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57 Times People Had No Idea What They Were Looking At, But The Internet Knew What It Was Right Away
The world is a big place, and sometimes you don't have all the answers to all the random questions. The Internet does, though. There's even a subreddit called What Is This Thing? where people post photos when they have no clue what they're looking at, and others try to identify these interesting things. Can you believe it? A place on the Internet where you can ask and not be afraid of getting ridiculed for your ignorance and asking questions? Unbelievable, I know. That's why Bored Panda has compiled a list of some of the most random stuff and interesting facts found on that page, and you will surely learn a thing or two. From an unorthodox public bathroom door design to a hole in the sky, these cool photos and the explanations behind these random things are real eye-openers. Scroll down to enjoy the images and upvote your favorites!
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#1
Green Alien Thing That Grew On My Band Aid. What Is This Thing?
RELATED:
#2
What Is This Demonic Looking Creature?
#3
I've Met An Old Man In Germany And He Sent Me These Little Coat Of Arms, Telling Me To Visit Each Of This Location Before I Die. What Are These Exactly Used For?
#4
What Is This? Found It By My Toaster. Please Don't Tell Me It's Some Kind Of Cockroach Molt
Mama Panda 8 years ago
That IS a rattlesnake rattle!!! If you find one, call animal control because it might still be in your house!
#5
An Old Samsung Pc Keyboard... What Is The Coffee Cup Key For?
#6
What In The Absolute F*ck Is On My Car?
#7
This... Thing... Showed Up Inside The Humid Jar Of My Carnivorous Plants. What Is This Thing?
#8
What Are These Circles On A Window Of A Bus And What Do They Do?
#9
Saw This Guy Crossing The Street In Dc. What Is It?
picklerick 8 years ago
this must be a very friendly country then. these cute little robots sure aren't safe in my country.
#10
Relative Found These Eggs In Her Yard In Georgia, Hanging From A Tree. What Is This Thing?
#11
A Coworker Found A Hive On Her Balcony. She Is Convinced That Is A Beehive. I Am Not But I Don't Know What Insect It Is
#12
I Came Home Yesterday Afternoon To Find This Tucked In My Car Door. Anyone Have Similar Experience?
#13
I Was Off-Roading With My Kids Today And Found This In The Path Blocked By A Giant Rock. Any Ideas?
#14
This Was Given To Me Maybe 25 Years Ago Because I Collect Knives. No One Knows Where It's From Or The Purpose Of The Stick (There's Space For 2 Sticks, But Only One Was In It When Given To Me). Us Quarter For Scale
#15
Odd Square Metal Imbedded In A Rock. What Is This Thing?
Zori the degu 8 years ago
Once a large pyrite discovery was made. Few people and their leader (can't remember his name) found something that was old, shiny and... well, it was obviously gold. They brought tones of the thing back to Europe just to discover it was a common pyrite. Everyone laughed at the poor men. They remained "fools" in other people's eyes for the rest of their days. Since then, the pyrite came to be known as the "Fool's gold".
#16
Found This On A Beach In New Zealand- There Were Thousands Of Them At The High Water Mark. What Is It?
Cerys Dunbar 8 years ago
i can imagine him reading that then throwing it like "SH**"
Load More Replies...
Zanel Strydom 8 years ago
In afrikaans we call it a "bloublasie" directly translated to a blue blister. We have tons of it on our beach. Do NOT step on it, it burns the c**p out of you.
Annabello Sullivan 8 years ago
Now honestly, not even knowing or have a clue, what this is, why in the HELL would you pick it up ?? DUMMY !!!
Tisha Breaux 8 years ago
That's exactly what it is, and they are lucky all those rocks are stuck to the bottom!
BlakCircleGirl 8 years ago
Why do you touch anything that looks like a plastic floaty thing in the ocean??? If not a Man o' war, maybe medical waste. No touchy!!
tweetybird 8 years ago
That must be one of the only deadly things here then... unlike Australia
Bodhi Swindle 5 years ago
0_0 wtf man do naot touch animals that u don't know about ask someone first!
Jacqui Baker 7 years ago
Another kiwi (NZer) here, yup that's a bluebottle! We do actually get a type of man' o war jelly that comes into the bays around Waiheke island. If there's lots of stingrays in the bay don't go in the water, its a delicacy to them so a dead giveaway when you see the rays on masse!
Lynda Britz 7 years ago
In Australia they are called 'bluebottles' and they have long (up to 2 m, 6 ft or even more) stinging threads which give a lot of burning pain and burn for an hour or so. Not lethal normally but no fun at all. Occasionally my beach is full of them washed up on the sand, like 1 every metre or so. I don't swim on those days. They sting in water and out of it so don't touch with bare skin.
Meredyth Brown 7 years ago
in South Africa we call them Blue Bottles. They sting like crazy so when we see them in the water hardly anybody swims. Its not a very frequent occurence though. Just a few times each summer in Cape Town area. I'm not sure about ither places.
Jon Willis 7 years ago
That’s a bluebottle - they’re common on Aussie beaches and they sting. Life guards used to have a bottle of something (ammonia? Methylated spirits?) to spray the sting with to fix it.
Merilyn Horton 7 years ago
I spent a lot of time, working in the ED, trying to ease the pain of their stings on unfortunate surfers.
Ashley Mason 7 years ago
I can't imagine seeing that on the beach and being like "I SHOULD DEFINITELY PICK THIS UP"
J. Pell 8 years ago
DO NOT pop these with your bare foot. It is very very tempting. We used to get Portuguese Man O' Wars cast up on the west coast of Florida's beaches. They're not fatal but can leave trails of burned flesh if your run into them swimming or surfing. Supposedly, if you can get someone to pee on the stings it helps. I had the stings ...just...nah.
Elise McFarland 8 years ago
Or it could be a Velella velella, or by the wind sailor, which is completely harmless.
Jay Crook 8 years ago
Here in New Zealand, we call them "Bluebottles", but they are actually known as Pacific Portuguese Man O War. Yes. The deadly Jellyfish thigs. But the Pacific variety are not lethal, but are instead just simply really nasty. To the best of my knowledge, there has never been a reported death of a human to one of these things, but it's my understanding that small dogs and infants could be vulnerable.
Scott Edwards 8 years ago
Bucket list! Go to New Zealand. Find strange, unidentifiable and very colourful sea creature washed up on shore. Pick up in bare hand. Post picture to internet asking the world what it is. Live to ripe old age of 94.
Jason Hook 8 years ago
"Do not touch them", they say to the person holding one in their hand. The angel on your shoulder says very carefully take it to a lifeguard or wildlife preserve, the devil says chuck it back where it came from.
Eric Baker 8 years ago
I wonder if he was alive when he received the response to Not Touch Them as they are Fatal to Humans?
John Hopkins 8 years ago
They wash up all over Australia. If you want an interesting read look them up, one is many but all is one.
Lyn Chambers 8 years ago
Portuguese Man-o-War jellyfish. Dangerous! Often found in Australia and New Zealand.
#17
I Need Your Help! What Is This?
#18
Super Small Mini Flask? The 'Needle' Screws Into The Flask. What Is This Thing?
Anna Thouvenin 8 years ago
I want that but with deodorant instead. You never know when you need to freshen up.
#19
Oxycodone Bottle Found In The Woods With Electronics Inside. What Is This Thing?
#20
Took This Weird Bean Home, Now It's Opening Up And Has Me More Puzzled. What Is This Thing?
#21
Found This Guy Freezing To Death In Southern Michigan This Morning. What Is This Thing?
Cat on a bike 8 years ago
It's cute, that's what it is. Love it, don't squuez it and call it Toothless :))
#22
Seen In The Sky Over Wisconsin Last Night. What Is This Thing?
#23
Found At Dead Relatives House. What Is This Thing?
#24
White Circlet With Purple Dots On Top Of A Headdress. What Is This Thing?
just a thought ! 8 years ago
I seriously thought they were part of the seat and was confused for a minute
#25
My Friend Found This Weird Rock On The East Coast Of England. What Is It?
#26
What Is The Purpose Of A Door Like This?
Steve Bowman 8 years ago
Next on the agenda: Build cars without fuel cap so they can't drive and don't destroy the environment. That'll discourage 'em.
#27
Found On An Apple In East Germany. What Is This Thing?
#28
Found On Beach (Ocean) In Ma, Usa. (Iphone 5 For Reference). Skull? Sternum?
#29
Interesting Cloud Formation, What's Going On Here?
#30
Seen In The Sky While Hiking In Manchester Today. What Is This Thing?
#31
My Mom Found This On The Floor Of Her Beauty Salon, She Calls It A Cockapiller. What Is This Thing?
#32
This Little Girl Was Photographed In The 1860's With Her Dog. What Is She Holding In Her Lap?
just a thought ! 8 years ago
The dog must have been really patient considering how long it took to take photographs those days !
#33
These Were All Over The Beach In S. Maine. Think They Were Alive. What Is This Thing?
#34
A Gift To The Sultan Of Brunei. What Is It?!
#35
What Did I Catch?
#36
Mold? Spores? Something On A Tree In The Woods. Too Scared To Touch It
Looks like some wooly aphids. Woolly aphids are sucking insects that live on plant fluids and produce a filamentous waxy white covering which resembles cotton or wool. The adults are winged and move to new locations where they lay egg masses. The nymphs often form large cottony masses on twigs, for protection from predators.
#37
I Found This After A Rock Was Broken. What Is It?
#38
Seen In Ohio. Obviously A Car...but Does The Top Have A Purpose?
#39
Its Made Our Of Silver And The Ball Rotates. What Is This Thing?
picklerick 8 years ago
now you're just kidding me. of course that thing has a more sinister purpose.
#40
Any Idea What These Metal Light Weight Hollow Things Could Be? Largest One Is About 5"
#41
Found In An Earth Pot At Work, Was Growing In The Dark As Had A Lid On It. What Is This Thing?
#42
Is This The Beginning Of A Stephen King Novel? This Mystery Blob Just Appeared In My Remote Maine Cabin. There Are Also Signs Someone Has Been In Here Since I've Been Away. What Is This?
#43
Neighbor Was Involved In A Hit And Run And Is Trying To Identify The Red Vehicle That Hit Him. Any Idea What Vehicle This Could Be From?
Andrew Gibb 8 years ago
peepoocombo must either work in forensics or have a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee.....just saying....
#44
What Is This Thing? Seen In A Charity Shop!
"Looks like it would dispense cigarettes" - frumble86
#45
What Is This Tool?
EvieNiffler 8 years ago
Also doubles up as a back scratcher (and massager if you put a ball in the cup) :P
#46
This Needle Thing Was Just Found In A Hamburger At A Lexington, Ky Mcdonald's - What Is It?
Cat on a bike 8 years ago
This is definitely not something that should be anywhere near food. Lawsuit coming...
#47
It Slid Out Of My Cooked Egg. What Is This Thing?
#48
For A Friend...what Is This Thing?
#49
These Spots On The Chicken Out Of A Frozen Store-Bought Package, Each Bit Has This Around The Bone. What Is This Thing?
#50
Thing Pulled Out Of A Dog's Mouth, Looks Like A Sandworm From Dune. What Is This Thing?
CultOfBambi 8 years ago
Looks like the cockapillar, from a few posts back. I thought it would be larger...
#51
Found Hanging From A Tree. Pen For Scale. Feels Like Cotton. What Is This Thing?
Robert Morson 8 years ago
Another person who found something freaky-looking and picked it up with his hands.
#52
What Is This Professor Wearing? I Believe He Is In Computer Engineering
#53
I Know This Is Uranium Glass But What Is It Used For? The Top Comes Off
#54
My Mom Saw These On A Car In Southwest Florida, Not Sure What They Are?
#55
What Is This Tool- Some Sort Of Gauge? Made By Starrett
#56
Found In A London Airbnb. What Is This Thing?
#57
Found In My Backyard Pond. Floating By That Sack Filled With Fluid. What Is This Thing?
Add New Image
What do you think ?
Kristi Zoebelein 8 years ago
I recognize most of these from an awesome subreddit called https://www.reddit.com/r/whatisthisthing/
Load More Replies...
It's Caturday 2.0 8 years ago
Me too, girl. Me too. (Sorry for presuming your gender).
Load More Replies...
Zori the degu 8 years ago
It's a very interesting and useful list, for it probably gave some pandas answers to questions they had about different peculiar things they once saw. For instance, I've always wondered about the purpose of those dots on the buses's windows. And now I know it!
George Rozehnal 8 years ago
I went through all 6 pages of these submitted 'finds' and am totally gobsmacked by the variety of life and living creatures, oddball products and other weird stuff people out there know about. Great stuff!!!
Allana Rose 8 years ago
A lot of fun trying to guess what they could possibly be. I too would have love to see more of them. I also love a lot of smart a*s answers. Good for a chuckle or two. :)
Andrea Petina Fernando 8 years ago
I commented something here, asking about a tooth but i cant find the comment anymore.
Jack Walsh 8 years ago
This was absolutely amazing. I had no clue what most things were and they were very interesting.
Christine Kelley 8 years ago
great collection of things we would never have been able to identify but now we know, more please.
Stargazer66 2 years ago
#13 very cool. Living in the US, I am a little envious of Europeans who have such cool architectural finds crop up. But it must be a pain to municipalities to plan a road, building, or other infrastructure and start digging and find some antiquity and then have to stop everything to have the archeologists come and have a look and then dig up and relocate the find. Still really cool. We still occasionally unearth pottery from some of the 1st colonies or tribes and dinosaur fossils but nothing as cool as digging down and finding an intricate mosaic tile floor that someone laid down piece by piece cutting each piece of stone by hand.
Donovan Birch 7 years ago
Every single time i get over a 100 like they wont let me comment anymore
Ellie Thompson 7 years ago
I always love Bored Panda but this entry was especially interesting...hope the answers are fact not fiction.
Gedeon Trias 7 years ago
Very informative, from the practical encounters and quick recollections of sharing individuals you'd like to have as information buddies anytime and everytime!
Elena Ktmr 8 years ago
Found this at the bottom of the sea. Have no idea where does it belong to! 10410300_1...0dabe8.jpg 
Bill Taylor 8 years ago
Fascinating stuff, from the comments about larva and egg sacs, maybe you shouldn't touch till you know what it is.... i.e. #16
SnoopyCereal 8 years ago
So many people picked up or touched fricking fungus or insects. I don't understand!
Alusair Alustriel 8 years ago
I found those really interesting but I have utmost respect for all those ewww types. I wouldn't touch 90% of things showed here and I bow to the people who had courage to do so :D
Veronica Niechajczyk 8 years ago
This was the first educational list I've ever seen on one of these sites. More of these. was really interesting.
Divadi Bear 8 years ago
If you can afford to lose ca, half a million of your currency, then invest in anything on the stockmarket. Some "win" most lose !!!
Kristi Zoebelein 8 years ago
I recognize most of these from an awesome subreddit called https://www.reddit.com/r/whatisthisthing/
Load More Replies... It's Caturday 2.0 8 years ago
Me too, girl. Me too. (Sorry for presuming your gender).
Load More Replies... Zori the degu 8 years ago
It's a very interesting and useful list, for it probably gave some pandas answers to questions they had about different peculiar things they once saw. For instance, I've always wondered about the purpose of those dots on the buses's windows. And now I know it!
George Rozehnal 8 years ago
I went through all 6 pages of these submitted 'finds' and am totally gobsmacked by the variety of life and living creatures, oddball products and other weird stuff people out there know about. Great stuff!!!
Allana Rose 8 years ago
A lot of fun trying to guess what they could possibly be. I too would have love to see more of them. I also love a lot of smart a*s answers. Good for a chuckle or two. :)
Andrea Petina Fernando 8 years ago
I commented something here, asking about a tooth but i cant find the comment anymore.
Jack Walsh 8 years ago
This was absolutely amazing. I had no clue what most things were and they were very interesting.
Christine Kelley 8 years ago
great collection of things we would never have been able to identify but now we know, more please.
Stargazer66 2 years ago
#13 very cool. Living in the US, I am a little envious of Europeans who have such cool architectural finds crop up. But it must be a pain to municipalities to plan a road, building, or other infrastructure and start digging and find some antiquity and then have to stop everything to have the archeologists come and have a look and then dig up and relocate the find. Still really cool. We still occasionally unearth pottery from some of the 1st colonies or tribes and dinosaur fossils but nothing as cool as digging down and finding an intricate mosaic tile floor that someone laid down piece by piece cutting each piece of stone by hand.
Donovan Birch 7 years ago
Every single time i get over a 100 like they wont let me comment anymore
Ellie Thompson 7 years ago
I always love Bored Panda but this entry was especially interesting...hope the answers are fact not fiction.
Gedeon Trias 7 years ago
Very informative, from the practical encounters and quick recollections of sharing individuals you'd like to have as information buddies anytime and everytime!
Elena Ktmr 8 years ago
Found this at the bottom of the sea. Have no idea where does it belong to! 10410300_1...0dabe8.jpg
Bill Taylor 8 years ago
Fascinating stuff, from the comments about larva and egg sacs, maybe you shouldn't touch till you know what it is.... i.e. #16
SnoopyCereal 8 years ago
So many people picked up or touched fricking fungus or insects. I don't understand!
Alusair Alustriel 8 years ago
I found those really interesting but I have utmost respect for all those ewww types. I wouldn't touch 90% of things showed here and I bow to the people who had courage to do so :D
Veronica Niechajczyk 8 years ago
This was the first educational list I've ever seen on one of these sites. More of these. was really interesting.
Divadi Bear 8 years ago
If you can afford to lose ca, half a million of your currency, then invest in anything on the stockmarket. Some "win" most lose !!!
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