Time waits for no man, nor anything really. Use, neglect, or just the simple passing of days and years, inevitably, end up leaving a mark on everything and everyone. Like a canyon being worn down by the flow of water over thousands of years, everyday use can leave its own impact, from grove marks to wear and tear. 

People across the net share the interesting effects of time and use on everyday items. While not intentional, the incremental, tiny changes add up, creating a sort of organic, new art. So get comfortable, settle into your favorite chair, and scroll through. Upvote the most interesting examples and be sure to comment your thoughts below.

#1 A Black Shirt Of Mine That Got A Solar Tie-Dye Job After Years Of Being Crammed In The Back Of My Car

Image credits: IntrepidFlow

#2 Generations Of Bunnies Have Worn A Perfect Groove In My Neighbor's Fence

Image credits: justin_memer

#3 Family Heirloom Watch That Was Passed Down To Me. Traces Of The Family Photo Carried On The Back Are Still Visible

Image credits: IncandescentSquid

Time really doesn’t treat everyone and everything equally. By one’s late forties, it’s easy to see what people have “aged well” or “aged poorly,” while in objects, certain materials hold up a lot better than others. A car, left in a field for decades will inevitably begin rusting down into nothing over time, while plastic and glass, unless there is some significant force, will be around for centuries.

Some of the largest examples of this are in nature, where water, wind, and sun have been steadily working before we had even emerged from the oceans. The Grand Canyon, for example, took the Colorado River around five to six million years or “work,” wearing down rocks piece by piece. 

#4 My Parents' Cat Always Follows The Same Path Through Their Garden

Image credits: thomerow

#5 Countless Hours Of Wind Moved The Chains To Get This Piece Of Art

Image credits: Richicash

#6 Organ Keys From The 1850s

Image credits: teflon42

Physicists and other scientists call this particular phenomenon entropy, as new matter or energy is never created, but everything slowly breaks down over time. Originally used in thermodynamics, most people know it from everyday occurrences in nature. Mountains get shorter, cliffs erode and dunes are slowly washed away. 

#7 A Broken Tube TV In My Work Has "Game Over" Burnt Into The Screen

Image credits: nordvplan

#8 Years Of Graffiti (Oakland, CA, 2012)

Image credits: Embarrassed_Yak4566

#9 Today On My Walk I Found An "Army Man" Embedded In The Sidewalk

Image credits: ARCWuLF1

Sometimes the combination of patterns creates a sort of emergent art piece, as colors and shapes are formed. Human beings have an amazing ability to find beauty in the most random collections of things, so it’s not surprising that many of these images were wildly popular on the net before being gathered here.

#10 Moss Growing On A Sign, But Only The Parts That Illuminate

Image credits: evilmanic

#11 Decomposed Jeans I Found On The Job Yesterday

Image credits: navybluetea

#12 My Dad Found A ~20-Year-Old Banana In His Coat Pocket

Image credits: The_GreatWhiteNorth

Other examples are more about satisfying human curiosity. From food items stashed away for decades to years of dust creating rug-like layers, most people might find these sorts of edge cases interesting, as we tend to not encounter them on a daily basis. It might be a great way how to satisfy that childhood curiosity of “What if?” 

#13 Four Leaf Clover My Great-Grandmother Found In 1922 In Her Diary

Image credits: tnick771

#14 23 Years Ago, My Girlfriend Was Given 2 Identical Stuffed Peter Rabbit Toys. One She Kept With Her At All Times (And Still Does), The Other Was Stored Away

Image credits: andyj85

#15 The Art And The Artist 11 Years Later

Image credits: Professional_Tea_

As Geoffrey Chaucer wrote, “Time and tide wait for no man,” which is a good lesson to remember, regardless of what you do, time will pass. An older form, “And te tide and te time þat tu iboren were, schal beon iblescet,” has been attributed to an 11th-century manuscript, but regardless of authorship, the idea stands. Most people prefer to not think too much about aging, but it’s unhealthy to deny the fact that we will age. 

#16 400-Year-Old Wooden Staircase In Prague

Image credits: Harristhehorrid

#17 500 Old Singles vs. 500 Brand New

Image credits: J_a_x_

#18 My Mother-In-Law Plays A Lot Of Yahtzee. Bottom Row Are Her Favorite Dice

Image credits: zeeow

So the images here also can be seen as quasi-educational, showing precisely how time (and tides, for that matter) wear things down. If you start to look carefully, you’ll find examples in most parts of life, from paths etched through grass where people want to cut a corner, to certain buttons in elevators being pressed significantly more frequently. 

#19 Tree Ate A Road Sign

Image credits: Environmental_Ad2203

#20 Madrid

Image credits: throwawaygamh

#21 All The Layers Of Paint On The Berlin Wall

Image credits: pa_instaking

Many of the examples here focus on paint, from graffiti to interior design. While each layer might seem tiny, just a millimeter thick, these pictures show just how quickly they add up. Jerry Seinfeld had a bit describing how repainting his apartment always made him nervous, as he could feel it “closing in” around him. 

#22 A Stop Sign In My Town Is So Old It's Becoming A Metal Band Logo

Image credits: FalconerGuitars

#23 The Stirring Pattern Formed Over Time In My Coffee Cup

Image credits: quietryet

#24 My Mom's Purse Was Stolen In The 80s At A Hiking Trailhead. Today Someone Found It. The Leather Was All Destroyed, But She Is Getting Some Cool Keepsakes Back

Image credits: CanisPecuarius

Seeing some of these images shows that in the long run, he is right. If a landlord (or series of landlords) are lazy enough, they will just paint over the previous layer, year by year. While this might actually help with insulation, the tenant is technically paying for a slowly shrinking apartment, which, at the very least, is an interesting metaphor for the housing crisis. 

#25 Same Size, Make And Model Boots, 1 Year Wear And Tear Of Working In A Mine

Image credits: Zedandbreakfast

#26 My Husband's Decade-Old Computer Chair vs. New One, The Same Model, I Am Suprising Him With

Image credits: cranberryleopard

#27 It's Safe To Assume Which Pocket My Husband Prefers To Keep His Phone In

Image credits: holmesla0319

One other fringe benefit is it’s a good way to see what products and brands know how to pass the test of time. Sadly, a lot of modern products are woefully designed and break down after a few years, if not a few months of use. Lists like this help separate the actually quality items from cheap copies. 

#28 Found A Go Pro That's Been In The Ocean For Roughly 2 Months, It Still Works

Image credits: Leazulzorro

#29 You Can See My Weight Loss Progress In My Work Belt

Image credits: Thsfknguy

#30 Reinforced Concrete Dissolved By Years Of Dog Urine

Image credits: RandomUsername12123

The last decade of mass smartphone use has been a great way for people to document all these interesting and curious findings, to such a degree that there are whole internet groups devoted to it. The “Mildly Interesting” subreddit is one such example. So if found that this list wasn’t enough, Bored Panda has got you covered, check out our other list of stuff that time left a mark on and this article about things that got really, really worn down. 

#31 A Gift Bag My Mom Has Been Reusing For 39 Years

Image credits: Ironthumb

#32 I Work At A Mini Golf Course. These Golf Balls Have Been Stuck In A Stream For So Long They Became Smooth

Image credits: The_Car_Fax

#33 Eiffel Tower's Stairs Are Slightly More Worn On The Inside Because Of People's Fear Of Heights

Image credits: TomLewisMan

#34 I Work In A School That Was Built In 1917. These Are The Stairs From Students Walking On Them For Over A Century

Image credits: HoLLyWoodxo

#35 After 4 Years Of Wearing This Sweatshirt To Work, A Completely Different Imprint Has Started To Appear Under The Original

Image credits: taltank

#36 Went Back To Office Today Since I Started Teleworking From Pandemic

Image credits: porchtoad77

#37 The Well-Worn Groove On This Step At Westminster Abbey, After 800 Or So Years Of Visitors

Image credits: bullfrogftw

#38 My Dress Shoe Sole Has Worn Out To Make It Look Like It Has An Eye On The Bottom Of It

Image credits: slyeguy25

#39 Years Of Paint Build-Up I Chipped Of An Old Trestle At Work

Image credits: AusShroomer

#40 The Way The Sticker On This Shampoo Bottle Has Worn Looks Like A Letter Tornado

Image credits: Foolwithaguitar

#41 The Wall After Countless Swipes With Key Cards

Image credits: Mekelaxo

#42 New vs. Old $20 Bills In ATM Dispenser

Image credits: delofan

#43 What Working And Sitting On The Same Spot For 41 Years Does To The Floor

Image credits: Sels31

#44 An Elderly Customer Came In Today With A McDonald's VIP Card

Image credits: ItzSurgeBruh

#45 My Old Next To My New Clogs

Image credits: Hier_Is_Sven

#46 This Door Keypad. Passcode Is 2929

Image credits: Cucumberia

#47 A Customer At My Work Paid With A Series 1934 $100 Bill

Image credits: ryaninflorida1

#48 Asphalt Over Tiles In A Waco, TX Parking Lot

Image credits: khard44

#49 Two-Decade-Old Nalgene vs. The New Replacement

Image credits: chrislon_geo

#50 I Work At A Whole Animal Butcher Shop And Finally Replaced My Primary Boning Knife After Three Years

Image credits: GruntCandy86

#51 The Door Handle To The Restroom At Work Is Marked By Wedding Rings

Image credits: BoardWithLife

#52 25 Years Of Burn-In On An Old Pacman Arcade Screen

Image credits: rexmons

#53 Finally Got A New Phone Cord At Work

Image credits: wvbeergirl

#54 A New Keyboard Cover Just Came In, I'm A Writer With A Bad Habit Of Hard Typing

Image credits: Telutha

#55 The Sun Has Changed The Meaning Of This Sign

Image credits: cyberchief

#56 This Clock Has Been Around My Office For More Or Less 20 Years. It Is Disintegrating On The Sunny Side

Image credits: reddit.com

#57 I'd Been Looking For A Replacement Blanket For My Favorite Wamsutta Comforter. Top Is The One In Use For 40+ Years. Bottom Is The Replacement

Not the exact same colors, but this definitely shows the difference use over time makes!

Image credits: wyueprouqi

#58 Wooden Dog Sculpture In The Local Park Got A Little Mycology Make-Over

Image credits: LacedBerry

#59 This Laminated Paper Sign Has Turned Into A Bag Full Of Water

Image credits: Rainebowraine123

#60 I Left The Key In The Shed Door During A Very Windy Night And The Keyring Wore A Circle Into The Wood

Image credits: nodnodwinkwink

#61 Store Clerk's Counter

Image credits: Mister1two

#62 1990 vs. 2020. My Dad's College Hat vs. My Future College Hat

Image credits: SCFootballFan

#63 The Staircase On This Ship Where You Can See That The Majority Of People Step Down Left Foot First

Image credits: Orcus_

#64 Abandoned Audi TT Quattro Along With A Lot Of Other Abandoned Cars UK

Image credits: Dabmasterrick

#65 1995 Zippo, Before And After. One Day It Will Look Like It Did Before The Sanding And Polish

Image credits: nothing_fancy21

#66 I Think I Just Discovered "Sprite" Logo Inspiration

Image credits: NotThingRs

#67 Zion National Park

Image credits: Equivalent-Work2867

#68 My Husband’s Work Boots. Brand New And Used About 4 Months. Yes, That’s The Steel Toe Showing

Image credits: photogra_vix

#69 On The Left: Brand New Hedgehog Dryer Buddy, And On The Right: Dryer Buddy After Approx. 12 Years Of Use. They Are Thrown In The Dryer With Clothes To Help Fluff Them

Image credits: becks6405

#70 This Penny Was Stuck In A Crack Inside The Washer

Image credits: undeadkitty12

#71 The Way This Worn Seat Reveals How The Colored Dot Pattern Is Created

Image credits: kelptron8207

#72 Sink Worn By Years Of Dripping Soap

Image credits: centro99

#73 Old vs. New Shopping Cart Wheels

Image credits: PabloPipe

#74 The Spot Where Everyone Stands In This Elevator In Belgium

Image credits: Prestigious-Wish-176

#75 My Vans And My New Vans. These Are The Same Color

Image credits: reddit.com

#76 I Didn't Realize How Faded My Headlights Were Until I Changed Them (2008 Peterbilt)

Image credits: FinzClortho

#77 Brass Hammer. 1 Year Of Use vs. Brand New

Image credits: Iversonji

#78 I Found A Car In Toronto Overgrown With Plants, On A Busy Street Parked Beside Other Cars

Image credits: SmoothBrein

#79 Whiskey Turned Black After 7 Days In A Flask

Image credits: Jumanji4ever

#80 The Red Came Off This "No Smoking" Sign

Image credits: ALegitimatelyCoolGuy

#81 I Work Near A Pool, And All My Tape 'Grows'

Image credits: thesuperzapper

#82 The Printer Ink At My Work Created Stalagmites

Image credits: DIARRHEA_BALLS

#83 Look How Thick The Layers Of All These Posters Are On This Lamppost In Berlin, Germany

Image credits: MaxLamborghini

#84 Old Tape Measure vs. New

Image credits: Fripsle

#85 My More Than 10-Year-Old Wallet vs. A New One Of The Exact Same Design

Image credits: Blitzkreeg21

#86 This Quarter From 1876 Is Worn Almost Completely Flat

Image credits: IcyHotRyan

#87 “Don’t You Dare Try To Upsell Me Sir. Just Do The Damn Oil Change”

Image credits: ohmygodrob

#88 The Milk Bags Have Colored Their Shelves

Image credits: mattcoady

#89 Marks On The Floor From Steel Fittings Being Dropped Throughout The Years

Image credits: itsboutsammichtime

#90 Table Hockey Puck After About Four And A Half Years Of Playing. New One On The Left For Comparison

Image credits: fjontos

#91 The Buttons That Contain The Numbers For This Door Code Are Significantly Faded

Image credits: dudeveau

#92 Someone Dropped This Off, Check That Screen Burn. It’s Off

Image credits: flamewingdragon

#93 My Coworker Drags The Front Of His Foot When He Walks

Image credits: PhilsPhoreskin

#94 My Parents' Mailbox Has Been Whittled Down A Bit After Getting Weed Whacked For 50 Years

Image credits: LordOwenTheThird

#95 Chocolate That Nobody Opened For 2 Years

Image credits: Due-Caterpillar-2097

#96 The Worn-Down Parts On This Statue At Zion National Park

Image credits: dominicthomas09

#97 My Work Received A Haribo Gummy Bears Bag Which Congealed Into A Mass

Image credits: qwertythe300th

#98 Left A Wet Post It Note By Accident On Our Quartz Island, Now The Note Is Embedded

Image credits: RecognitionNo6426

#99 New Retainer vs. Old Retainer

Image credits: Spzncer

#100 Non-Yellowing Case After Two Years Of Use Compared To New

Image credits: dr_wonder

#101 A New Notebook Next To The One I Used Last Year

Image credits: pgc049

#102 UV Damage On A Red Plastic Box That Sat In A Window For 15+ Years vs. The One (Same Age) Kept Away From The Sunlight

Image credits: mi-nigle

#103 Found An Original Glass Bottle Of Crystal Pepsi, With Foam Label, While Cleaning Out My Mother-In-Law's Place

Image credits: woofiegrrl

#104 The Cold Weather Brought Back My Car's Window Sticker From Years Ago

Image credits: superchilidoge

#105 3 Days Of Studio Work, Barely Hanging On

Image credits: kgofcourse

#106 This Pair Of Shoes I Found Encased In A Hundred-Year-Old Concrete That's Been Eroded Over Time By A Waterfall

Image credits: seang_photo

#107 The Wear From The Cashier's Shoes At This Shop's Checkout

Image credits: Seitbeginnboombap

#108 This Is What 10 Years Of Heavy Smoking Did To My Grandma's Carpet

Image credits: jferg4802

#109 A Giant Globe At My Library Has A Worn-Down Spot Where Little Kids Put Their Fingers On Where We Live

Image credits: redleafwater7

#110 A Beer After Leaving It Out For A Week

Image credits: 8you2

#111 My Socks Have Worn Out In The Shape Of A Frowny Face

Image credits: DinoGuy2000

#112 Nobody Wants A Car Wash

Image credits: never_go_full_potato

#113 Exact Same Rubber Fingertip. Left One Has Flipped Through Hundreds Of Thousands Of Pages, Right One Is Brand New

Image credits: choderama

#114 Recently I Replaced The Smoke Detector. This Is What 20+ Years Of Smoke Detection Does

Image credits: Azzarrrr

#115 For 7 Years, Half Of This Deck Has Been Used To Play Euchre. The Other Half Has Been Relatively Untouched

Image credits: HavinABajaBlast

#116 My Dad And Grandpa Got Matching Bibles In 1975. One Was Used, Other Wasn't

Image credits: mccartneys

#117 Double Copper Hammers. New vs. 8 Years Of Use

Image credits: SuperHeavyHydrogen

#118 Well-Worn Mouse

Image credits: 12angelo12

#119 The Crocs I've Been Wearing As My Everyday Shoes For 6 Years vs. A Brand New Pair

Image credits: procrastinatador

#120 You Can See Where People Nap In The Breakroom

Image credits: TheEvilBunnyLord

#121 Brand New Laundry Dye Catcher vs. One Used For About A Year

Image credits: YouInSea12

#122 Worn Down Escalator Landing: Left Foot vs. Right Foot

Image credits: GrandDukeConnie

#123 Same Wallet: 6 Years Of Daily Use vs. Brand New Replacement

Image credits: drunkfishes

#124 My Coworker Drags The Front Of His Foot When He Walks

#125 This Laminated Paper Sign Has Turned Into A Bag Full Of Water