Article created by: Ieva Pečiulytė

Often, when you stumble upon something strange and have no clue what it is, the first instinct is to ask family, friends, or colleagues. But what if they’re just as clueless as you?

That’s where communities like ‘What Is This?’ come in: a space where curious minds share their odd finds and a mix of experts, hobbyists, and everyday detectives work together to crack the case. Keep scrolling to discover some of the most fascinating (and surprisingly educational) mysteries the internet has helped solve!

#1

Just Found This While Rummaging Through My Fathers Old Stuff

Antique optical instrument with lenses in velvet-lined case, an example of objects people couldn’t identify but internet solved.

SpiritualPrize:

The Camera Lucida, or Chambre Claire in French

This is a device designed to assist in making enlarged or reduced drawings from originals or even straight from a real scene. The designer looks at the tip of the pencil on the paper and sees, simultaneously and in the same place, an image of what is in front of him. His job, then, is to draw the contours just by following this double image.

shark9994 Report

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    #2

    Anyone Know What Type Of Bird This Is? Spotted Whilst Running In Hostivice, Czech Republic

    Colorful bird on grass behind a green wire fence, one of the objects people couldn’t identify but the internet solved.

    OblivionGuardsman:

    It is a turqouise parrot variety. Some have been bred from a mutation to have the breast fully red that normally occurs as just a patch or transitional area from the lower body up. They are known as red breasted turquoise parrots or full-red fronted yellow but of the same species. I suppose it could be a cross bred scarlet breasted with a turquoise but this is the exact color pattern that turqouise mutation variety has. It isnt a scarlet because they are green on the back and tail.

    Edit: website about these

    PassengerAutomatic10 Report

    #3

    What Are These Chimneys And Why Do They Exist In The Woods? (New England)

    Old stone outdoor fireplace in forest surrounded by dry leaves and bare trees, an unidentified object solved by internet.

    sillytricia:

    Houses used to be there, only the chimney survived.

    Chotwink Report

    #4

    What Is This? Found Underneath A House We Are Remodeling? How Did They Get The Liquid Inside?

    Hand holding a translucent red object inside a car, one of the 46 objects people couldn’t identify but the internet solved instantly

    C_N1:

    DO NOT BREAK IT! Those are filled with a toxic chemical to extinguish fires.

    Glass Grenade Fire Extinguisher

    Also, they closed them by melting the glass shut.

    DirtyFrank23 Report

    #5

    People Were Praying To This Unidentifiable Box They Brought To A Mountain Top. Seen In Sapiranga, Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil. What Is This?

    Two people carrying an ornate wooden box on a grassy hill, an example of objects people couldn’t identify.

    TreasureWench1622:

    It LOOKS like what the Arc of the Covenant is supposed to resemble

    Granularyvette Report

    #6

    What Was This Old Desk Used For ? My Wife And I Have Been Making Guesses But Have No Idea

    Antique wooden object on hardwood floor with drawers and unusual extensions, a curious item people couldn’t identify online.

    chivesngarlic:

    Dr here. Definitely an obgyn table. Instruments and other medical supplies are stored in the drawers for easy access.

    thepolishking1200 Report

    #7

    This Pattern Had Been Growing On My Mirror For A Month Now And It’s Tinting The Mirror Green. Any Idea What It Could Be?

    Frost patterns formed on a car side mirror displaying unique natural designs, a puzzling object identified online.

    andorraliechtenstein:

    That’s a heated mirror failing. When the auto dim or heated mirrors start to separate internally they look like that.

    DfeverDreamD Report

    #8

    In Closet. Likely Placed There By Cats. What Is It ?

    Hand holding an unusual object with roots sprouting, one of the 46 objects people couldn’t identify but the internet solved.

    meadowmbell:

    It was a potato…

    The_UndergroundMan11 Report

    #9

    I'd Like To Know The Back Story

    Old grave with black metal cage around it, an unusual object people couldn’t identify but the internet solved instantly

    fizzio:

    The Grave of Seath Mor Sgorfhiaclach in Scotland. The cage over the grave is not to prevent grave robbing or for fear of zombies, but to keep the cursed stones that sit on the grave in place.

    First_Person_US Report

    #10

    What Is The Device This Woman Has Been Holding To Her Mouth (Murdaugh Trial)?

    Two people in a formal room using a breathalyzer device during an identification test solving objects people couldn’t identify.

    Linguist208:

    She speaks into it, it records the trial transcript. She's a court reporter, and the device keeps her words from being heard.

    14thCenturyHood Report

    #11

    My Father Passed And We Were Clearing Out His Desk And Found This?

    Bunch of bananas on wooden table next to paper towel roll and unusual stick figure, objects people couldn’t identify.

    Dramatic-Tear9890:

    That’s Bowtruckle from the Fantastic Beasts movies!

    poemehardbebe Report

    Data1001
    Community Member
    2 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Those are bananas with Bowtruckle for scale.

    #12

    Why Did Someone Put Salt In Front Of My Door? It Isn’t On Anyone Else’s Doorstep, Just Mine

    Unidentified white foam-like object blocking gap under door on carpet in a home interior scene.

    The_Spoils:

    Yup, trying to ward of demons. 

    I briefly dated a Wiccan girl and she was super happy when I was able to cross over the salt line she had at her door. I didn't even know it was there lol.

    BizzMarquee Report

    #13

    I Just Purchased A Dental Office And Found This In A Drawer. What Is This Thing?

    Hand holding a bundle of dried sage leaves tied with string, an object people couldn’t identify but the internet solved.

    kimishark:

    Sage roll. Wards off evil spirits. And smells nice

    peterdent234 Report

    #14

    My Crow Gifted Me This. Feels Kinda Cursed

    Hand holding a small ancient artifact shaped like a wrapped figurine, one of the objects people couldn't identify.

    ywna_li Report

    #15

    Found This Heavy Thing Burried In My Yard, I Tried To Unscrew The Lid But Didn't Come Off

    Rusty metal object resembling an old bottle or container, an unidentified object solved by the internet instantly.

    Here is the update on the post : a team of two bomb disposal experts came today to pick up the bomb.

    They loaded it in their car and said they would destroy it in a safe place, a military base. Basically once in a while, once they have enough bombs they will blow them up at the same time. We already knew the answer but still asked if there was a way to get the disarmed shell back as a memory, and they told us it is against the law. Also, they told us that keeping such an ammunition, even if disarmed, represented a risk. They mentioned the scenario in which a fire would break out in the house, and if the firefighters, upon intervening, spotted a bomb like that, they would immediate leave and let the house to burn to avoid taking any risks.

    As for the origin of the shell, it was really common at the end of WWI for the soldiers to bring back home a souvenir from the war. Someone probably got rid of it decades later, and thought it would be no arm to bury it or abandon it in a remote place. I found many articles in french newspapers relating the same kind of events, actually with the exact 75mm mortar.

    Be safe !

    RealTourelle11 Report

    #16

    What Are These Women Holding In This Painting? They Look Like Purses, But There Looks To Be Rolled Up Paper Inside. This Is Also A French Painting If That Helps

    Women wearing vintage Victorian dresses and holding small purses, an object people couldn’t identify but the internet solved.

    JimDixon:

    Elegant ladies of that era wouldn't want to carry an unwrapped newspaper, because the ink would rub off on their hands or clothes, more so then than now, I.think, and more so if the paper was "hot off the press."

    Another possibility would be ladies' magazines, which would have been popular and full of fashion illustrations.

    DiorDiorDior Report

    #17

    Does Anyone Know What This Actually Is? I’ve Been Having This Picture In My Phone For Almost 4 Years

    Translucent blue cubic object on a black display stand, one of the unidentified objects solved by the internet.

    faerle:

    For sure Aerogel. A weird material were the gel has actually been replaced with gas.

    glamoralism Report

    #18

    What Is Showing Up On My Baby Monitor When I Am Taking A Photo With My Phone?

    Woman monitoring baby in crib with device projecting dots, part of objects people couldn’t identify but the internet solved instantly

    jcstan05:

    LiDAR.

    It's a function of newer phones to detect depth.

    magggalicious Report

    #19

    Piece Of Wood With 4 Bottle Caps Nailed To It, With What Looks Like Cork Seals In Them. Found Up In The Walls Of My Garage

    A weathered wooden object with four carved circular shapes, an unidentified object solved by the internet.

    Orcacub:

    DIY fish scaler. Cork under bottle caps was a factory thing back in the early days of bottle caps- before plastic liners/seals were under there. The cork here is likely just an artifact of the caps themselves, not a design element of the scaler. I bet if you dig around under the caps in the nooks and crannies -like between the wood and the caps - you will find old fish scales.

    LiftedMinivan Report

    #20

    What’s This Thing?

    Unidentified object made of thin wooden sticks bound together, displayed on a round wooden base on a table.

    Angeltt:

    Toothpick "Plant"

    "Toothpick turns after-dinner teeth cleaning into an extravagant experience! Featuring an elegant cluster of flowers from the toothpick plant (ammi visnaga) and a natural oak desk stand, it makes an attractive - yet functional - addition to any table. To use, simply snap off a stem from the beautiful dried flower and use it like a regular toothpick. the flower heads used in rivsalt TOOTHPICK are harvested from Morocco’s atlas mountains where they are dried and then shipped to Casablanca for final selection. locals have used the plant for a wide range of purposes for more than 1000 years and to this day use the dried flower stems as toothpicks."

    Equal-Yogurtcloset82 Report

    #21

    Found This Strange Ring At The Beach

    Metal ring with alphabet engravings used as a cipher tool, one of the objects people couldn’t identify but the internet solved instantly.

    cavepatchy:

    It's a decoder ring

    KingShabi69 Report

    See Also on Bored Panda
    #22

    Looks Like A Worm, But Has A Spine, 11 Inches, North Central Florida

    A mysterious object on concrete surface resembling a pale elongated creature from unidentified objects people couldn’t identify.

    ShalnarkRyuseih:

    Florida worm lizard

    suck_ma_ballz Report

    #23

    Strange Dots On My Bfs Hands That Only Show Up In The UV Light?

    Hands illuminated under blacklight showing glowing spots, one of 46 objects people couldn’t identify but the internet solved instantly

    socothecat:

    I’m going to guess some sort of fungal infection

    Nintendo_Panda Report

    #24

    My Friend Found This Renovating His House

    Close-up of small golden metallic pellets scattered, an object people couldn’t identify but the internet solved instantly.

    jooboy2000:

    Definitely a casting metal. Copper brass maybe? If it seems heavy get it tested, could be gold.

    Kinggambit90 Report

    #25

    Found This At The Side Of My House. What Is It?

    Unidentified dark purple object resembling an octopus on a rough stone pavement from objects people couldn’t identify.

    Stupida_Fahkin_Name:

    It’s candy. Google “giant gummy spider” and you’ll find it.

    Bluebean_29 Report

    #26

    What Is This Truck Used For?

    Truck carrying large curved metal objects on highway, one of the unidentified objects people couldn't identify instantly

    ogimbe:

    I see trailers like that coming from the metal recycling place. Googling scrap trailers also shows curved bottoms like that.

    Officerbeefsupreme Report

    #27

    This Sign Hanging In The Window Of A Local Antique Shop

    Star-shaped vintage religious object with symbolic images displayed in a window, unidentified object solved online

    Thistle__Kilya:

    Order of the Eastern Star, it’s a branch of Mason. Women are allowed in this one but only under special elite conditions. Also called the OES. I have some teacups from them with this star, it’s an adorable set.

    GoCartMozart1980 Report

    #28

    Frog On A Magnetic Stand. Picked This Up In A Local Secondhand Shop In London. Have No Idea What It Is Used For Or If Part Of A Set But It Looked Cute

    Decorative brass object with a crowned frog figurine, one of the curious objects people couldn’t identify online.

    CarefulBranch609 Report

    #29

    Moving Into A New Condo, What Is This Symbol We Found On The Frame Of The Front Door?

    Mystery object with abstract geometric drawing on a painted wall, part of unidentified objects solved by the internet.

    Ascending_Serpent:

    Looks like a personal sigil, so it will be nearly impossible to decipher.

    Generally speaking, if you see a symbol around a door frame, it's often related to protection.

    kidneybeans Report

    #30

    Found In The Lampasas River In Texas

    Smooth grey stone with unique white fossil-like pattern, one of the objects people couldn’t identify but the internet solved instantly.

    schwagpole Report

    Data1001
    Community Member
    2 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Slender Man is coming for you.

    #31

    Found In The Seem Of My Work T Shirt Sewn In

    A tiny black square object next to a fingertip on a white surface, hard to identify without internet help.

    faerle:

    I would guess a weight to keep that part of the shirt from flipping up at the hem after wash

    -NoStarAsylum- Report

    See Also on Bored Panda
    #32

    What Is This? Someone At Work Keeps Doing It

    Magnetic objects arranged in groups on a whiteboard, an example of objects people couldn’t identify but the internet solved.

    andremill:

    It's a reference to the Loss cartoon from Ctrl-Alt-Del

    savagetoy Report

    #33

    My Family Lives Out In The Sticks And Found This By Their House

    Unidentified object wrapped in white cloth, lying on dry grass, part of objects people couldn’t identify but internet solved instantly.

    cybersomnia Report

    #34

    I Know What It Is, A Coconut With 2 Pennies On It. But Why Did Someone Leave It In My Garden? Any Meaning?

    Fuzzy round object partially covered with green leaves in a forest setting, an unidentified object from the internet solved list.

    Plant_Mistress Report

    #35

    What Is This Charging Socket In The Back Window Of This Ambulance

    Close-up of a car with a mysterious yellow object attached to the window, part of objects people couldn’t identify collection.

    SpiritualPrize:

    Kussmaul Auto Eject

    The Auto Eject WP is a power input connector designed to be mounted in the side of a vehicle to permit connecting 120 Volt AC shoreline. It comes with a weatherproof cover. The cover is spring loaded to close, preventing water from entering when the shoreline is not connected. A solenoid wired to the vehicle’s starter, is energized when the engine is cranked.

    This instantaneously drives the plug from the receptacle.

    This simple, reliable device, eliminates forever the broken cables which result when drivers forget to remove the shoreline before driving away.

    spindledick Report

    #36

    My Wife Got Payed And One $20note Has This Symbol Any Idea What That Is

    Close-up of a US twenty dollar bill showing a security feature with microprinted numbers identified by the internet.

    ZuluTurtle:

    Chop mark

    Lonewolf-214 Report

    #37

    Local Library Has This Game And They Don't Know What It Is

    Wooden board game with painted figurines and trees on each side, an object people couldn’t identify but the internet solved.

    Ordinary_Leg_2175 Report

    Data1001
    Community Member
    2 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Update for those wondering: It's thought that it is a Chaturanga game, but that it is set up incorrectly. Chaturanga is apparently an ancient game which is called the ancestor of modern chess, although it is actually played with 4 players, not 2.

    #38

    Sticker I Found In Public

    Sticker of a stylized face with thick eyebrows and mustache, one of the objects people couldn’t identify but the internet solved.

    EssEyeOhFour Report