College prep algebra textbook will convince you that the Matrix is real
There are only a few things on the Internet that are so incredible, so improbable, so mind-blowing that they can stop you right in your tracks.
One of these things comes from an old photo of a college prep algebra textbook, uploaded to Reddit about a year ago:
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Look very closely at this image. What do you see?
It's not a rag-tag group of healthy, happy and diverse high school kids who just want to pass their SATs. That's only half the story.
If you look closely at the books in their hands, they're holding the exact same book that they happen to be posing for. Clasped in their young fingers are images of themselves, grasping more images of themselves, from here into eternity.
The photo was reposted on social media, understandably, and met with much confusion.
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How indeed?
While many people across the Internet have some conspiracy theories involving the space-time continuum to explain the photo, one commenter on Reddit resolved the issue by finding the presumed original photo:
The image comes from the stock photo website, 123rf.com, under the label "multicultural college students, male and female." By the devious use of Photoshop, the notebooks in each of the students' hands is replaced with the college prep textbook -- resulting in the mind boggling inception we have today.
The creators of the textbook responded to the Twitter hysteria as well.
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However, we're not totally convinced this was an innocent decision to get kids interested in math.
Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.
Andrea Romano -- comedy writer, craft enthusiast, lady -- was a Watercooler Reporter. She worked as an intern at Mashable beginning in January 2014. Andrea recently completed her Masters degree in Media Studies and Film from The New School and writes sketch comedy at Upright Citizens Brigade and The People's Improv Theatre. She once watched three Paul Rudd movies in a row on a bicoastal flight and didn't realize it until she landed. She does things like that a lot. Twitter: @theandrearomano
