Waiting in one of the millions of loud, busy lines for one of Japan’s countless bustling ramen joints would never clue you into the experience awaiting inside.

When they call you in to sit, you better be ready – ready to eat, and ready to be silent. If it’s your first time trying authentic Japanese ramen, this won’t be difficult – the intense richness of the flavor will smack you across the face and stun you into silence anyways. But beyond that, you’ll come to realize that quiet is custom: a sign of enjoying the food, a sign of making progress on the food, and most importantly, a sign of respect.

When you eat ramen in Japan, you have a job to do, even if you’re meant to enjoy doing it. You eat in silence, savoring the experience. You eat as soon as its served, so as not to mess with the freshness. And you don’t get up to do anything – yes, that even includes a trip to the bathroom – until you finish. The chef can and probably will be offended.

You don’t want to be the person that taints this sacred experience – so before your ramen venture, here are the 5 things you need to remember about this incredible cuisine:

1. Don’t talk while eating

Talking is actually forbidden while dining on ramen. You won’t see it written down anywhere, because it’s such an old custom that everyone already knows it. The food is the masterpiece at hand, and its master – the chef – requires respect.

2. Start with the broth

Making ramen is a tedious process that requires cooking broths for hours. It’s the real star of the show, and the noodles are a (delicious) vessel to tide you over between bowls. Sip slowly.

3. Slurp loudly

Slurping does two jobs at once: it cools the broths and noodles down for you to eat sooner (and faster), and also lets the chef know how much you’re enjoying their culinary art!

4. Eat fast

Ramen is meant to be eaten fast. Because the noodles continue to cook as they’re in the broth, they shouldn’t sit for too long, and they definitely can’t be made to wait for you to begin eating.

5. Pair with a brew

It’s customary these days to wash your hot bowl of ramen down with a cold bubbly glass of one of Japan’s lagers.

Now you are ready for the art of ramen!

There are so many things that seem ordinary but when compared with other things, the result changes one’s perspective. For example, the gigantic heights a cactus can reach, or the real size of some animals or their body parts compared to that of humans. So, sit back and enjoy this wide variety of comparisons of objects, facts, and lots more.

The first toe of the husband is perhaps the ideal definition of a big toe. It looks quite bigger than other toes. In comparison to that of the wife, it’s quite funny because hers will count as another toe on someone else’s foot.

The big toe is referred to as “big” for a reason. Of all the five toes or six in some unusual cases, it is the biggest. Some individuals even have it as the longest of all their toes. Although for some it isn’t. However, in some cases like this, some people tend to have small “big toes”.

The difference between the two is glaring. The Walmart strawberry looks conventional – the shape is what many are familiar with — judging from images on the internet, past purchases, and more. Looking closely at the picture, although both are strawberries, the one on the right certainly looks different.

The garden strawberry is wider, bigger, and has quite a different shape. A couple of reasons could be attributed to why the strawberries are not similar in shape, size, and also color. It could be the soil type, climate, or any other reason — overall it’s a good comparison.

There are lots of big animals in the wild. When viewed from afar, these animals are not well captured — at least their size isn’t well depicted.

An example of such an animal is a moose. A picture of a moose at a close range shows this mammal is bigger than an SUV vehicle. Its stature and size are huger than it appears on TV since they are most times captured from a distance. Comparing the moose in the picture to vehicles nearby makes it easy to size it up and measure the exact size.

Cactus is common in places with low water content. It is known to thrive well with a small water supply. However, not so many people are aware of how big it grows. Common cactus can grow up to the waist level or a bit above.

The one in the image is just mind-blowing and on another level. It’s many times the height and width of the usual type. It’s even way taller than humans. It looks more like a huge tree than a cactus plant. The cactus here is a clear demonstration of how big some things can be.

The basketball legend, Shaquille O’Neal’s size 22 shoe is quite big. It’s as big as a full-size basketball. Ordinarily, one would have expected the basketball to be a lot larger than the shoe.

However, this goes to show how long and large the feet of basketballers can be. Well, this is expected considering their height and huge body. It’s only natural for them to have a corresponding foot size.

Acacia Erioloba is a weird species of plant. Many plants grow thorns but not as big as that of the Acacia Erioloba. Its thorn can pierce the palm lengthwise (not even sideways).

Each of the thorns that grow on it can be as long as 4 to 5 inches — yes, it is that long. This is a simply mind-blowing comparison considering the few centimeters many types of thorn measure. The Acacia Erioloba is not a common thing, yet when in a dense bush, it’s important to be watchful.

At a point in history, the biggest ship in history is the Titanic. This over 800 feet longship was considered massive at the time — a wonder on the ocean waters.

The unfortunate event that affected the 53,000 tons ship is a known story. What is worth comparing is the size of modern-day cruise ships. They can weigh about 200,000 tons, and measure more than 1200 feet long. Despite the sad events of Titanic, engineers did not back out. Now, these gigantic cruise ships have traveled successfully around the world.

Staring at a traffic light from afar, the pole holding it up is obviously tall, but what about the part that displays the light? Some traffic lights look small because they are hung high.

The elevation can be deceiving, in the actual sense, the traffic light can be taller than an average man and even bigger. One wouldn’t know until a human stays next to it. Regardless of the size in the picture, some traffic lights are really small and not bigger than a human.

As expected, the penny manufactured back in the 1800s looks bigger. Perhaps it was manufactured quite big to give a sense of holding something tangible.

It looked dark, bold, and big. In recent times, the size has changed to a smaller type. Well, this is not surprising since so many things have seen a size reduction. The recent penny looks modern, appealing, and portable. Of course, the value has changed over time — with the new type suffering a decline.

A comparison of devices from the past and present has been amazing but this particular one is especially fascinating. Imagine wanting to use a calculator, to do that, one has to drive down a place and enter a big room to do so — funny right?

However, that was the reality in 1946 — a calculator was a big room. 70 years later, things have changed. With a small device, like a mobile phone, a calculator of any capacity can be accessed. It’s an improvement worth examining, a lovely mind-blowing comparison.

Hailstone can seem small until one holds it. Whatever size one has in mind will change on seeing the one in the picture. It’s bigger than a pebble or a small piece of stone. With this size, one can only imagine what it can do on vehicles.

Hailstones are not common, yet when it does happen, it can be disastrous. That’s why many advise against parking vehicles in the open when hailstones are forecasted to drop in a certain region. In some parts of the world, it doesn’t or almost never occurs.

Many people have heard or read about Kiwis. This type of bird is not common. Due to this, many just know the name of the bird but can’t place an image to it, and as such, knowing its real or average size is somewhat difficult.

As shown in the picture, a kiwi is sizeable and bigger than most birds. It has a good height and is quite big. The shape can be compared to that of a hen. An additional fascinating fact is the beak of the Kiwi — its beak can be 4-5 inches.

The arctic was extremely cold and full of ice. The sky around the location is usually foggy gloomy. Needless to say, the water body is also always so cold and icy. Comparing the condition to that of today, a lot has changed.

First, there isn’t some much ice as before. A great quantity has dissolved. Additionally, the sky is brighter, and the water body is not the icy type anymore. It’s just evidence of what global warming has done. Not many people know the effect of global warming — here’s evidence.

There is a common statute that many have seen. Although, not so many people know the statute as David. Many may have spotted it in movies or popular pictures. It may have appeared to be the size of an actual human.

However, Michelangelo’s statue is a lot bigger. This work of art measures about 17 feet. At that height, it’s like 3 times taller than an average man. As seen in the picture, it would require a kind of elevation to reach the top of the sculpture before anything can be done to it.

Ever been to a candlelit area? The beauty of the reddish-yellow and a mix of blue is always a lovely sight. When the burning flame is compared to that of space which is Microgravity, there is a stark contrast.

The one in space burns pure blue; a light and lovely blue color. Besides the color is also the shape of the flame. The shape of the flame on a burning candle at night is quite slim and much taller than that of space. In space, the candle burns in a dome shape.

The tomato known today is reddish and of average size. A test was carried out to see the difference between a modern grown tomato and the type grown about two centuries ago. To get the test done, a seed from about 150 years ago was planted in the garden.

After some time, the result is a purple/wine colored tomato. It also looked bigger than the modern type. This old tomato is not common anymore except for some places in Europe. Some Europeans grow this type of tomato due to some that have access to old artifacts.

The human eyes see clearly. In fact, when compared to many electronic devices, the eyes have higher megapixels. While that is fascinating, there is more, the eyes of birds are not only as sharp as the human eyes but also in some cases, birds see more complex colors.

Their eyes project something more colorful than human eyes. Looking at the image, one cannot help but wish to swap eyes with birds just enjoy some views better. As mentioned above, the color difference isn’t applicable in all situations.

Mushrooms have been in existence for many years. In many places, the type that grows is edible. The surprising thing here is that although mushrooms grow small and very close to the ground, in the image, the height of the mushrooms shows how tall some can be.

The species here grow so high that they reach a bit higher than the ankles. The height isn’t only surprising, the size and thickness are also notable. This isn’t a conventional mushroom.

A deck as seen in the image was used to describe how the tide works. How it feels up in place and leave the area empty after some time. It’s just so blowing that words can’t describe the awesomeness of the tide.

The image is just apt; it shows the details such that there isn’t a need to find words. The entire deck and surrounding areas were all filled up, and in just 12 hours, the water is gone — leaving dry land. If this was narrated, it would be hard or even impossible to believe.

Inventions have changed the method of doing things, but more importantly, it has brought about more ease than one can imagine. Making a quality video recording required many devices to get a needed job done; a screen for display, a cam recorder, tape, and more.

Fast forward to recent times, and you only need one device to do all these things. With just a smartphone, all these can be done with ease at the push of a button. Recording without carrying a load.

Genetics, according to science are hereditary. And the parents usually determine how the children will look. Well, in this case, the father didn’t have any say. The son is twice as tall and the same applies to the body size.

Ordinarily, it would be difficult to ever guess a man that size and height could birth a son like this. One should not be too quick to discard scientific knowledge on genetics since the mother is likely to be tall and well developed. He may have inherited it from the mother.

Michelin is known all over the world for manufacturing tires for automobiles. The image shows the biggest manufactured compared to the smallest. This is a huge difference which makes one wonder what type of vehicle uses a tire almost three times the height of humans.

It’s amazing and confusing — a little research could be fun. From small cars to trucks and big vehicles, automobiles need tires to move, so it’s inevitably necessary to purchase one. But of course, not a car, lorry, or Bus uses a tire that big.

Eating carrots is good to enrich the body with nutrients that help the eyes and improves the skin tone. As seen in the image, the huge contrast between an individual who eats carrots daily and those who don’t is clearly evident.

The carrot intake gave the skin a yellowish glow. For those who do not enjoy taking carrots, a dull skin tone is a result. The difference shows the importance of eating not just carrot, but fruits entirely. Fruits boost the skin condition, giving the body a sharp look and skin tone.

This is mind-blowing! What a change, what a creative innovation. In 1995, the storage device then was large and could only hold about 134 megabytes of space. Seeing the memory box (because that isn’t a memory stick) one can’t help but appreciate the improvement some 20 years later.

Just a small-sized object (flash drive) now holds about 128 GB of space. This is 100 times bigger in storage yet smaller in size to small memory type. A moment of appreciation to those who work tirelessly to make the world an easier place to live.

Humans can claim the most intelligent creatures but certainly not the biggest. The paw of a polar bear says it all. It’s huge, wide, and the nails are a lot longer than one can imagine.

In comparison, the human hand is quite small and tiny. Now here’s a blowing thing, even if an average-sized human with fairly big hands competes with a polar bear in terms of size, it will require two palms to equal that big size. Quite a mind-blowing comparison.

The size of the books of A Song of Ice and Fire and the same books in braille is just a mind-blowing comparison. The braille version of the books is the captivating thing in this comparison.

About twelve boxes holding the material to be read — for just a few books. Someone once commented that blind people who can purchase braille for books do well to lend them to others, considering the number of boxes and the cost — isn’t that true in this case also?

A tablet makes reading easy and a bulk of other activities. For reading particularly, tablets with Kindle installed can access close to 1500 books with colored images and a back cover. Everything will appear similar to a real book except it can be held literally.

To keep books of just 1000 pieces, a shelf and room would be needed. Compare that to having a tablet, it’s like carrying a huge shelf around, except it won’t be heavy or too big to carry around. It’s an outstanding improvement that has made reading more appealing and stress-free.

NBA players are known to have it big; big body, big height, and big hands. The hand is expected to be big considering the overall body size.

Compared to an average individual with average body size, there is a big difference. The comparison in the image shows the mind-blowing difference. The fingers are long and the palm looks wider. Well, it isn’t that an average person has small hands, it’s just that the NBA players have unusually large types.

Wombats are common in some zoological gardens and parks around the world. Many have heard of a wombat, but they do not know much about this lovely species. Wombats share some characteristics with rodents.

The body makeup is hairy and the face has some similarities with that of the mouse. Contrary to what some people think, a wombat is not so small, rather, it’s a sizeable animal that can fill up the arms. It can grow high as 1 meter, as much as 100cm — quite bigger than many expected, it can weigh up to 77 lbs.

The human tooth is strong but not as big and as long as the Tyrannosaurus tooth. The Tyrannosaurus tooth is so long that it goes all the way to the upper arm from the fingers. The T-Rex is believed to have existed lots of years ago.

Comparing the teeth to that of humans is simply hilarious. Imagine it opening its jaws and chewing on something. Of course, the image is not the actual tooth, but this representation which is made of cast describes the size well. With the size, one can picture the size of animals — obviously huge.

A Chevy Camaro was fast in the late 1960s. It could clock a good speed of 60mph in just 7.4 seconds. This is a good speed at the time. And checking out the outlook of the car, it was classy and a tasteful choice for many.

Comparing that piece of work to the 2014 Camry, a lot has changed. Even though the Camry is no way near being a sports car, it reaches a speed of 60mph in 6.2v seconds. Additionally, the aesthetics are way better and more improved. It’s an in and out transformation.

Seeing Dwayne Johnson’s tall and hefty size, one might think nobody can any bigger. However, this is not the case. There are NBA players who are way more huge and taller than he is.

Even though he measures an impressive 6’5, 265 Pounds, some people weigh a bit more and are slightly taller — such an imposing stature. However, considering the sport they play, it is natural for them to have such height, and also a huge body. In some cases, NBA players can be as tall as 6’8, 275 Pounds.

A wind turbine is usually seen from a distance, and as true of many things seen from afar, the wind turbine usually looks small. At a close range, it’s a different story entirely.

The wind turbine is huge and takes a sizeable space. It can take about 50 persons if lined inside (it is that big). Seeing at a complete one, one wouldn’t know it’s so big. If one is fortunate to spot one under construction, then its actual size can be grasped.

In places like Utah and Illinois, there is a common sharp change in weather. Today it may be icy cold and snowy, and the next day, it’s clear and sunny. Unless told, it would be difficult to believe it snowed the previous day.

Usually, people take pictures of each day and the unique weather that comes with it. Not so many people can explain the reason for the weird change but after years of recurrence, it’s now a norm in those parts of the world. It may have some disadvantages, but many get accustomed to it over time.

Who doesn’t enjoy the sight of seeing monkeys hop from one tree branch to another — it’s certainly a lovely thing to see. However, monkeys that do this are usually big. Considering their size, one wouldn’t have thought they are so tiny at birth.

As depicted in the image, monkeys can be as little as the index finger. In a way, they are similar to rats at a tender age. It’s mind-blowing to see how big they grow at the adult stage. It’s a good comparison worth listing.

It may be hard to imagine it, but this adorable thumb-sized fish will grow into one of the ocean’s most feared predators – the swordfish. Known for their long sword-like bills, these predatory fish can grow up to ten feet long and weigh almost 1,500 pounds!

While marine biologists are not completely sure what the function of the fish’s “sword” is, they believe it helps to slash and injure prey making it easier for the fish to catch.

While this leopard may seem strange-looking, its soot-colored fur is actually the result of excessive black pigments in its skin and fur. Known as melanistic leopards because of the excessive amount of melanin, or dark pigment, these uniquely colored big cats are quite rare.

While some melanistic leopards may look completely black, the cat’s trademark spots and rosettes are still visible under direct sunlight. Scientists are not sure why, but it seems that this genetic mutation is more common in Asian leopards.

It’s always interesting to see just how powerful nature can be. One element, water, has the unique ability to physically transform landscapes. In the rural region of Vågsøy, Norway is a strangely-shaped rock known as Kannesteinen.

Shaped similarly to an hourglass or pitcher, the rock’s shape is the result of thousands of years of powerful waves and wind. These elements have slowly eroded the rock into the unique tourist attraction it is today.

In early 2022, the Australian states of New South Wales and Queensland were hit by above-average amounts of rain. This massive amount of rainfall created one of the worst flooding events in the history of the country.

This photograph captures the moment where floodwaters of the two areas meet with the Tasman Sea. With waters reaching more than 30 feet in some areas, many cities were practically submerged in the flood.

When you live near one of the most important space force stations in the world, you might see some interesting things in the sky above your home. This Reddit user snapped a picture of the sky after a rocket was launched from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

Chosen for its location near the equator, this site located on Florida’s east coast has been the site of various historic satellite and rocket launches.

In case koalas couldn’t be more adorable, a Reddit user shared a picture showing how the iconic marsupials are weighed. While we assume that this tree-themed scale is used to cause less stress to the animal, it definitely adds to the animal’s cute factor.

Koalas spend most of their lives high in the eucalyptus trees, so this koala-approved scale must feel like a second home. What a creative solution!

Most cat-owners know that getting a friendly lick from their feline friends is often a strange feeling. That’s because cats have unique tongues covered in somewhat rough formations called papillae. While domestic cat tongues are often said to feel like sandpaper, tiger tongues are even rougher.

Their tongues are so rough that they can lick away layers of flesh from a bone! In case you were already fearful of a tiger’s large size and claws, apparently, their tongues are just as dangerous!

Most of us are familiar with the iconic Christmas reindeer, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. It turns out that the Finnish government may have been watching the cartoon when they came up with the idea to paint the antlers of these reindeer.

The government applied a reflective paint to the antlers of some of the country’s reindeer in an effort to reduce road accidents. Unfortunately, their plan didn’t actually work as many of the reindeer scraped the reflective paint off.

It’s quite concerning to know that a man-eating reptile of this size can be dwelling in the waters near your home. For residents of Australia and some Asian countries, encounters with saltwater crocodiles is scarily common.

As the animal’s name implies, these not-so-gentle giants are just as comfortable in freshwater rivers as they are at the beach. Reaching lengths of more than 20 feet, and weighing more than a ton, you might want to think twice about going swimming!

Those with squeamish stomachs may want to look away. This huge beetle is known as an elephant beetle and is shockingly just one species of a large beetle. Found in the rainforests of Central and South America, these beetles can grow more than five inches in length.

Though they may look scary, these beetles are quite harmless and are even popular exotic pets. This picture shows just how large these colossal beetles can grow!

If you’ve ever needed another reason to avoid swimming in the deep ocean, here’s another one. This picture shows what a great white shark looks like mid-hunt. These sharks lurk deep below the surface as they wait for potential prey to appear above.

Then, using a mixture of speed and sheer force, the sharks rush to the surface to grab the animal. The momentum of the movement sometimes causes the sharks to actually go airborne!

We get it – clowns are pretty creepy. That said, this 1963 version of the McDonald’s mascot was just downright terrifying. Despite his less-creepy makeover a few decades ago, the iconic character was actually dropped from the restaurant’s advertising during the 2016 creepy clown sightings scare.

One study actually found that, after Santa Claus, Ronald McDonald is one of the most widely recognized characters by schoolchildren in the United States!

The ocean is full of fascinating creatures including this extremely large jellyfish known as the lion’s mane jellyfish. Reaching up to 120 feet from the top of its body to the end of its tentacles, this jellyfish looks like something out of a movie.

Luckily, humans don’t typically cross paths with these giants as they spend most of their lives in the open ocean. Like most jellyfish, however, the lion’s mane jellyfish has stinging tentacles full of neurotoxins. This is one animal you wouldn’t want to get too close to.

Before modern technology, medical students would gather in anatomical theaters to watch dissections of humans or animals take place. While it may sound grisly, these dissections offered invaluable learning experiences for students.

Even surgeons would sit in the theater in order to learn new techniques or information about human anatomy. This photo was taken in one of the world’s oldest remaining anatomical theaters in Sweden’s Uppsala University. We can’t imagine how many bodies have passed through this room!

It’s no surprise that most of an iceberg is actually submerged below the surface of the water. What is surprising, however, is just how massive icebergs can be. This photograph illustrates just how tiny this diver looks as they cruise under this colossal piece of ice.

Looking at this photo, it’s incredible to see how sunlight manages to peer through the ice’s cracks and seems to be the only source of light in that deep and dark water.

Canada is the country of lakes. The lakes in Canada are available in overwhelming numbers. In the entire world, Canada has the most lakes.

Well, that seems like a cool fact, but there’s more. If the lakes of each country in the world were numbered, the total number is not up to that of Canada. It means Canada has more lakes in the world than all the world lakes combined.

The size of Russia is simply enormous. It has the biggest land area in the world. In terms of land area, Canada and the United States combined still won’t be up to the size of Russia. Despite the big landmass, the population of Russia is just about 150 million.

As for Bangladesh, it has a small landmass and a population of about 170 million. Looking at the population of Russia, the population is little. And checking the map to see the small area of Bangladesh, and the number of people, the comparison with Russia is funny.

Coffee is a common morning drink across the world. The bitter taste is the signature of this drink alongside the fantastic aroma. Of the number of people who enjoy this drink, the city of New York seems to have the highest in America.

When compared to coffee drinkers around America, the number of coffee takers in New York is more. And it’s not just more; there are 7 times more coffee drinkers in New York than the rest of the US.

So military tanks can fly on a plane? Some aircraft can carry these heavy vehicles. In terms of strength, the military tank is one of the strongest and heaviest vehicles on earth. So, it comes as a surprise that a plane can fly it conveniently.

To know how heavy a tank is, the average type weighs about 50 tons! That’s a lot. A tank of that size can generate a speed of 70mph. But the way 300 humans can’t fly hours on the air except been in an aircraft, the same thing applies to the tank.

There are tall people all over the world. In sports like basketball, tall people are not difficult to find. The same way basketball has tall individuals, there is a country that all the males will conveniently make a basketball team in terms of height requirement.

On average, males in the Netherlands measure over 1.8 m. In the world, they are the tallest group of people. The Netherlands is a country located in Europe and over the centuries, the inhabitants are known to grow well in height — an amazing fact.