

Some might say that it is a throne for the King of the Woods. It's definitely majestic enough!

This Ball Has Definitely Seen Some Action

By looking at this basketball, we can see that it has been through a lot. Even though the leather surface has completely worn down, the person who uploaded the photo said it still bounces. It has become an important part of the local park because no one plays with it or gets rid of it. It must have taken a lot of beating but it's still holding on like a champ. It must have been made a long time ago though, since nothing's ever made to last anymore.

Anyway, we wonder if the kids playing at this park make each other touch this ball on dares. It looks kind of iffy, in its ghostly way.

A Skeleton Leaf

We see leaves lying around all over and usually don’t care for them very much, not to mention look at them closely. This person decided to take a closer look and discovered the veins were the only part of this leaf that lasted. It's another one of Mother Nature's works of art, even if it was created by some beetle or caterpillar that's decided to go to town on it.

We hope that this person took the leaf home and framed it. Nature created this stunning piece of art that deserves to be preserved.

Bought It in 1979, Reusing It Ever Since

In this age of global warming and plastic waste taking over the planet, this person's parents have been using the same bottle of Windex spray for over 40 years. It's sad that we throw away and repurchase so many things, but this is proof even items made to be disposable aren't necessarily so. Plastic can take up to 1000 years to decompose in a landfill, so it's best not to let any go to waste.

If we all start to reuse or recycle plastic like this family, the world would be less polluted for humans, animals, and ecosystems. To put things into perspective, humans generate at least 3.8 million tons of plastic and other forms of garbage each year, which is ten times more than we did a century ago.

160 Years Of Foot Traffic Written Out On The Doorstep

160 years of foot traffic has left a considerable mark on this step of a local pub. For some reason, that is one of our favorite things in the world. We love seeing old steps worn down over decades and centuries. The pub owner didn’t bother to change it, which is a good thing considering it's a sign of the many generations that enjoyed their pub. We think the pub’s new name should be “The Step Right Inn.”

For us, even if it can be replaced with a new, level step, the sign of tradition and history is irreplaceable. We would actually go to this pub just to put our foot down on that very step!

Time Has Brought Them Together

This tree is clearly eating the mailbox, and it’s halfway done with it. The big question is whether the mailman took out all the letters before the tree started munching on this box. Maybe the tree thought that it’s revenge time for all his friends that had been cut down to make paper. Despite mail being virtually a thing of the past, this is a real clash between nature and civilization. Honestly, we are glad to see that nature is winning.

You can also say that nature and civilization are co-existing in such harmony that the tree is giving the mailbox a hug. Haven't they heard of social distancing?

This Brick Wall Got Smoothed Into A Rock

We all know sea glass, but how about sea wall? We never thought this could happen, but apparently, given enough time, the ocean can smooth anything into a pebble-shaped thing, even a brick and mortar wall. It looks so satisfyingly smooth, we just want to touch it. Mother Nature has so many exciting tricks up her sleeve, and this is one of them.

It is amazing how bricks and mortar are deteriorating at roughly the same rate. One could say that the universe's 3D modeling department forgot to change the texture of this brick wall.

Thousands of Little Feet Have Worn Through The Asphalt

This seesaw at a local playground caused potholes in the asphalt's surface. It looks like it's been done on purpose as a design choice. The patches on one side seem to be larger than the patches on the other side, making it look like one side was used by adults while the other side was used by the children. We wonder how long this took to form, it's quite remarkable.

This seesaw has definitely seen many giggling kids over the years, and we hope it will be enjoyed for years to come.

A Kiwi Left In The Office Desk During Lockdown

A lot of people had to work from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. So when they returned to their offices after months and even an entire year, they found their belongings looked a little different. Some people found expired granola bars in their office desks, while this person found a kiwi fruit that had basically become a prune. We hope they didn't find anything slimy lurking in there!

We also hope that it was indeed a kiwi fruit and not the kiwi bird that died there. Okay, that's a little dark. But stranger things have happened!

Worn Away Linoleum Tile Where Customers Tend To Line Up

These linoleum tiles have worn away to reveal the original tiles underneath them, exactly where store customers usually line up. We think the ceramic tile pattern is way better than the linoleum one. They should peel the rest of it and give it a uniform pattern. Ceramic happens to withstand wear and tear longer than linoleum flooring, and this sure is proof. Honestly, we think covering up the original tiles was a crime in the first place.

We're sure the linoleum was considered modern when it was new, but the classic tile pattern looks way much better than the worn-out stuff.

Who Knew This Could Happen to Crayola Crayons

These old copper and gold-colored crayons have turned green over time. It is not that these crayons have actual gold or copper in them since these metals turn green when oxidized. In reality, they have some bronze powder in them to make the color more realistic; the bronze has oxidized over time and turned green. Interestingly, it is probably only surface level.

Oxidation is happening all around us. The best way to prevent oxidation is to minimize exposure to moisture. But how about that for a cool science experiment?

Rain Turned This Iron Man Canvas Into A Masterpiece

This person left his canvas out in the rain, which has undoubtedly improved the original design. It seems like Mother Nature likes to create surprising pieces of art whenever she gets the chance. She probably thought this canvas was nice, but she could make it so much better with only a few drops of rain. Someone should put this canvas in an art gallery for sure, it's absolutely stunning.

What's even crazier is that the painting is somewhat fine from the top but slowly fades away at the bottom. There must be a specific angle to achieve this kind of effect.

These Are Actually the Same Boots

When it comes to getting your money's worth, here is another example everyone needs to see. These boots look like they have been through a lot and delivered the best till the end. It is good to see that this guy bought the same pair of shoes, which probably means he was pleased with them. His right toe must have had a sigh of relief when he got the new pair. Finally, it won't be left out in the cold!

The design is still pretty much the same, and we're dying to know how long it's been. Is this a year's worth of wear, or a decade's?

Low Water Levels Reveal a Surprise

Water levels at Lake Powell are so low that the wreckage which drowned in the lake has suddenly reemerged. This is cool and unsettling at the same time. This shows how fast the freshwater resources have depleted over the years. At the same time, the wreck has been there for over 15 years. It gives a post-apocalyptic vibe to the whole place. Overpopulation and poor management have led to the heartbreaking low water levels at the lake.

But this should be taken as an excellent opportunity to remove that kind of wreckage from such places and let nature shine.

Great Grandmother's Potato Peeling Knife

This person's great-grandmother is in her late 80's, and she still uses this potato peeling knife. According to her, she has been using it ever since she was a child. A whole 5-inches knife has come to this point over the years. Let us make it clear that peeling potatoes didn’t make it happen; it is sharpening that does the damage.

It is amazing how thousands and thousands of potatoes were peeled across three generations. Please keep it forever and never throw it away.

An Old Roll Of Biodegradable Dog Poop Bags

This person found an old roll of biodegradable dog poop bags and they really do disintegrate as advertised. Where there are problems, there are solutions as well. All we have to do is just be a little bit conscious about our environment. In recent times, we are noticing d2w written on plastic bags. D2W is a granular chemical that makes the plastic more environmentally friendly and shortens its usable life from hundreds of years to a few months once it has served its purpose.

The d2w is added to polymers during the manufacturing process in a concentration of only 1 percent, which makes the plastic degradable since it dissolves in oxygen.

Bathrooms At An Engineering University

The men’s bathroom door is all scuffed and worn down. On the other hand, the women’s bathroom door is still good as new. How interesting is that, right? The most common thing that comes to mind is that the women students are significantly lower in height than the men are. So it’s obvious that the men push the door higher than the positioned plate (handle area), which explains the scuff-mark pattern.

Or it could be that women are more neat and clean about the things that they actually push the metal part of the plate to open the door. Anyways, we mean no offense to any gender.

Well-Pet Ducks

These ducks have received a lot of petting from people. The first two bronze ducks look polished because people petted them the most while the rest didn’t receive much love. It seems like one can find these little bronze ducks in Boston. We wonder how many people have tripped over them. We’d like to think that maybe one day these ducks will get enough petting that they’ll come alive.

At least the duck at the front looks to be all chilled with life and leading the pack. Make way for the ducklings.

Playing With The Same Deck of Cards For 10 Years

This person’s nana has been using the same deck of cards for over 10 years. And they are all grooved to her hand placement while shuffling. She could be winning every game, as she may have memorized every blemish on the cards. While playing with old cards, remembering blemishes can help a person win. Some people might say that nana needs a new pack of cards. However, there’s a reason she feels an emotional connection with these cards.

Nan and her husband played with the same cards every night. Since he passed away, she never stopped using them.

Nature's Revenge On A 100-Year-Old Logging Truck

This is a 100-year old logging truck abandoned and overgrown by the trees in British Columbia, Canada. It once helped cut trees down trees and look at its condition now. Talk about poetic justice, eh? Maybe the descendants of those trees this logging truck once helped cut down took the matters to their own roots. Guess what? That karma is always in action; it always comes back in some form or other.

It can be said the truck has been behind bars for 100 years for the crime of cutting trees. This is also another example that nature will claim everything, eventually.

1,800-Year-Old Roman Leather Sandals

Wow, these old Roman leather sandals look like Crocs from beyond the grave. We are trying to picture walking and running around the countryside in these sandals - it is not comfortable at all. Some people might say that they are the new Adidas Yeezy. We'll say they are the "Origineezy's." Maybe Kanye West came up with this shoe design idea before the Romans did. We cannot underestimate his power.

Well at least one thing we know for sure is that they were built with high-quality leather. While they have lasted for so long, our shoes hardly last 180 days.

A Sun-Worn Sign That Looks Like It Belongs In A Horror Film

We can say that nature has invented a new font. They could give this new font a name like Old Signage. At first glance, it looks like it reads, “Do not chain bikes to the gas pipes or heads will be chopped.” And the color of the fonts is dark red like it’s written with the blood of the people that have been killed over wrong parking. That’s scary!

Who knows maybe this office has done this on purpose to make the warning look more serious. We know for sure that no one will chain the bikes to the gas pipeline after reading this sign.

Coin Laundry

This person found coins that had been in the brushes in the clothes dryer for years. Perhaps, this person took money laundering to the next level. Some of those can be worth a lot of money. Some collectors compete to have the lowest graded set of coins, and if it is a modern coin still with the date and mintmark in that condition, they can be worth a lot. Who knows maybe this owner could get some money out of them.

Some might wonder how it is that a dozen coins have been rattling around in a dryer for decades without anyone noticing the noise. Bad hearing?

This Tree Trunk Ate the Coin

Fun fact: While most people toss a coin into a fountain before making a wish, there are trees that have hundreds of coins in them. Well, they are called Wish Trees, and people used to and still hammer coins into them. Interestingly, most of them are felled trees. A few are still living trees, but it appears that most of them were already dead when people started adding coins to them.

Maybe about 500 years from now, somebody will be cutting down this tree and they will find it in there. So this silver Kennedy coin is like a little time capsule.

Human Handprints In A Cave In Southern Utah

Handprints such as these are due to people repeatedly resting their wet hands on the sandstone, which happens to be soft. Some might be wondering that it must be a ritualistic side to it, but that is not the case. At first glance, they do look spooky and seem to belong to some form of a cult. But it’s the inherent nature of humans to leave their marks at the places they have been. Just like the names carved in the stems of trees. Also, vandalism is very common to human nature. These prints are shouting that humans have been here.

Although we know the explanation behind these human handprints, they are still spooky, right? They look like souls that are trying to get out.

Faded Sign From The "War On Drugs" Era

It’s ironic to see that the drugs have outlasted the war on them. Or it also looks like they are giving specific directions to the people: drugs to the right, alcohol straight ahead. If that is the case, this sign does serve some purpose. They haven’t removed the sign so far, which can only mean that it is a constant reminder of a lost war - a harsh reality that everyone needs to accept.

We get that red color fades faster than black, but they need to do something about the sign. Either restart the war on drugs or remove the sign. Do something about it!

A 30-Year Old Meatball In Epoxy

This person’s grandfather encased a meatball in epoxy resin about 30 years ago. Some might question why he did it. Well, because it was another boring Sunday afternoon. That may have proved one fact that food does decay even in epoxy. Decaying depends on the type of bacteria around when it was encased in epoxy. There's two types aerobic and anaerobic; one needs oxygen to decay and the other doesn’t.

Imagine a few thousand years later when humans will be eating meat v11.0.1 or processed food. This could be the last form of organic meat left. Who knows, some form of the epidemic will burst out of this decaying matter and wipe out all humanity.

60-Year-Old Unopened Pepsi Bottle

This 60-year old unopened Pepsi bottle has aged really well. The first feeling is to open it and taste it; maybe the taste has improved over time just like the wine. The color has turned into something like yellow because if cola is placed for a longer period of time, the caramel color settles at the bottom. Maybe the outcome of drinking this is that the person’s genes mutate and he ends up being a Pepsi man with the superpower to make bubbles.

Jokes aside, we hope no one drinks it. The best they can do is to send it for scientists to do some research or sell it for thousands of dollars after a few decades.

Years Of A Lock Grinding On A Brick

We have seen so far that natural designs are the best. When humans intervene, that’s when things go bad. It’s not that we don’t make things better, but sometimes all we have to do is just wait and watch. They say it right when they say that everything will eventually find its place no matter how long it takes. The years of grinding have created a second lock, which is more aesthetic rather than functional.

This picture clearly shows that things that usually last are not just simply drawn but are carved out through time.

When One Seat Is Used The Most

This seat has been considerably worn down as compared to the other seats in the same row. We have all been there where we wish to sit straight in front of the screen to have a better viewing angle. This seat is telling the same kind of story and it must have seen a lot of action. It is the “best seat in the house” and that’s why people are tempted to sit on it over and over again.

Who knows maybe this seat is reserved for the free ticket winners. On the other hand, the condition of the seat doesn’t look good, so maybe it’s time to change it.

Progression Of A Broom

We can see the beginning, middle, and end of a broom's story here. And is it just us or corn brooms are way better than plastic ones? Our favorite is the middle one because the brand new one is too flimsy, and that small one is useless. The middle one is just firm enough for good use. This cute little broom family has been working at a machine shop for generations.

The brooms work during the daytime and the witches take them out during the nighttime (see what we did here). Well, at least we didn’t say that these brooms belong to Orlando Bloom’s family.

One Received 32 Years of Love, Other Is Still In Pristine Condition

A lot of love can spoil a person or even a doll. We can see that this doll has received a lot of affection over the years. After getting all the kisses and hugs for 32 years, the doll still has a smiling face. It's true that her clothes are missing, her hair is gone, she is messy and she has lost the white in her eyes, but we have a feeling that it still has lots more love to give and receive.

You can just see how well loved this little doll was, and how happy she made the kid that owned her.