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Say you find a coin. Say you have no idea if it's worth a million dollars or less than the leaf of grass you picked it up from. What should you do? Take a picture of it and post it on a subreddit called "What Is This Thing?" And it goes not just for coins. This community easily identifies missiles, slugs, nipple pumps; pretty much any thing they lay their eyes on. The subreddit is home to over 894,000 members and the number is constantly growing as well. Continue scrolling to broaden your horizons and upvote your favorite entries!

#1

What Is The Point Of Such A Device?

What Is The Point Of Such A Device?

Answer: USB charging condom. This way you can plug your phone into a random USB port and be sure that no data is exchanged. Only the power pins are passed through to the phone. Also called a sync stop.

SkorGaming Report

#2

I Found This Little Guy Under A Stair In A Parking Garage At The Mall. The Clothing Is Made Out Of Thread And His Hair Is Made By What Seems Like Glue Dipped Into Dirt. What Is This Thing?

I Found This Little Guy Under A Stair In A Parking Garage At The Mall. The Clothing Is Made Out Of Thread And His Hair Is Made By What Seems Like Glue Dipped Into Dirt. What Is This Thing?

Answer: It is a worry doll. You tell your worries to it, and put it under your pillow at night. It's supposed to take away your worries while you're sleeping.

Zbunny666 Report

#3

Found This In House I’m Tearing Apart In A Book Like Someone Wanted To Keep Them Don’t Think It’s Real Money

Found This In House I’m Tearing Apart In A Book Like Someone Wanted To Keep Them Don’t Think It’s Real Money

Answer: Its money from the Philippines when it was occupied by Japan in 1941.

zangoku Report

#4

Found A Rock On The Porch Of My New Home, Flipped It Over And Saw This. Is That A Fossil?

Found A Rock On The Porch Of My New Home, Flipped It Over And Saw This. Is That A Fossil?

Answer: Yup, that's a fossil. Tree trunk impression.

livefast_dieawesome Report

#5

Found This White Fuzzy Thing In My Basement, Mother Freaked Out. What Is This Thing?

Found This White Fuzzy Thing In My Basement, Mother Freaked Out. What Is This Thing?

Answer: Spiders infected with fungus look like this.

iDrinkOxygen Report

#6

Anyone Know What Those Round Impressions Are Called, And What Are They For ?

Anyone Know What Those Round Impressions Are Called, And What Are They For ?

Answer: Old windows were made of glass spun out into flatness. That's the center of the spin.
New windows are made of glass floated on a pool of molten tin, which makes very flat panes without any annoying bullseyes.
EDIT: this is also the source of the myth that glass is a liquid and flows over time. See the center pane of your picture? Someone took the time to get a "good" pane for the center of the window, without any bullseye - put your best pane in that spot, obviously. But the glass is still of uneven thickness, getting thicker closer to the bullseye. So people look at panes like that, with thicker glass in one part, and decide that "hey, the glass must have started off perfectly flat and flowed over time". But no. The glass flowed when it was molten (1500 degrees C!) and does not flow at room temperature.

csaduck Report

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#7

Grandmother Received This From Her Friend After His Death. Nobody At The Senior's Center She Lives At Knows What It Is. What Is This Thing?

Grandmother Received This From Her Friend After His Death. Nobody At The Senior's Center She Lives At Knows What It Is. What Is This Thing?

Answer: Opium pipe

wetbutter Report

#8

This Sticker On The Inside Cover Of A Second-Hand Bible. Pretty Sure It Depicts A Partridge And A Fig Tree, Both Of Which Have Biblical Connections But No Idea What It Means

This Sticker On The Inside Cover Of A Second-Hand Bible. Pretty Sure It Depicts A Partridge And A Fig Tree, Both Of Which Have Biblical Connections But No Idea What It Means

Answer: No Bush/Quail. 1992 election sticker.

alongyourfuselage Report

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#9

This Belonged To My Great Grandfather. What Is This Thing?

This Belonged To My Great Grandfather. What Is This Thing?

Answer: If it's legit, that's a really old Gibson, from between 1903 and 1933. It's going to be worth more than you think, so be really careful with it. Seriously.

Reverend_Mikey Report

#10

Went Exploring In White Sands, New Mexico And Found An... Object. What Is This Thing?

Went Exploring In White Sands, New Mexico And Found An... Object. What Is This Thing?

Answer: Looks like it could be titanium - titanium spheres of similar size are a relatively commonly found space debris

xopethx Report

#11

What Are These Things And What Are They Doing?

What Are These Things And What Are They Doing?

Answer: They're European red slugs. And they're doing it.

Achilles_Of_Reddit Report

#12

My Girlfriend Found These In Her Dinner? Are They Seeds?

My Girlfriend Found These In Her Dinner? Are They Seeds?

Answer: Pretty good picture of insect eggs.

GrandpaSquarepants Report

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#13

Researching Plantation Houses In The 1700's. What Is The Thing Hanging From The Ceiling In This Dining Room?

Researching Plantation Houses In The 1700's. What Is The Thing Hanging From The Ceiling In This Dining Room?

Answer: Very early ceiling fan. The rope at the top would be pulled to create the back and forth motion to fan the air and keep flies away from the table during a meal.

Bbbodypaint Report

#14

Circular Object On Top Of Car. What Is This Thing?

Circular Object On Top Of Car. What Is This Thing?

Answer: Bubbl, It's like an uber targeted toward kids or those with extra concerns around who the drivers are.
"Bubbl Investments, LLC was launched in August 2016 in the DFW area. It was founded by a group of Dallas-based individuals, including the former Dallas Deputy Chief of Police. Our rides are driven by off-duty or retired police officers who have been thoroughly vetted. All fleet and driver owned cars are regulated by the company. Bubbl accurately identified the need to provide a safe ride option especially for children, special need families, and seniors. "

AllAmericanHero28 Report

#15

Bathroom Coat Hangers That Can Move Up Or Down. Why Would You Want Them Downward?

Bathroom Coat Hangers That Can Move Up Or Down. Why Would You Want Them Downward?

Answer: We call them anti-ligature. If the rest of the items in the room aren't also anti-ligature (door knobs, door hinges, tp dispenser, etc) then it doesn't make much sense to have it there. If everything else IS, then you're in a room designed for individuals that are a suicide risk.

Jason_Whorehees Report

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#16

These Were Free Roaming At A Zoo So Didn’t Have A Sign/Info On Them. Thought They Were Hares But Walkedon All Fours And Hand Quite Long Front A Back Legs. What Is This?

These Were Free Roaming At A Zoo So Didn’t Have A Sign/Info On Them. Thought They Were Hares But Walkedon All Fours And Hand Quite Long Front A Back Legs. What Is This?

Answer: Patagonian Cavy.

Dan1378 Report

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Kaisu Rei
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've never seen this animal before, looks like a mixture between a hare and a capybara

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glowworm2
Community Member
5 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Exactly what I was going to say. They are also known as Patagonian cavy as well though.

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Gonzalo Terán
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It´s called "mara" down here in the argentinian patagonia. A big rodent that has two speeds while running. In standart speed, runs in 3 legs. To accelerate and escape, they put down the other rear leg and speed up. Pretty amazing to look at when that happend.

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David Viesta
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Kid, when a capybara and a bunny love each other very much... That thing is born.

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Id row
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Very interesting little guy there. Never saw anything like that before, it's adorable.

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Brandy Boss
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It looks a little like the rabbit squirrels we see in the south. We call them squabbits.

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Kiara D'Alias
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

it's a long-legged guinea pig. Guinea pigs are also known as Peruvian Cavy.

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CrazyCatLady
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Okay... I can do better on this one. It's a Patagonian mara, in his or her wintercoat.

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Blue Cicada
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A large rodent native to Argentina. A rodent, not a lagomorph (rabbits, hares and pikas), but "deer bunny" would still be a great name!

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Lorraine R
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wikipedia: The maras (Dolichotis) are a genus of the cavy family of rodents. They are the sole extant representatives of the subfamily Dolichotinae.

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Frances Høvig
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's called a ' mara'. This is probably a juvenile. They are from patagonia

beab_ avatar
LilicatUK
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's a mara, they're very cute and the babies are just the most adorable creatures in the universe! Whipsnade Zoo in the UK have them free roaming around the grounds. They are very flighty and you'll probably get an extremely nasty bite if you manage to catch one!

ealizabethane avatar
Lisa Shaw
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Saw them in south america, when were kids. We called them rabbitrats, only found out what they were today after seeing this picture,

jozilla767 avatar
Jodi Brown
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

To bad I think this is one of the first mammals to go extinct, in the wild, due to global warming!😭

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Lee Kerr
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Some were wandering loose at either Whipsnade or London Zoo when I was there a few years ago. It’s a Mara; they’re South America and related to degus, capybara and guinea pigs. If they get scared they pee at you with force!

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Effie The Hedgehog
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is from my local zoo!! They're also called Mara and are lovely to sit and watch when you're at the zoo!

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Monika Soffronow
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patagonian_mara The maras (Dolichotis) are a genus of the cavy family of rodents.

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comboplush
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love how that tiny puff of floof on his back looks like a miniscule puffy tail. :D I hope this does not get too many upvotes so it can remain a brain bleach at the bottom of the page after seeing naked snails copulating and fungus covered death spiders.

ronjamir avatar
Nathalie Sjöblom Lagestam
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's also called mara. Super cute and very funny looking. Google them, you won't regret it

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PandaLover
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

OMG it's so cute. It's like a furry ball with tiny legs. I guess they're pretty common around the area so they weren't part of an exhibit?

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Agustina Gobbi
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You shouldnt go to zoos... Its grose and cruel to be "entertained" by other's suffering. Where you at Buenos Aires zoo? Thats a MARA, they really suffer a s****y life in that s****y place with 40°c in the summer. DONT VISIT ZOOS.

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#17

I Found This Jammed In My Front Door Lock, It’s About 1.5” Long. What Is This Thing?

I Found This Jammed In My Front Door Lock, It’s About 1.5” Long. What Is This Thing?

Answer: It's a tension wrench from a lock pick set.

TheNinjaJedi Report

#18

My Sister Found This When Cleaning Out A Fish. This Was In The Mouth And There Was A Smaller One In The Stomach. Anyone Know What It Is ?

My Sister Found This When Cleaning Out A Fish. This Was In The Mouth And There Was A Smaller One In The Stomach. Anyone Know What It Is ?

Answer: Tongue eating parasite (cymothoa exigua). Truly harrowing.
Eats the fish's tongue and then takes the place of the fish's tongue.

oJHzgzUHu Report

#19

Car Part Found In Bicyclist Hit And Run Fatality Today

Car Part Found In Bicyclist Hit And Run Fatality Today

Answer: 1988 chevy Silverado headlamp bezel.
People keep asking how I knew this....I've been a Maryland state inspector for a long time, and part of each car and truck inspection up until recently was a mandatory headlamp adjustment....If I had to guess, I'd say someone from the Hoppy brand headlamp aim checker company probably bribed some politicians a long, long time ago, which made it mandatory for each station to buy their equipment to perform inspections....Anyhow, I've done a shit-ton of headlamp adjustments, so right away I knew what that notch in the plastic was for....I first checked 1988 Ram 1500 trucks and by chance, there was a picture of a mid 80's Chevy truck.

cordyceps-fungi Report

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Withnail
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This lead to an arrest: https://www.foxnews.com/tech/reddit-sleuth-helps-police-identify-car-part-leads-to-fatal-hit-and-run-arrest

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#20

Some Kind Of Explosive Lying On The Floor Of Server Room?

Some Kind Of Explosive Lying On The Floor Of Server Room?

Answer: It’s a Sagger Missile A Russian MCLOS ATGM. Good luck w that bud.

WhySoSadCZ Report

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Withnail
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm sure there's a perfectly good reason why you have a missile on the floor of your server room...

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#21

Saw On My Flight To Cali. What Is This Thing?

Saw On My Flight To Cali. What Is This Thing?

Answer: Specifically, this looks like Concentrated Thermal Solar. It uses mirrors to reflect the light to a central tower which is barely visible in your picture due to the glare coming off of it. The light is then converted to heat where it drives a steam turbine, or some other heat engine.

ddIuTTuIbb Report

#22

I Saw This “Cloud” On My Way To Work Yesterday Morning, May 22nd, At 5 Am Est. Other Than This, The Sky Was Completely Clear. What Is This Thing?

I Saw This “Cloud” On My Way To Work Yesterday Morning, May 22nd, At 5 Am Est. Other Than This, The Sky Was Completely Clear. What Is This Thing?

Answer: Rocket launch. I live near a launch complex. See this a lot.

TheRealDuHass Report

#23

Heathrow Airport. Looks Like It Hasn’t Moved In Ages. What Is This Thing?

Heathrow Airport. Looks Like It Hasn’t Moved In Ages. What Is This Thing?

Answer: For fire training, for the airport fire brigade.

woodrowchillson Report

#24

Saw This Natural Phenomenon Near My Home. What Is This Thing?

Saw This Natural Phenomenon Near My Home. What Is This Thing?

Answer: Lenticular cloud.

varunpotter Report

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#25

I Found This Thing In My Food. It Was Just Stuck To A Piece Of Meat; It Wasn't Lodged Into It Or Anything. Anyone Know What It Is?

I Found This Thing In My Food. It Was Just Stuck To A Piece Of Meat; It Wasn't Lodged Into It Or Anything. Anyone Know What It Is?

Answer: Cattle/pig microchip for meat traceability.

iamfase Report

#26

It Is Approx. 3 Meters Long And Open At The End. Found With Some Similar Looking Ones Scattered Around On A Hillside While Hiking. What Is This Thing?

It Is Approx. 3 Meters Long And Open At The End. Found With Some Similar Looking Ones Scattered Around On A Hillside While Hiking. What Is This Thing?

Answer: This device is called Gazex and it's used to start avalanches, so they can control when and where they happen. This avalanche control system uses specially constructedand "exploder" sites and tubes built at key locations in avalanche territory to set off avalanches at controlled times. The exploders literally detonate a mixture of oxygen and propane from the tube structures. The explosive force expelled from the tubes triggers avalanches. The explosive bursts are fueled by gas canisters stored in tanks beneath the exploders on the mountain.

Jakob_W_ , Sky-HiNews Report

#27

I Drive By This Every Day, What Is On Top Of This Car?

I Drive By This Every Day, What Is On Top Of This Car?

Answer: It’s a crane arm — for filming in movies... it’s how they filmed the Red Bull Kluge video.

FrancisART Report

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Kevin Camp
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That is a camera rig car. For filming moving cars and such. The vehicle is painted flat black to keep light relfecting from it from interfering with the exposure while filming. Work vehicle.

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#28

What Is This Black Stuff Appearing On The Walls Of My Hostel’s Bathroom? It’s Almost In Every Corner As Well

What Is This Black Stuff Appearing On The Walls Of My Hostel’s Bathroom? It’s Almost In Every Corner As Well

Answer: Termite infestation.

the_lonely-guy Report

#29

Dark Line On Earth Visible In The Spacex Falcon Heavy Stream. What Is This Thing?

Dark Line On Earth Visible In The Spacex Falcon Heavy Stream. What Is This Thing?

Answer: It's land. New Caledonia

readonlyred Report

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Withnail
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's a sperm whale that has suddenly and against all probability been called into existence several miles above the surface of our planet. Digging the dash sticker, btw.

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#30

Found This Kayaking In The Mississippi River Yesterday, I Think It’s Some Kind Of Exact Fungus But I’ve Never Seen This In My Life. What Is This Thing?

Found This Kayaking In The Mississippi River Yesterday, I Think It’s Some Kind Of Exact Fungus But I’ve Never Seen This In My Life. What Is This Thing?

Answer: Bryozoa (also known as the Polyzoa, Ectoprocta or commonly as moss animals) colony.

Gmill3r28 Report

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Hans
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Quite interesting creatures. I read that on the one had they are a nuissance, since they can damage structures, but on the other hand they have come to be of interest of medical research to build new cancer drugs.

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