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40 Times People Had No Clue What They Found, But The Internet Solved The Mystery (New Pics)
Curiosity is a beautiful thing to have. We would never have culinary classics like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches if no one ever thought about pairing the two flavors together. And thinking outside the box is a requirement for innovation.
So if you happen to stumble upon something that you’ve never seen before, we encourage you not to ignore it. But instead, to wonder what in the world it is. In the spirit of being curious, we took a trip to the “What is this thing?” subreddit and gathered some of their most interesting pics below. Enjoy scrolling through these mysterious items, and be sure to upvote the ones that you would have needed to ask the internet about too!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
A Stone Object With Tiny Carved Stone Pieces Inside It
It’s a seal/stamp set. If the bottom of each small pieces are smooth, they are for you to custom to carve your name (pen name). A lot of workshops in China can do it easily. Maybe your local China town will be able to do it as well. Cool stuff.
Probably too much additional info, the words on the top of the box is 东壁图书，it should mean “the two stars 东and 壁, rule over all the books and graphs in the world”, it comes from some old Chinese poetry: 东壁图书府，西园翰墨林。 诵诗闻国政，讲易见天心。 位窃和羹重，恩叨醉酒深。 缓歌春兴曲，情竭为知音。
Roughly translated in: In the east, a library grand, In the west, a forest of brush in hand. Through poetry, the nation’s course we hear, Through the Book of Changes, heaven’s will appears.
A high station, honored, yet lightly borne, With gratitude for favors deep as morn. Soft songs evoke the joy of spring, True friendship inspires the heart to sing.
Nice Beast Ludo 2 weeks ago
I love it. I love the translated poetry and I would love a stamp set like this. Beautiful
RELATED:
#2
Found This Cabinet Door In Our New House. What Is This Supposed To Be Used For?
Storing baking trays right next to the oven.
detective miller's hat 2 weeks ago
We had one of these in my parents' old house, I totally forgot about that!!
#3
Foot And A Half Long Fabric Cushion Hanging From Interior Hotel Door Knob
It's to keep the door from closing. You put a loop on each side of the door handle and the cushion keeps the door from latching so you can bring in luggage, etc.
Have you ever come across an item that made you wonder, “What the heck is this?” You may have found a peculiar object lying in the street, noticed something strange in your partner’s kitchen or come across a puzzling object at a thrift store. In these moments, Google can’t always provide the help we need. It’s hard to describe something when you have no idea what it’s called or where it came from, but r/Whatisthisthing will always have your back.
This community has been around for 15 years and has amassed an impressive 2.9 million members. That means, if you reach out to them asking for help identifying an item, there are nearly 3 million people who will be willing to get to the bottom of what it is. Even if the object is a hundred years old or was found in your grandmother’s attic, you won’t have to wonder about what its purpose is for long.
#4
Just Moved Into A New Apartment, Didn’t Notice This On First Walk Though. What Is It? (Three Wooden Sticks Painted White, On Hinge That Lets Them Swing, By Backdoor)
A classic old school towel drying rack.
#5
What Are The Little Finger-Sized Pockets For On This Leather Jacket?
Shotgun shells. It’s a hunting jacket.
Brier Random 2 weeks ago
And the padded shoulder is where the rifle or shotgun rests on the shoulder of a right-handed hunter.
#6
This Came In A Swag Bag At A Career Fair. It Is Two Buttons On Either Side Of An Elastic Strip. No Holes. What Is This?
Ear saver for n95 mask. Hook the elastic over the buttons instead of your ears.
It’s probably not going to be every day that you discover something you’ve never seen before. But when these rare moments do happen where you find yourself asking what an item is, it’s nice to have a game plan to figure it out.
According to the Science & Industry Museum in Manchester, the first step is checking for clues about where the object came from. For example, you might be able to spot a brand name, a serial number, the manufacturer’s name, the year it was created, etc. Any information you can find on the item might be helpful in your search!
#7
Heavy Metal Cone With Some Sort Of Measuring Markings On It, Has Threads On The Inside
Your post indicates you may possibly be in possession of unexploded ordnance (UXO).
Multa Nocte 2 weeks ago
Have you tried hitting it with a large hammer to see what happens? ;-)
#8
What Did I Find? Found Underneath A Bathroom Vanity During Remodeling. They Are Small About 2 Inches Long. Little Glass Tubes Filled With Liquid
Looks like antique perfume ampules. Also called perfume nips.
#9
Metal Sphere Found Floating In Ocean On Se Alaskan Coast
Ship captain here. On the gooseneck vents that ships and boats have on deck, there's a wire mesh screen right at the bottom of the opening and inside is a spherical aluminum ball. If water comes up on deck the ball will float up and plug the tube that comes from the ballast tank, water tank, fuel tank, void space or whatever it is. I've got three spares in my deck locker that look just like that.
Next, start searching online using keywords that might help you identify the strange object. These words might include the color, the shape, the material and more. It’s also important to consider where you found the item, even if it might not seem relevant at first. If something ended up at a garage sale or flea market, it can be difficult to track down its origin. But keep in mind the part of the country you’re in, who was selling it and more. Every item has a story, and it’s fascinating to connect all of the dots of an object’s journey!
#10
Small Handheld Thing In A Ring Box Has An Electric Coil On The Bottom Of The Insert
It's a crystal radio. The galena crystal is on top (whisker) and the coil on the bottom.
David 2 weeks ago
I remember playing with a crystal radio many years ago. They are kind of 'magical' because they look more or less like a rock, some metal and a cheap ear bud. No power, nothing fancy. They are a bit fiddly to tune in a station but once you do, it's weird listening to the radio over basically nothing. They are not going to replace my 7.1 surround system, but still cool. :)
#11
What Is This Thing? Found In A Creek Bed That I Explored Yesterday. It Is 17.8 Pounds And 5 Inches In Diameter. It Was Found In Kentucky
It’s called 18 pound round shot and was used on US, French, and British ships, so it came from a ship near there. It’s solid iron.
It’s round shot that can only be used in smooth bore cannons, so it could be Civil War or could be revolutionary war. Look into if there were any battles near there and you can find more provenance.
#12
Large Random Concrete "Steps" In A Field Outside Castle Cary, Somerset
It’s a spillway for the river. If the river floods it should flow out there before breaking the bank elsewhere. The steps are to slow down the water so it causes less erosion.
Once you’ve established what exactly an item is, it’s also a good idea to seek out any information you can find from museums or online records about where exactly it came from and if there’s anything about that specific one that makes it special. For example, it might have been created for one purpose and then adapted to do something else over time. Or it might have had significance in the media, if it was featured in a particular film or book in the past. Even something as simple as an antique toaster might have a unique story.
#13
Raised Circles That Just Showed Up On My Wall Within The Past Day
Sheetrock nails that are working out. Wall has flexed causing the nail heads to pop out.
#14
What Is This Small, Intricately Carved Thing I Found At An Estate Sale, And What Is It Made Of?
It is part of a cover for a 19th/20th century Qing Dynasty Chinese gourd cricket cage. Probably ivory, possibly bone. There would have been a carved lattice base as well as a wood collar, all fitted to a gourd container.
Here is a nice complete one.
https://www.zacke.at/auction/lot/9-an-ivory-and-gourd-sanyang-cricket-cage-qing-dynasty/?lot=38580&sd=1
Here is one missing the part you have. https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/chinese-carved-gourd-cricket-cage-61-c-c4b4b99a4f
#15
What’s This Thing In The Background Of The Office? Light Beige Plastic, Has A Brown Wall Mount And What Looks Like A Cord. Was In The Kitchen Area
Early 1980s model Black and Decker SpotLiter brand rechargeable flashlight.
Peter Bear 2 weeks ago
Whoa, core memory unlocked. My dad had this exact flashlight when I was a kid!
One wonderful thing about the age that we live in is having access to unlimited information on the internet. And with that, we have unlimited access to connections as well. Internet sleuths are incredibly impressive nowadays, and if you can’t find something out on your own, there’s an extremely high chance that someone else can help you out. That niche item that’s been sitting in your father’s garage for decades can easily be identified by groups like r/Whatisthisthing.
#16
Strange Brick Room In Our 1860s House
Could it be a dairy room?
A dairy room was a space on a farm where cheese and butter were prepared. It was often part of the farm kitchen for sanitary reasons and ease of access. Over time, the milk room became a separate farm structure or part of the barn.
http://researchingfoodhistory.blogspot.com/2018/04/dutch-dairies.html?m=1
BoredLittleLeafSheep 2 weeks ago
Possibly a cold room, used to store preserved foodstuffs (like a root cellar but not underground).
#17
Gifted From A Student. Two Small Crystal Balls With A Hook That Has A Suction Cup On It. The Balls Each Have A Little Hole And A Little Divot. Any Ideas?
Pretty sure they're suncatchers. The suction cup hook is to hang them on a window pane
Brier Random 2 weeks ago
Furthermore: A “sun catcher” is a cut glass ornament that, when hung in a window, causes sunlight to hit it and throw rainbows around the room.
#18
The Yellow Thing In The Firefighters Hand, It Looked Like He Held It Up To My Peep Hole
I cannot tell the model from the back of that fuzzy pic but it is a gas leak detection unit.
Heras buddy 2 weeks ago
Gas can leak around the seals of a door. Holding the detector next to the door you may get a reading.
And if you want to start seeking out mysterious items that you’ll then have to identify online, you might want to start frequenting your local thrift stores, antique malls, estate sales, garage sales and more. Don’t be afraid to dig through every item until you find something that puzzles you, and if it’s sold at a low price, you can take it home with you! The hunt is so much fun, and you might even discover something that’s incredibly valuable.
#19
Clear Glass Warped Window Pane (Decoration?), UK Pubs, Shops And Houses. Found On A Door Or Window With Other Normal Glass Window Panes
It's called bulls eye glass. An homage to the way glass sheet used to be made
#20
Space Capsule Looking Thing Going Through My Town
This is one of the Orion “boilerplates” that’s used for training and testing. This one appears to be a low-fidelity mockup that would be used for testing splash-down forces and then to train capsule recovery procedures.
CrunChewy McSandybutt 2 weeks ago
I saw the real capsule in Huntsville, Alabama. It's the same size as this one but has extensive heat scarring.
#21
Found A Small Black (Plastic?) Bar Wired Directly Into My Outlet
Sure looks like a listening device to me. This is common to wire into a direct power source. Fun fact: watch batteries were invented to prolong surveillance devices and allow smaller listening devices. It also cut down on risk of sending someone in to constantly change out bugs. My favorite Place for fixed bugs is in the base of a lamp =P You should look into what we have nowadays. Credit cards with listening devices built in are pretty standard for informants(It's replaced having to carry a physical device to record/transmit which can be dangerous for informants.) Criminals nowadays will even demand to see your unlocked smart phone. Directional mics that can pick up vibrations on walls and windows and convert into sound are pretty cool. Cameras that send photons and receive the bounce patterns kinda like an infrared sensor to map out entire houses. Products ordered online and sent through Amazon, USPS, FedEx, UPS... can be intercepted and the device can be planted, item is repackaged with no signs of it being tampered with, then sent to individuals being surveyed.
Littlemiss 2 weeks ago
Holy canoli that's scary. I just watched a breakfast TV doco on a woman who's so called friend and neighbor planted listening devices in her house for no other reason than he could. The only reason he was caught was because he hadn't wiped the device properly and had a conversation taped of his wife talking on it which linked it back to him.
You also might learn about dozens of new items after scrolling through r/Whatisthisthing. You may encounter random kitchen tools, antique medical devices that nobody would use today and bizarre home decor that looks like it should be in a sci-fi film. Enjoy learning about all of these curious objects, and remember to help enlighten others who might ask about them in the future!
#22
Wooden Thing Sawed From A Single Piece Of Wood
Please do not use this book stand as a dish rack!!!
It is carved from a single piece of wood and made in uzbekistan. The word for them is either lauh or laukh, if you'd like to google it.
BTW, if you find plans or a video of one being carved, tag me. I'd love to see it done.
#23
Small Metallic Ball Found In My High Schooler’s Jacket Pocket, Has A Waxy-Ish White Piece Stuck Inside
That is beyond doubt a broken brass headed percussion mallet for bells/glockenspiel. The waxy part is the fiberglass handle of what's called a 'two-step' mallet, where the handle is fiberglass with a rubber coating on the end.
Source: percussionist and band director.
#24
Round White Item Found Diving In The Sea, The Material Is Hard, About 3 Cm In Radius, Fb Minden Written On It And A Number
FB Minden might stand for "Feuerbestattung" Minden - Minden crematory. I think you stumbled over a chamotte marker from a crematory that was used to track the identity of a body as it turned to ashes and was buried at sea.
Have you learned anything new by scrolling through this post, pandas? Keep upvoting the items that you find particularly surprising, and let us know in the comments below which ones you’d like to find yourself. Then, you can check out another Bored Panda list featuring even more curious items from “What is this thing?” right here!
#25
Found In Very Remote North Qld, Australia. About 2cm Long, No Markings. Appears To Be Copper And Plastic With A Microchip
That’s a glass RFID tag that’s been broken out of its glass capsule. I used to work for a company that sold these. It was either dropped by someone who was trying to insert it in an animal for tracking, or it was in an animal that was eaten.
Shelli Aderman 2 weeks ago
Before I saw the whole picture, I was going to say, “It’s a boot!” 🤣
#26
Found In A Shipwreck, Does Anyone Know What This Is? Small Yellowish Amber Vial With Clear Liquid Inside! In A Leather Corded Pouch. Vial Is About 1 Inch Long
Soviet perfume “Жасмин 76”.
#27
Concrete Tower Surrounded By A Cage South Of Washington, Ut
It reminds me of the drainage thingies (I’ve blanked on the word) that you see in man made bodies of water that allows them to drain.
The various holes allow water to drain out at a variable rate depending on the height of the water.
I wonder if there is a history of severe flooding in this location that may need a way to drain faster than nature would allow.
Edit looks like that’s it. See link below. First image in the “photos” section
https://damfailures.org/lessons-learned/all-dams-need-an-operable-reservoir-drain-system/
Maybe this was once a reservoir that is now dry and the water supply you describe is the replacement?
Edit again; looks like this type is called a spillway riser and is for smaller bodies rather than the huge reservoirs you sometimes see.
Edit one final time: fam outlet towers seems to get results too.
Also, why did I do that to myself? I have a fear of powerful running water (waterfalls, spillways etc) and yet i image searched a number of terms to get accurate info. Now I feel very unwell indeed.
Edit again because why not: found the proper nem, it’s a draw off tower. Yes, I am still googling, yes I am still freaking myself out.
#28
What Is This Round Device On A Stand In Front Of Olympic Trap Shooters?
That's the microphone that picks up the shooter saying "pull" to release the clay pidgeon. It makes it more consistent for the shooters to have the automatic system release the clay than it is for a human to listen and respond hitting the button to send it flying. Just makes the sport more fair, and eliminates the possibility for that human error that definitely exists when not using this system. Source: Was top of my trap shooting team and practiced with both.
#29
Small (4-5cm) Rusted Metallic Piece. Found In A River In Central France
It's a plaque for the head tube of a bicycle frame from the Ajax cycle brand. That's why it's slightly convex.
The cycles with this logo were made in the town of Albert in the Somme region between 1906-1913, just before WW I broke out; 2 years later both factory and town were practically levelled by German artillery fire, and nearly a million men were k*lled at the Battle of the Somme there a year after
Robin Roper 2 weeks ago
The Battle lasted from July 1, 1916 to November 18, 1916. Hard to fathom the number of casualties.
#30
8 Inch Round 15lb Metal Ball Found 12 Inches Under The Sand In Yaupon Beach, Oak Island, Nc
A 6" Civil War era cannon ball.
#31
Found In My Garden, Soft Chalk Like Pink Pellets. I Have 2 Dogs And A Baby, Very Light And Has No Smell To It
It is rodent poison.
Nice Beast Ludo 2 weeks ago
Why would this be in your garden if you have babies and pets and have no idea who put it there? That is concerning!
#32
Block On Hinge In The Floor Of Old Home. Sits Below Floor. Inside There’s Rollers. There’s Another Opposite A Wall From It
It’s a hands free door opener.
#33
Found Behind Hotel Vent. Large Silver Box Emitting Bright, Blue Light Wrapped In Mesh
Air purifier. UV light to k*ll germs like Covid that could travel through the air system
#34
Two Men Carrying Shoulder Mounted Devices. Each Person Has The Device Strapped Around Their Waist. They Appear To Be Some Sort Of Scanning Or Detection Equipment. What Are They?
I think they're iWalkers/AdWalkers from this company (https://gomodigital.co.uk/iwalker), which does operate in Wales.
Even the black clothing seems to be part of their standard look.
#35
Rubber Looking Cones Attached To Front Bumper Of Car, Held On Individually By A Chain And Some Type Of Rubber Hose
Natural gas sniffers.
Heir of Durin 2 weeks ago
I doubted this one, and I was wrong. It is in fact a natural gas sniffer. https://www.lascrucesbulletin.com/stories/the-sniffer-truck-has-a-nose-for-gas-leaks,1962
#36
Found At The Thriftstore. Made Out Of Hardwood. Solid Iron Chain Link. Brass Plates. Hollow Inside
Apparatus for storing caught fish. Designed to stay put in a flowing stream.
-edit doesn't look like a trout creel but the form indicates a similar function.
BoredLittleLeafSheep 2 weeks ago
It's called a "live well"; designed to sit in the stream and the water will flow through it and keep your fish alive until you're done for the day.
#37
What's This Tower, That Stands On A Bridge Over Stream And Dumps White Powder In It? Found In A Swedish Moor
It could be lime, where I go in Sweden the lakes and rivers are very acidic, and the local gov dumps lime in the lakes to raise the pH level.
https://www.laponiapictures.com/Nature/Lime+treatment+tower/@toj-03395
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-12-06-mn-26871-story.html
Marlowe Fitzpatrik 1 week ago
That... seems to be some very specific thing, because if it was in a moor (and that means the same as the English word bog), they're SUPPOSED to be acidic. The bog-mosses sour their environment because they can survive when other plants cannot. bogs are very specified biotopes and by lowering the acidity, you basically destroy what makes a bog a bog. It also releases TONS of CO2, which normally is stored in bogs because the mosses don't decompose under the acidic water. Idk what they were doing in that place, though. Could be they just wanted to combat unnatural acidity (not a real bog, then) that has come from acid rain or other sources and makes it hard for trees to grow. *shrug*
#38
Found This Large Concrete Structure With Two Small Wooden Doors While Kayaking Through Rural Florida. The Sign Says “Confined Space Do Not Enter”
I believe this is a river height gauge. If you’re in the States, you may be able to find its readings via the USGS.
M O'Connell 2 weeks ago
The "confined space, do not enter" boilerplate means technicians entering the space need to abide by OSHA confined space rules for atmosphere quality.
#39
Thousand Of "Pringle Shaped" Plastic Discs Washed Up On The Italian Shore Near Rovigo. They're Made Of Flexible Hard Plastic And Are Continuing To Pile Up Since The Beginning Of January
This is it. Dead ringer. They are carriers for biofilm-based bioreactor, aka weird shaped bits for gunk to grow on.
https://www.anoxkaldnes.com/sites/g/files/dvc4056/files/document/2020/09/AnoxKaldnes_Z-MBBR_Folder.pdf
Add New Image
What do you think ?
Bernd Herbert 2 weeks ago
This is one of my favourite series on BP. It's entertaining and you can learn something new. THIS is what BP should be about, and not being a pointless feed of celebrity garbage
Nice Beast Ludo 2 weeks ago
That was about 65 percent more disturbing/thought provoking than I was hoping. The VHS drawer and Chinese stamping set and magic pens were cool. The spy devices and explosives/ammo ones were a bit overwhelming. I should have REALLY interesting nightmare dreams tonight
Bernd Herbert 2 weeks ago
This is one of my favourite series on BP. It's entertaining and you can learn something new. THIS is what BP should be about, and not being a pointless feed of celebrity garbage
Nice Beast Ludo 2 weeks ago
That was about 65 percent more disturbing/thought provoking than I was hoping. The VHS drawer and Chinese stamping set and magic pens were cool. The spy devices and explosives/ammo ones were a bit overwhelming. I should have REALLY interesting nightmare dreams tonight
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