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50 Times People Had No Clue What They Were Looking At, But The Internet Had Their Back (New Pics)
The world is far too complex for us to have all the answers. On any given day, people are coming up with new projects and ideas that prove change is the only stable thing in life. Since we can’t keep up with their sometimes weird, sometimes brilliant inventions, we’re bound to believe that all of these novel items have a purpose.
But have you ever stumbled across something so random and mysterious that you just had to ask, "What Is This Thing?" Well, if you have, chances are you reached out to the online group on Reddit with the same name. "We may not know the 'why' but we can help with the 'what'," the moderators write in the description, and boy, do they deliver!
More than 2.1 million amateur detectives consistently scroll through the photographs and solve one case after another by deciphering the perplexities people upload online. We gathered some of the most bizarre objects people posted on the group, along with the wisdom from the subreddit about what they are. Continue scrolling, upvote the most interesting ones, and tell us what you think about them in the comments! And if you're in the mood for even more strange objects and the explanations behind them, check out our previous posts about them here, here, and here.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
My Girlfriend's House Has This Panel Next To The Basement Door That Lights Up Whenever The Basement Light Is On. Why?
Answer: It’s to tell you that the basement light is on.
TonyTee 3 years ago
I can't lie, I honestly didn't know wtf it was for either 😅 But in my defense I've never lived in a house (or any kind of living unit that had one of these things)
Load More Replies... Lizzy Crit 3 years ago (edited)
Maybe someone had a darkroom down there at some point. A warning to not open the door when it's in use
Saint Thomas 3 years ago
I was thinking of that as well. Or a recording studio.
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Kona Pake 3 years ago
It’s a warning to tell you that contagious demon entity who's been trapped down there for a long, long time is free.
Elin Cathrine Aasen 3 years ago
Puh. Good. The comments were getting dark.
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John Dilligaf 3 years ago
a friend of mine has this for his garage door. There's a light in his living room that comes on whenever his garage door is open
Lazy Panda 3 years ago
I stayed in a vacation rental cottage that had a light like this in the hallway with big signs saying it was the alert that the septic system was full and to call the owner immediately so they could have it pumped out. It felt like a lot of pressure on a long weekend by the lake!
RELATED:
#2
What Is This Ice Phenomenon I Found On The Forest Floor Today?
Answer: The term for it is frost flower and has to do with moisture freezing as it escapes plant tissue.
Naluh Maués 3 years ago
Ice Hair are fungi, but frost flowers are layers of ice extending from the a plant stem. The phenomenon occurs in late fall or early winter while the air is freezing but the soil is still a little warm.
B-flat 3 years ago
Hair ice or ice hair is also a form of ice, not fungi. See https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hair_ice
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TonyTee 3 years ago
I will be looking this up as my curiosity has struck me like a cat
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For most people, feeling unsure about the things right in front of them is at least a little bit frustrating and a whole lot confusing. This uneasy feeling of uncertainty can lead to worry and distress because, more often than not, we humans tend to assume the worst. So the not-knowing and living in anxious anticipation is hard for people, and we are almost programmed to hate it. In fact, one study has revealed that our stress levels max out when uncertainty is highest. The volunteers in the experiment were asked to play a game where they had to overturn rocks. If a snake appeared under one of them, they would get a painful electric shock. The results showed that people would rather definitely get an electric shock now than know there's a possibility to get shocked later. Or in other words, uncertainty is more stressful than predictable negative outcomes.
In part, that’s one reason why people are so eager to find out the meaning and purpose behind bizarre objects they encounter. To learn more about uncertainty and how it affects our day-to-day lives, we reached out to Frank T. McAndrew, Ph.D., the Cornelia H. Dudley Professor of Psychology at Knox College. "Novelty in our environment (i.e., new or mysterious things) automatically grab our attention for good evolutionary reasons," he told Bored Panda.
#3
What Is This Thing? Small Gold Pig Container With Removable Tiny Spoon For A Tail
Answer: Salt cellar aka salt pig
Jayne Kyra 3 years ago
A collection of rainbow-coloured salt pigs to use for all spices... yes please!
Terri-Georgia Print 3 years ago
F**k yeah you need to patent that s**t man !!!!!
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Stephanie Wittenberg 3 years ago
It's a rather fancy salt dip. Most are tiny little bowls, an inch or so in diameter, with equally tiny spoons. Those dining used the spoon to salt their food.
#4
Toilet With A U-Shaped Divot In The Front
Answer: It's a type of handicap toilet, more common in Europe than the US. It's supposed to have an open-front seat, too. That allows a person to slide straight onto and off of the seat (such as from a wheelchair), without their genitals ever touching the seat or the bowl. This is more comfortable and decreases spread of disease.
Aahzmandus Pervect 3 years ago
I wanted to say that I never saw something like this nowhere in Europe, but then I realized that I don't actually use handicapped toilets and have never properly seen one. 🙃
Jojo 3 years ago
Thanks to this comment i get why i never have seen one of those toilets 😂
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Jill Hojnacki 3 years ago
Which may also answer the question of why so many public toilet seats are split, when split seats rarely seen in private bathrooms.
David Brown 3 years ago
I was thinking it's like that to keep little boys from pissing all over the place.
Goth Nurse 3 years ago
I'm an European nurse, and have never seen a toilet bowl like this in my long career!
Susie Redus 3 years ago
Brilliant. I can think of a lot of people, disabled in many ways, who NEED that in their homes. Just creating the door space for them to access the bathroom is a nightmare. That fixture would be miraculous for them!
Janine Hunt-Jackson 1 year ago
As a wheelchair user, all I can think of is how my dress or pants are going to get wet falling into that valley in the bowl! Ya don't pull down your pants BEFORE you transfer!!
#5
Found In My Math Teacher's Room. 100 Squares With Varying Patterns And Colors. No Patterns Seem To Be Same
They are times. For example, 4 is 2 blue, blue is 2. So 4 is 2x2. 8 has three blue 2x2x2. 96 has 4 blue 2x2x2x2 (32) x red which is 3. 32x3 is 96
Mama Panda 3 years ago
Hmm but 91 is purple and brown. Brown = 13. So the equation would be a x 13 = 91. The only number that a could be is 7 but that is black on the chart. Also, 23, 31 and 59 are black as well. I don't see a purple at all except for a light purple and that is 47. I am confused.
Dynein 3 years ago
7 isn't black - 23 is black and *much* darker than 7. Also look at the other numbers containing the factor 7 - 14, 21, 28, 35, 49... up to 98: all have a blueish-purple column.
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Interestingly, we are hardwired by evolution to focus on the unusual things in our surroundings and try to associate them with threat or safety. "Something new in our environment may potentially be very good (something else to eat or an object that might prove useful to us in other ways) or very bad (a dangerous thing that we should avoid)," McAndrew added. "In either case, people who paid attention to new things did a lot better over time than people who ignored them, and we are the descendants of the people who were curious."
According to the professor, when we can’t figure something out and cannot determine if it’s good, bad, or neutral, we become uncomfortable. "Our inability to categorize it will eat at us because we do not know how to deal with it, and this can be paralyzing if it is something that we cannot easily avoid," he explained. That’s why people go out of their way to escape feeling psychological discomfort and hope to be in control again.
#6
Staying At An Airbnb And We Have This Little Metal Tray Embedded In The Counter Top. It's About An Inch Deep (Banana For Scale), Cannot Be Removed, And Has A Drawer Underneath
Answer: It's where a scale used to be.
Joybug 3 years ago
Why would you build a scale into a work top? Seems like a waste of space to me. Is this common in some countries?
TKA 3 years ago
There is a lot more info and a picture of one with a scale if you click the link under the photo.
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Kiwi Panda 3 years ago
I dunno-we need a different banana to determine the scale of the first banana
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Ole Peder Amrud Hagen 3 years ago
This is the most impractical waste of space I have seen in a long time.
#7
Why Do These Window Grills Have A Bulge. Seen In Spain
Answer: They're called "belly bars" in a lot of places. They're designed for flower boxes.
Edit: forgot to mention that the primary purpose is security. The rounded part is for flower boxes.
Isabela Cincu 3 years ago
They re not unusual. But TiL i learned why they look like that
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Naluh Maués 3 years ago
Actually, that's correct. Typical from Hispanic constructions.
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jack sprat 3 years ago
It would be nice to have this bulge so you can look further out of the window too.
E. Hamilton 3 years ago
Always thought it was so they get a better angle when looking out the window, or a place for elbow when you post up to look out the window while drinking coffee, just judging the neighbor kid.
#8
Burying Our Dog In The Backyard Who Passed Today At 16 And Came Across This Underground Wall
Answer: It’s got holes in it, that’s a drywell. That thing fills up when it rains so the yard doesn’t flood.
That nerd Zoe ️🇺🇦️ 3 years ago
Y'all bury your pets? We had ours cremated... :( I'm sorry for your loss.. I know how it feels to lose a dog...
Mary Beth Wiley Stanfield 3 years ago
Cremation is done through the vet at an extra expense. If your pet died at home, you’d have to take it to the vet for cremation. When you go to the vet and your pet is euthanized, the choice is cremation, take it home to bury, or the vet disposes of the body (the same way human biohazard is disposed of.)
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When asked if it’s possible to cope with these anxious feelings and even tame them, McAndrew told us it’s unlikely that we want to overcome them in the first place. "Being uncomfortable with uncertainty is a very adaptive thing, and it helps us remain vigilant in situations where we need to do so," the professor said.
"People differ from each other in how comfortable they are with uncertainty, and someone who is not at all tolerant of uncertainty will be more stressed out than they should be over even moderate levels of uncertainty. I am not sure that there is too much that can be done about this, as it is a personality thing and personalities are very hard to change," McAndrew noted.
#9
Art Nouveau Style Hook Made Of Silver
Answer: a boot button hook. Used to hook all those tiny buttons on ladies boots
Jayne Kyra 3 years ago
Were this older, it could be used as the brain pulling thing in ancient Egypt.
pink_panda 3 years ago
Used to pry a boot out of your butt when you've taken a licking.
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Pamela Lewis 3 years ago
It's a hook for victorian shoes that were fastened with tiny buttons...you pushed the hook thru the hole and pulled the button through it
Amy Chirman 3 years ago
Could also be a warping hook used in weaving but the decoration makes it more likely a boot button hook.
Malaki Williams 3 years ago
at first i thought it was one of the tools to scrape plaque from your teath
Mara Ridder 3 years ago
I know those as hooks for the closing of corsets....does anyone else has this information? I am really curious because I once bought one of these antique style ones for my boyfriend as present (and thought I would give him a corset hook...he loves corsets)...)
#10
Heavy And Small. Found In Southern Germany
Answer: Medieval pilgrim’s badge
Fearhunter 3 years ago
Is this the medieval version of "I went on pilgrimage and all I got is this t-shirt"?
Mary Beth Wiley Stanfield 3 years ago
If it’s a Communion Token, they’re worth $10-20. For over 300 years Presbyterians & Huguenots had to have one to take Holy Communion, so there are a lot out there to be found.
Load More Replies... #11
Strange Graves In A Village Graveyard In Northwest Iran. So I Have Seen These Graves Since I Was A Kid But Never Understood What The Marking Meant. They Don’t Look Like Christian Or Muslim Graves And No One In The Village Knows Their Origin. If Someone Knows Anything, I Would Appreciate The Help
Answer: gravestones in NW Iran sometimes have figural/narrative carvings that indicate the occupation of the person.
Everything is fascinating. 3 years ago
It's obviously an aardvark playing football.
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Jenny Michelle 3 years ago
Right picture: Top - man walk with many legs Bottom- now he face down dead
At least we can feel a dash of comfort knowing that once we encounter a random object, we can turn to the 'What Is This Thing' online group on Reddit and hope they will quickly release us from relentless questioning. Ever since it was created in 2010, it has been steadily growing and helping thousands of people solve their puzzles. With the tagline “For the identification of mysterious objects”, the moderators state that "if you have an object and you don't know what it is, this is the place for you to search for an answer."
#12
What Is This 6-Floor Tiny Tower In The Middle Of A Parking Lot, Adjacent A Baseball Field In East Austin, Tx?
Answer: it's a fire fighter practice building. hey use that whole area for training of all sorts including high speed chase training for cops as well as a firing range.
Don't even 3 years ago
Want to play in it and am very much not a kid anymore lol
Load More Replies... Zero 3 years ago
Fun fact, if you ever need to burn down a building (legally) like an old barn, call the local fire department. Chance are they'll jump at the chance to use it as a training exercise but they also will want to hang out to ensure it doesn't get out of hand.
William J Dougherty 3 years ago
‘Acquired burn buildings’ are great for training, but can be very dangerous. Without skilled Fire Service Instructors & Safety Officers, it's difficult to prepare for live fire training
Load More Replies... Katie Lutesinger 3 years ago
We had one of those in my area! I asked my mum what it was and got the same answer (in fact, it was right near a fire station). There were also some old wrecked cars, so they could practise breaking them open to rescue people.
Brian Abbott 3 years ago (edited)
I climbed those stairs not long ago for firefighter fitness training. That's crazy that this showed up on here. I live about 30 minutes from this place.
Rabbit-Of-ill-Portent️ she/her 3 years ago
Yep they gotta go up and down those stairs with all that gear on! Thank a fire fighter today!
jack sprat 3 years ago
We had one exactly like it on the Philadelphia Naval Base when I was there for my A school. I'll tell you what, those things are fun to be in when it's 90 degrees out, with the inside on fire, while you're in a fire fighting suit and an OBA mask.
Brobro McDuderson 3 years ago
Yep! Sometimes they’re near schools and the marching band “drum majors” will conduct from the 2nd or 3rd floor balcony.
#13
Witt - Two Card Parked On A Street, Both Seem To Have T-Shirts (Or Some Sort Of Material) Over Their Wing Mirrors, But Just On The Side Facing The Road
Answer: Its to keep birds from attacking the mirrors
Aileen Grist 3 years ago
It's to stop drivers being dazzled by their own lights reflecting back at night.
CLG 3 years ago
I like this answer better. Especially since they're only on the street side of the car, whereas if it were bird attacks you'd think they'd have one on both mirrors.
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Roy Webb 3 years ago
To keep them from frosting over? Not sure about the bird attacks. I've never once in my life of driving almost 60 years heard of a bird attaching a side mirror.
H.L.Lewis 3 years ago
Lol. Just because you haven't seen it doesn't make it not true I have seen it. Many times.
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Mrs C 3 years ago
The bird attacking thing is wrong. You're telling me that the birds only attack the mirrors on the road side? Rubbish. It's to stop the glare for other drivers.
H.L.Lewis 3 years ago
You are not allowed to cover up the driver side mirror when driving. They may cover it later when they park where the birds do this.
Load More Replies... That'sEndorable 3 years ago
So... not an Irish or Jewish funeral procession? (Meh. No-one's going to get that one. See, traditionally you would cover the mirrors at a wake... But no, covering the car's mirrors would be ridiculous.)
Hypoxia Smurf 3 years ago
Exactly right. We live in a bird-filled woodland; the wee beasties love to roost and c**p on our vehicle mirrors. We wrap those mirrors with plastic shopping bags when parked at home.
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Loraine D.G. MacGinness 3 years ago
Wouldn't you take them off when driving ?? Or are they parked = badly !!
#14
What Is The Intended Purpose Of This Very Thin, Glass Covered Drawer?
Answer: It’s a bedside cabinet and it’s to put cups of coffee/ breakfast on so it doesn’t leave coffee rings/stains on the top
Jayne Kyra 3 years ago
Me sitting here on the floor with my mug on the carpet... I can´t wait for my new bed to arrive.
BoredBirb 3 years ago
Omg! Same! My bed broke underneath me and rn Im on the floor on my mattress!
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Robert Trebor 3 years ago
Or, just as you see there, a place for your 3 am idea book. But then the trick is to figure out what you wrote.
Huddo's sister 3 years ago
The kitchen at my old house had a similar drawer, but in the kitchen, to use as a chopping board.
We previously managed to get in touch with one of the moderators who looks after the group. They told us there are several reasons people become amateur detectives and set out on a mission to discover the meaning behind obscure pictures posted online. The first one is when people encounter interesting and novel items, they can’t help but feel curious and want to get a chance at cracking the case. Another reason would be the "thrill of the chase" — folks simply want to show off their great research skills.
"Many [people] have unique and obscure knowledge and they like to use it. Get enough of them together and they cover most things," they told Bored Panda.
#15
What Is This Oddly Burned Log I Found At A Campsite?
Answer: Swedish log burning....burns longer than firing a log onto a fire.
Raumpfleger 3 years ago
In German it's called a "finnish torch". You saw two cross shaped cuts into the log and stuff them with twigs then light them up. Works kind of like a giant candle.
Mere Cat 3 years ago
Fun to know! In Finnish, this is jätkänkynttilä, "dude's candle" (maybe jätkä refers to a logger here, not just dude)
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Zero 3 years ago
You probably just call it a fire log. Like Macadamia nuts are probably just nuts in Macadamia. Seriously though, if you spent any time camping, these are awesome. Burn long, provide a stable platform for cooking on top of, and provide consistent but controlled heat for cooking/warmth.
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Krisette Hawn 3 years ago
It's excellent for cooking on. Coffee pots, frying pans, Dutch ovens all rest nicely on top
#16
Kids Pack On Air Flight Contained These With No Explanation Or Instructions. What Are They?
Answer: Ahh...the inventor didn't realize that some parents even adults need instructions. Surely you can see that these look like airplane wings!
"Kids flying Air France can play with their food thanks to Catalan designer Eugeni Quitllet, who created a spoon, fork and knife that can be transformed into a small model aircraft. "
The spoon, fork and knife for the kids meal pack have slots in their handles, you slot these into the handles to make model airplanes. Notice that you get 3 of them, and "mon avion" is French for "my airplane".
Mark Melton 3 years ago
They are the horizontal stabilizer for a foam model airplane that you throw to fly. Lots of fun!
Kim Bush 3 years ago
The "wings" shown above interlock with the probably plastic utensils which serve (no pun intended)as the body of the plane. Hobbyists will use lightweight wood for the wings and the body to build gliders.
Load More Replies... Della Johnson 3 years ago
I want that! I dont see why its only kids! i would have tons of fun with that!
#17
What Is Up Against This Person's Mouth?
Answer: Court stenographer mask so they can dictate
N G 3 years ago
i don't know why, but i imagine her speaking into it saying "Luke, i am your father"
Kathryn Baylis 3 years ago (edited)
More like “This stupid b***h next to me is uber batshit cray-cray. She smells too—-the stench of ignorance and malfeasance”.
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Paul C. 3 years ago
Probably Oxygen, she doesn't want to catch "stupid" from Marjorie Taylor Greene.
YinzerGhost 3 years ago
Wrong, she is screaming into it because she has to be in such close proximity to that loudmouth dipshit
Patrick McKemie 3 years ago
It is to protect her from all the noxious gas that is coming out of the mouth of the person she is sitting next to.
Bittersweetie 3 years ago (edited)
it's a high tech device for grown ups for when they need to "cough" whilst saying BULLSH*T !
Greg Hughes 3 years ago
I think it's a vomit receptacle for when Marjorie Taylor Greene begins to speak.
Israel Martinez 3 years ago
It's a guard to keep them from inhaling Greene's b******t while she speaks ...
Luckily for us, the moderator also revealed that only under 10 percent of 'cases' remain unsolved, so it’s very rare that members of the community wouldn't know anything about the unidentified things posted on the page. "A majority of things are solved within 15 minutes of posting," they added. So if you have an unusual object archived in your photo gallery that you still ponder about to this day, be sure to share your findings with the online group, and we are willing to bet that they’ll know the answer right away.
#18
What Is This Red Leather Devil Figure, Found In A Wooden Box In An Attic?
"Turns out one of the weirder ways skates and rays have been used by people is as curiosities. These cartilaginous fish, related to sharks, were flipped over and “shaped” into gruesome likenesses of imagined sea devils or maybe evil-looking mermaids. After being dried out and shellacked they were sold in port cities and seaside towns as far back as the 16th century. The origins of the name are obscure, but some articles reference jeune fille d’Anvers which translates as girl from Antwerp.
Intentionally fishing and drying out sea creatures as tourist trinkets, whether sea stars, sea horses or Jenny Hanivers, has fortunately fallen out of fashion. But beach combing is still a great way to come upon all sorts of interesting bits and pieces brought in on the tide and tossed ashore by a wave to dry in the sun."
TonyTee 3 years ago
Would've never guessed that was actually a f*****g fish O_O
Load More Replies... pink_panda 3 years ago
I too thought the mouth and eye (?) placement looked like some kind of ray! I didn't know they were manipulated and sold like this though. Bums me out for the animals.
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TonyTee 3 years ago
And whoever originally came up with this idea was even more f*****g mental
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#19
What Are These Tiny Brown And Tan Beads I Found In My Carpet And On My Windowsill?
Answer: Looks like termite frass, aka termite poop.
#20
Witt? Slightly Rusty Metal Plate With "Stop" In Cutout Lettering
Answer: Rear Light Stop Face Plate A-13442-AR it’s from a vintage ford.
Katie Lutesinger 3 years ago
There's a missing companion plate which says "IN THE NAME OF LOVE!"
Sergio Bicerra Descalzi 3 years ago
"Stand there where you are, Before you go too far, Before you make a fool out of love..."
#21
This Metal Decorative Floral Piece, Removable Petals, 10” Long, On A Table Top
Answer: Ashtray
Evil Little Thing 3 years ago
A lot of ashtrays were really cool, clever, or artistic.
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Jasper Cool 3 years ago
Kids today will never know what it's like to be surrounded by ashtrays everywhere you go. Which is good. I just forget how prevalent they were. Or how teacher's lounges had smoke billowing out of them like dragon lair.
Mrs. Jan Glass 3 years ago
Or how we were all coughing and sick and the adults just yelled at us for "complaining."
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Mrs. Jan Glass 3 years ago
You can clean them and repurpose them, easy-peasy! They can hold desk items, earrings, candy, craft things, whatever you want! There are some truly gorgeous antiques out there.
Load More Replies... Barong 3 years ago
I don’t want to smoke but smokers had some really cool and beautiful pieces of kit. Desk sets with build in ashtrays, silver cigarette cases, crystal ashtrays and matching lighters. Heck even zippos can be beautiful and neat but relatively useless to carry unless you smoke or were named Thomas Sweatt. Not even enough lighters around for crowds to wave in concerts.
#22
What Is This Instrument/Tool This Woman Is Displaying?
Answer: Its a bed warmer
Emily Ducat 3 years ago (edited)
Elizabeth used one to great effect against the pirates who try to kidnap her in the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie. Clobbering Pintel in the face with it then dumping the hot coals onto Ragetti when he tries to wrest it off her.
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peace 3 years ago (edited)
a little remark. fill with hot charcoal instead of hot ashes. the heat lasts longer. the same principle existed for irons to iron clothes. filled with hot charcoal
Load More Replies... Katie Lutesinger 3 years ago
Ah, so that's the inspiration behind those famous song lyrics "can't sleep 'cause my bed's on fire".
Jill Hojnacki 3 years ago
Fill it with hot coals or charcoal from the fire and run it over the bedsheets before climbing in. Then, if it’s really cold, slip a hot water bottle or a brick that’s been warmed by the fire and wrapped in a towel under the covers to keep your feet warm through the night. It’s heavenly in winter if your bedroom (like mine was) isn’t heated.
Dani Fogel 3 years ago
You put coal in it, a bit after the fire died down. In the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie, when Elizabeth hits the glass eyed pirate with something, and red hot coal drops from it - that is the same instrument you see here
David Brown 3 years ago
They'd put hot coals in that from the fireplace to warm their beds before going to sleep.
Debby Keir 3 years ago
Hot coals from the fire and pop into the bed an hour or so before retiring. Remember that in those days, mattresses were often straw or 'flock' if you had money, and were most likely damp. Not just for warmth but drying too.
#23
Wooden Machine Hanging On The Wall Of A Historical Building. It Features Dials That All Seem To Be In Sync. Knob Below When Pushed Makes The Dials Jump, But Turning Does Nothing. The Dials Are Numbered But A Few Are Labeled Parlor, Ladies Entrance And Bathroom
Answer: Servants summoning panel. Buttons or pulls all over the house ring a bell there
Mama Panda 3 years ago
it's a Hotel Annunciator aka Butlers Call Bell. It appears that this hotel had 33 rooms
Max L. 3 years ago
Noticed something similar in the movie "the remains of the day", guess a similar system was in use to call butlers in houses with many servants
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Mrs. Jan Glass 3 years ago
This is what I was going to mention, too. The opening credits show this kind of a device being used to ring the downstairs servants by the upstairs family.
Load More Replies... Katie Lutesinger 3 years ago
Looks like something you'd see in one those more annoyingly difficult puzzle solving games, like The Seventh Guest.
#24
What Is This Type Of Clamp Used? Only Says China On It
Answer: That’s a gang lock for lockout/tagout. You place this on a breaker when multiple people are working on equipment to keep people from turning the equipment on.
Kim Kermes 3 years ago
I gather each worker puts their own padlock on so it can't be powered until everyone is done?
Mark Melton 3 years ago
These are a machinists nightmare. You can't operate the equipment until everyone removes their lock from the tagout.... Every time, some exhausted maintenance person goes home without removing their lock. Machine can't run until all locks accounted for. I'm so glad I'm retired now.
Robert Trebor 3 years ago
Better than getting 12000 volts up the arm. I had people take my tags off while I was in the Navy. Wish I could've locked the switches. When it happened to me, up on rotatatable antenna , I managed to avoid being thrown to the deck, came inside and found out who dunnit, and adamantly refused to just let it be. The person involved had a nice chat with the Captain.
Load More Replies... Brobro McDuderson 3 years ago
Mostly correct (the posted answer, not the comments which are great). In industrial settings any “source of energy” needs to be “deactivated and locked out” before something can be worked on (for worker safety ofc). Most think energy = electric power and while that’s the most common, compressed air lines or pneumatic supply are other sources of power. Typically the equipment will have a safety tag which states how many energy sources it has, which must be shutoff/locked. In my experience, he/she whose clamp it is should only apply their own lock to the “clamp”…other workers (if multiple) apply the metal ring of their own clamp (not their lock) into the red holes of the existing worker’s clamp. For large work, it’s possible to see a chain of them together. Removing someone else’s lock is usually grounds for termination. We retrain annually on the process, or we have to turn our LOTO equipment in.
Zol 3 years ago
a piece of equipment is turned off . the tongs are closed through the on/off switch so the equipment can't be turned on . padlocks are put through the red holes to prevent someone turning the thing back on . multiple holes because there might be multiple people working on it
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Gloria Bethallen 3 years ago
in my math class we use them for the locks on break out boxes so you have to find all the clues/answers to breakout
#25
I've Seen This Cane Shaped (Usually) Brass Post At Numerous Bars And Pubs, And Wondered What It Is And What It Is Used For. L Have Been Unable To Google The Correct Sequence Of Words To Get A Result
Answer: "divider" or "service divider". It serves to keep standing customers to one side, away from the part of the bar where servers pick up drinks. Also notice the opening under the bar, the bartender (in some designs) can lift the top and gets in and out. You don't want customers standing there blocking access
Katie Lutesinger 3 years ago
So it's not just for drunks to steady themselves on after all. :p
Rabbit-Of-ill-Portent️ she/her 3 years ago
Lol girlie you just took the words right out of my brain 😂
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Hugh Cookson 3 years ago
Also, the flap that the bartender puts down to get in or out or stop people coming behind the bar is called the Wicket......
#26
Ukraine National Police Posted An Image Of This Strangely Textured Object, They Call It "Dangerous To Health And Even Life"... But What Is It?
Answer: Butterfly mines
Boris Long-Johnson 3 years ago (edited)
Russian “gift” to Ukrainian civilisation. How generous. /s
That'sEndorable 3 years ago (edited)
Although George W. Bush and Donald Trump fought to reserve to right to do so, land mines were not used by America in the Middle East in any recent war. They're chiefly useful for retreating or terrorism, nowadays, and apart from their immorality, they're certainly a stupid idea if you have any intent to govern or support the government of the territory you've used them in. Their use by Russia signified the defeat of the Kiev campaign. We learned our lesson in Korea, when they proved much more difficult to remove than expected.
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Zero 3 years ago
These were also called "Child Mines" due to the high rate of child injuries and first showed up in the Soviet-Afghan war in the late 70s. Cheap & easy to make, stupid easy to deploy as you just drop them from the air, dispersed over a wide area, and were stupid effective at maiming. Took only 11 lbs to set off.
Alexandru Bucur 3 years ago
And an air-dropped one, at that. Lots of children in places such as Afghanistan or Syria have lost limbs or died because they look like toys. The one in the picture, by the way, is inert, because the detonator is visibly missing.
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FreshGanesh 3 years ago
“PFM-1 is a scatterable anti-personnel land mine of Soviet and Russian production.[1] It is also known as a Green Parrot or Butterfly Mine.[1] The mines can be deployed from mortars, helicopters and airplanes in large numbers; they glide to the ground without exploding and will explode later upon contact “
Douglas Tucker 3 years ago
That'sEndorable is correct on so many points. The U.S. is reported to have stopped using mines during the very early 1990s. Lisa Lopez Mejia's concern is not uncommon when one has seen photos or newscasts showing young people killed or injured by devices deliberately scatteted by uncaring S.O.B.s as part of their winning strategy. We as humans still have such a long way to go to keep our children safe in a war situation or even a peaceful school scene it appears.
Mark Melton 3 years ago
We also have temporary mines that are deployed from planes frozen, once they thaw they become highly explosive. We sew these around downed pilots to protect them from the enemy searching for them until they can be rescued. One will mangle your foot badly, but they aren't extremely powerful, and after a relatively short time they become chemically inert. Had them in The Nam.
Riley Quinn 3 years ago
Also known as the Green Parrot. The Ottawa Convention (97-99) banned the use/manufacture of anti-personnel landmines (APLs). Of the 133 countries that signed, Russia, China, India and Saudi Arabia have not.
#27
Park Bench With Weird Cutouts. Don't Think It's For Bikes, You'd Need A Really Long Chain To Wrap All The Way Around
Answer: It’s for bikes. When u want to sit you park your bike behind you. It’s not meant to lock your bike and leave
Sue Lynn Chan 3 years ago (edited)
My apologies , but it do look like ancient toilets.
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Israel Martinez 3 years ago
It's for men with sagging testicles that need to rest for a while ...
#28
Witt: Small Metal Trinket Found Buried On Rural Missouri Farm. Appears To Have An Eagle, Flor De Lis, And Rope Pattern On From And A Metal Band On The Back. Quarter For Scale
Answer: It's a boy scout neckerchief slide.
KombatBunni 3 years ago
Such a weird word for a simple thing :) I had an original belt, woggle and womens scout uniform belonging to my grandma that was almost as old as me :) (I’m mid 40s) and still in really good condition. I also have my gf’s woggle from when she was in scouts that she let me keep, and my Nan was badge secretary.
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Historyharlot93 3 years ago
Losing neckerchief slides is a hallowed part of Boy Scout tradition. I’m at Scout mom and the slides I’ve had to replace….
Mary Beth Wiley Stanfield 3 years ago
Both of my older brothers were Boy Scouts, and Dad was their Den Leader. We found quite a few of these that my brothers had lost, when we moved.
#29
Enclosed, Copper Gazebo Type Thing On A Residential Property. House Built In 1929
Answer: It's a cupola. At least it was. When old buildings are torn down, people buy these and repurpose them.
Alexandru Bucur 3 years ago (edited)
On the original thread on reddit they even identified what building this was from, because it was a well-known local landmark - Union Station in Grand Rapids, Michigan which was torn down in 1959 and the cupola bought by a local antiquities dealer who placed it in his yard.
Maggie Belter 3 years ago
And what is a cupola? Lol. Geez.. This article is supposed to explain things.. Not send me to google 🤣😜
Celtic Pirate Queen 3 years ago
It's hard to tell without any kind of scale, but if I'm not mistaken, this would be considered a "Folly". A Cupola is generally atop a building & this seems much too large.
#30
What Is This Thing? Circular Thing On A Post In An Antique Place
Answer: This is an Engine Order Telegraph used in older marine vessels. Allowed the Captain remote communication with the ships engine room.
Katie Lutesinger 3 years ago
Heheh, I was just thinking the same thing! You even see the guys down in the engine room getting the signal.
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Kristal 3 years ago
Watch the movie Titanic (1997), it's featured predominantly when they are about to *spoiler alert* hit the iceberg
M O'Connell 3 years ago
The outer handle is for issuing the order to the engine room, they reply that the order was received by manipulating the handle on their end which moves the inner pointer on this end.
#31
Found Buried In The Closet Of A Commercial Kitchen. What've I Got? About 6 Inches In Diameter
Answer: It's a hamburger press
Man in the ceiling 3 years ago
Odd how many things on this list are both obvious and not obvious at the same time.
Mrs. Jan Glass 3 years ago
I always love when I don't recognize something, and then realize that it was ubiquitous when I was a kid and I've just completely forgotten, because life and points of reference are so different. Then there's that moment of "Oh, god, yes, people used to smoke in the car all the time!" and "Remember when everyone had to coordinate what telly show to watch?" There's probably a 12-syllable German word for it.
Load More Replies... That'sEndorable 3 years ago
I didn't even know hamburgers knew how to read. I'll escort myself out now...
Islandchild 3 years ago
It's a press but I'm not dead certain it's a hamburger one. Our hamburger one had similar circles in it but they were a size (weight) measure.
Bonny Saxon 3 years ago
It actually looks more like a tortilla press. Unless you like your burgers really thin.
#32
Found This Deep In My Church's Storage. Looks Like There's A Place For A Battery, Multiple Lights, And Even A Knob That Only Clicks When You Twist It. It Seems To Be From The 70s And Made Primarily Out Of Aluminum. All I Can Think Of Is It Was Some Sort Of Tithe Device, But It Doesn't Seem To Open
Answer: A device found in a church that says “PLEASE” on it only has one meaning, MONEY. It some sort of offering collector.
That'sEndorable 3 years ago
I'm presuming this is an offertory candle, although it looks like a very strange style to my Roman Catholic background. The original idea was you light a candle to ask for a prayer, but insurance companies didn't like this. So instead, you turn a small light on. After so many hours, it clicks off again, or can be manually shut off. And yes, the slot marked, "Please" was to ask for donations, specifically to maintain the Church building. (To give to the poor, there were separate "poor boxes.")
Two_rolling_black_eyes 3 years ago (edited)
The story is apocryphal but I grew up a preacher's kid and one of our churches had a couple of these. A daughter born after WW2 told me the story about them. Supposedly they were instituted during WW2. . It was to replace the beeswax candles so the wax could be used elsewhere. The money donated into them supposedly also went to the war effort ergo the green and yellow sign. Beeswax was used by the US military for everything from de-icing airplane wings to sealing munitions. In 1942, the US started giving beekeepers military deferments because they needed more beeswax. I just did a quick google and found an article by PSU saying there was a big bee die-off in the early 70's. Maybe they did a similar thing while the US was in Vietnam?
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Rebecca Moore 3 years ago
Maybe they turned the light on manually when you put money in the pot so all the other people in the church knew whether you were a tight-a*s or not!
Irish Lad 3 years ago
People are asking what this is, not what your view of religion is. A few more down votes and you will be banned. Feel better?
Load More Replies... #33
Cinderblock Stove Structure On The Edge Of 1920 Farmhouse Property. Located Down The Hill From The House
Answer: That’s what it is. Cook houses were often away from the main house to reduce fire risk and to just deal with the heat in the summer
Dav Carro-Ripalda 3 years ago
Kitchens, when coocking fire is on, produce more heat
Load More Replies... Kathryn Baylis 3 years ago
So I assume there was a small structure around it at some point—-where food was both cooked and stored, maybe with a small cellar for food that needs to stay cool—-and if the homeowners had money, a covered walkway to the main house, to keep the food warm and out of the elements.
Lady of the Mountains 3 years ago
A little more fun information, in areas with a variety of weather throughout the year, there was a winter kitchen and a summer kitchen. The summer kitchen was a ways away from the main house, but really not more than a yard or two, and had a deeper fireplace so the heat went up. Winter kitchens were a part of the main house to keep it warmer, and gad shallower fireplaces so the heat would come into the house. I cant imagine this being a thing in the 20s, though, since they didnt really use fireplaces fir day to day cooking as much, so the house must be older than the op thought, or the original builders were old fashioned. Or the structure here is older than the house
Lambchop 3 years ago
My grandmother’s house, built in 1926, had both a summer and a winter kitchen, with a coal stove in each, one for summer cooking and one for heating the house. It was a common method for Canadian houses at that time. I learned to cook on the coal stove, which was never replaced with an electric one because she didn’t trust electricity. She was still cooking on it in 1980.
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Saulius V 3 years ago
My grandfathers had one separate building in Barn Yard. There was big wood stove and my grandma made some sort of feed for pigs and chickens (now it seems weird, but back in that time there was almost impossible to get specialized feed for animals). Basically Boiled potatoes, and groats. And sometimes in late evenings that kitchen was easily transformed to homemade vodka brewery :)
Debby Keir 3 years ago
In medieval times in UK and Europe, kitchens were usually detached from the main house due to risk of fire. It was only after brick or stone became common that the kitchen was incorporated into the house.
#34
Found On The Beach Near Myrtle Beach, Sc. We Just Had A Big Storm. It's Very Firm And Breaks Apart Smoothly. Seems Organic
Answer: We used to get stuff like this on our beach in colder weather. It turns out it was fats in the “treated” water from the Boston sewer plant that was pipelined out into Cape Cod Bay. They would clump together into big fatty lumps like that one.
Industrial lubricants (synthetic waxes) also regularly get dumped from ships and wash up on shores. Wax or fat seem most likely.
Loki Orie 3 years ago
Oh come on, touching some mysterious objects is good for the immune system
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Don Golosso 3 years ago
You'd be surprised how much cooking fat and oil end up in the sewer from domestic use as well as from professional kitchens.
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#35
Strange “Bench” With Tubing Near The Parking Lot Of An Old Elementary School
Answer: This is playground equipment from the 70s-80s. You lay on your back and slide through by pulling on the bars
Mama Panda 3 years ago
I was a kid during that time and I don't remember anything like this in the playgrounds I went to including the one at school.
H Edwards 3 years ago
To be fair, it's not a very good piece of playground equipment, so maybe it just never caught on.
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Vorknkx 3 years ago
My childhood's playground equipment would probably be considered "deadly" (or should I say [unaliving]?) by today's standards. Got so many lacerations and bruises, and even an elbow wound that got infected and hurt pretty bad... Aaaaaaah, memories :)
Huddo's sister 3 years ago
When I was in Primary school, in the 90s, I was so excited to finally get to grade 6 so I could use the Grade 6 playground which had the higher, mostly metal equipment. Unfortunately that was the year they decided to replace the old equipment with new, less exciting stuff!
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#36
Witt: This Metal "Ring" Was In Every Toilet In A Hospital. No Search I Have Done Was Able To Locate A Match Or Answer
Answer: Stops flushable wipes from being flushed. Traptex Plumbing Protection System
Sarah Stalder 3 years ago
Yeah those flushable wipes aren't really flushable in a septic tank situation. Even when being used correctly, you're only supposed to flush 1 at a time. Baby wipes are better.
Libby Tailor 3 years ago
To check everything went down what has to be go down 🙂
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Came In A Box Of Candy Making Supplies That I Got Off Craigslist. Measures 4 1/2 Inches Wide And Has About 60 Twisty Screws Embedded Into It. It Came With Lots Of Different Semi-Professional Sugar/Candy Tools And This One Has Me Stumped
Answer: It's for making spun sugar
Kel_how 3 years ago
So do you dip it in sugar or caramel and then flick it? Or does it rotate on a machine?
Benita Valdez 3 years ago
This is manual. The motion depends on the desired effect you want but you would move your hand and arm in a motion to create whatever want. Like in a circle to make a birds nest
Load More Replies... That'sEndorable 3 years ago
"One of these days these boots are going to walk all o--- HOLY COW!!!!"
Just a ray of f'ing sunshine 3 years ago
That's the technical term, no doubt.
Load More Replies... Hugh Cookson 3 years ago
For making 'Angel Hair' spun sugar specifically, can also be used for making a very fine sugar filigree - both are a pig to make and keep crunchy if being used after about an hour of making ....
#38
Found This While Cleaning Out The Attic. It's Wood, Looks Handmade, Measures 20cm, But I Have No Idea What It Is Or Does!
Answer: Perhaps it's a Yacouba Double Spoon - a symbol of hospitality in traditional African art. It represents two very distinct universes that are opposite.
Vinay Pai 3 years ago
So does my 44 year old brain. We men never grow up, you see.
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Anikulapo 3 years ago
Made me think of the “presenting spoon” that men used to cup and display their attributes to the ladies in … Papua New Guinea(?)
#TheGregoryProject 3 years ago
i'm not sure, but it made my boys happy. | why do i still think like a 10yr old?
#39
"Light Fixture" I Noticed At A Restaurant In Nl, Canada. Appears To Be Some Sort Of Old Machinery
Answer: It’s the lift mechanism from a dumbwaiter.
Joep van den Oord 3 years ago
Wouldn't it have been cheaper to just hire an intelligent waiter
Jill Hojnacki 3 years ago
Joke acknowledged, but intelligent waiters used them rather than trying to carry trays of food upstairs, themselves, and Intelligent home owners also used them when they wished to serve themselves and remain in private. No matter how dumb your waiter was, they still had eyes to see the diners, ears to listen in on conversations, and mouths to carry tales.
Load More Replies... Yvonne Blau 3 years ago
Thanks to BP my English vocabulary extends every day... latest addition: dumbwaiter
#40
To Piggy Back Off The Other Clothing "Loop" Post: What Is This Loop Towards The End Of Both The Sleeves On My Jacket? Who Would Hang Their Jacket Up By The Sleeves? What Are These For?
Answer: The fleece can go inside an outer shell jacket. The loops connect inside the sleeves of the jacket so that the sleeves of the fleece don't come out of the jacket when you take it off
Katie Lutesinger 3 years ago
I would have guessed they were for attaching your gloves to so you can take them off without losing them!
Kevin Humble 3 years ago
Could it be the jacket can be used as a liner for a waterproof outer jacket. These would attach to buttons on the inside of the sleeve so you can take your arms out and leave the liner in place.
Israel Martinez 3 years ago
Disciplinary method ... wrap your wayward child's arms around a pole and zip tie the loops so they would stay in one place ...
#41
Brass Or Bronze Ball With Dividing Lines
Answer: Petanque ball
Kristal 3 years ago
For those like me that didn't know what a Petanque ball is (from google): Pétanque is a French (Provençal to be precise) outdoor game played by two opposing teams trying to throw boules (metallic spheres the size of an orange) as close as possible to a but (little wooden sphere the size of a plastic bottle cork, also called a cochonnet, meaning piglet)
Peppermallow 3 years ago
Oh my gosh, one i could actually answer. I used to play this as a young teen against my family
Danish Dynomummy 3 years ago
Ok I knew this one. My uncle with Down syndrome actually won bronze in petanque/boccia at the Shanghai Paralympics years ago.
#42
Found This Behind A Commercial Freezer While Doing Renovations. Plastic Casing, Plastic Looking Balls, Metal Shroud, About 1.5 Inches In Length. Wall Anchor? Cyanide Capsule?
Answer: this is a scent/pheromone capsule for a moth glue trap
Vorknkx 3 years ago
BTW, cyanide can often be recognized by its smell - bitter almonds. If some food/drink smells this way but is clearly not supposed to, it could be poisoned with cyanide.
Šimon Špaček 3 years ago
And only about 50% of population can smell cyanide. So even if you cannot smell almonds, your drink still can contain it.
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John Otruba 3 years ago
BTW only 50% of population has the gene that allows us to smell the "bitter almonds" of cyanide poisons.
#43
Large Chunk Of (Metal?) Weighs Quite A Bit In Your Hand And Hasn't Changed In Color In Decades
Answer: The circled m logo is the logo of the réunion des musées nationaux, the French public museums. Probably a copy of a cuneiform tablet available as a souvenir at the Louvre, among other museums.
Nicole Weymann 3 years ago
I looked up the original Reddit post: the logo is on the bottom, you can't see it here. BTW your name rings a bell. Asprin?
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BasedWang12 3 years ago
that would be because this is the writing that Sumerians as well as many others used
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Eric Mac Fadden 3 years ago
Maybe it's a message for Kal-el when he grows up and learn about Kripton
#44
Large Plastic Hood With Gloves Attached. Found In Chicago Residential Alleyway
Answer: glove box. Laboratory glove box. Used to isolate samples. I'm sure you may have seen them once or twice in movies with science labs etc.
Katie Lutesinger 3 years ago
Hah, I recognised it right away - my first paying job was in a chemistry lab! Some smartarse scientist had stuck a piece of cardboard from a Dominos pizza box to the outside with the slogan "I've Got The Hots For What's In The Box!"
#45
Bronze And Lead Object, With Some Kind Of Scale In It, No Moving Parts, Found While Digging
Answer: Appears to be a German artillery fuse
Alexandru Bucur 3 years ago
Haubitze Zünder 05, or "Howitzer Fuze, model 1905", designed for 10cm light field howitzers and used by Germany during WW1. The weird bit is it was found in Argentina, but OP's grandfather was of Italian descent and these have been used on the Italian front during WW1, so I'm guessing it's a war souvenir.
Two_rolling_black_eyes 3 years ago
I love that anytime a piece of old ordinance shows up in one of these posts there is always a Panda who can identify it down to this level of specificity. I admire anyone who enjoys their hobby as much as these Pandas enjoy theirs.
Load More Replies... Falcon on Dizzy 3 years ago
ooh I want one lol. I'm totally not the kind of person to like old war tech or anything.
#46
Found Tiny Vial Of Thick Liquid With A Bead Inside. There Were Also 4 Rubber Things For Your Fingers And It Was All In A Sealed Black Foil Packet. Any Idea What It Is?
Answer: It’s a lotion that comes with temporary tattoo kits. The little rubber finger covers are for applications
#47
My Neighbor Just Installed This Outside Of Their Window. I Assume It Measures Something But I Have Never Seen Such A Pole
Answer: It’s an antenna
Shannon Gerry 3 years ago
It's too long for wifi, probably more like amateur/ham radio.
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#48
Witt? A Small Wooden Box With A Sort Of Dial On The Front Which Can Turn But Cannot Turn Anymore At Certain Points. There Is One More In Another Pew
Answer: The dial is a potentiometer which suggests maybe those are headphone sockets with a volume control
Marianne Luginbuhl 3 years ago
Oh yes. I remember these. They give you headsets to plug in and it amplifies sound for the hard of hearing. Pre sound systems when it was just a microphone and a speaker.
Sara Harvilla 3 years ago
We had these in our old sanctuary at church. People could plug in a mini speaker on a long handle. Then hold it to their ears to hear the sermon.
#49
Found This Plastic Device Buried In The Garage. About 13 Inches Long, And When You Pull Back The Trigger Where Your Hand Goes It Lifts The Little Knob On The End Upwards. The Bottom Side Of The Knob Has Velcro On It
Answer: Looks like those TSA wands that test for explosives. They put a little cloth piece in there, rub it all over your s**t and then put the little cloth pad in a detector.
Šimon Špaček 3 years ago
Usually hands, forearms, face (especially eyes area), behind ears,... you know, all the pieces that may touched explosives or places you may touched while making home-made bomb. You would be surprised how often trace of bomb components can be found on nose, that is because one of the favourite compounds for home-made bombs is ammonium nitrate which can make your nose itch, so people often scratch their nose and during cleaning forget to wash the face.
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Leslie Burleson 3 years ago
Isn't that the thing that people use to wipe their behinds when they can't reach with their arms ?
Katie Lutesinger 3 years ago
Oh yeah, I've seen one of those when they used it on me at the airport. They rubbed it over my clothes and inside my backpack. Fortunately it didn't detect anything suspicious, and my plans for Flight 148 went off without a hitch.
Israel Martinez 3 years ago
It's how people with short hands that couldn't reach their face played Peek-a-Boo ...
#50
What Are These Lights That Appear To Be Behind The Mirror In The Hotel I’m Staying At?
Answer: It’s likely supposed to be an “infinity mirror” you lay a one way mirror over a standard one and put the LED’s between the layer giving it a tunnel appearance. The missing side could be a bad strip of LED’s
Lazy Panda 3 years ago
Please pay no attention to the agents monitoring your activities. Go about your business.
Shannon Gerry 3 years ago
The effect is better from the front of the mirror and when the room you're in is only dimly lit. You can get a bit of it in the left-hand picture where you can see the poster's phone: Each of those rows of LEDs that seem to recede into the distance is actually only one LED, the nearest, being reflected back and forth.
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#51
Insanely Heavy Glass With (Bubbles?) Inside, Inscription Says 1978. Any Idea What This Is Or Just A Random Decoration Item?
Answer: Looks like a paper weight. This is typically one of the first things a student will make when learning glass blowing. The bubbles are created as the glass gather folds over itself. Ultimately one tries to avoid creating bubbles in most cases
Elizabeth Davis 3 years ago
If you watch West Wing Martin Sheen's character has a ton of them on his desk...there's a closer shot in the series finale of them being packed up.
Alexej Dvorak 3 years ago (edited)
I took one like this from my grandparents' house after my grandpa died. It gave me happy memories of playing with it as a little kid. My Grandpa was a lead engineer at Siemens in his time, so it probably started out as an office paperweight, but my grandparents had it as decoration, and so did I. I put it in a nice spot at the foot of the TV, but underestimated the lensing it would do to sunlight shining through the window. Almost set my TV on fire, lol.
#52
Found This Metal Key Shaped Object With In My Wall Behind Some Meshes, Anyone Knows What This Is?
Answer: If it’s in a bathroom, it could be an old razor blade disposal slot. They used to just get pushed in behind the wall.
Sheila Stamey 3 years ago
Little kids were notorious for putting dads change in them too! My dad was a contractor and he was always finding antique money in these. Just have to be careful.
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Allen Scherr 3 years ago
I have one in our medicine cabinet. Our home was built in 1938. Yes, it allows the razor blades to fall between the studs and the wall surfaces.
Lillian Swaim 3 years ago
We have these in my house, I'm always wondering what the endgame for these were, like what if they got full?
M O'Connell 3 years ago
In an ordinary household it would take decades and decades to fill it up. The concern was more for the safety of people doing trash collection, there used to be a lot more people involved in the handling of household waste, and putting used blades somewhere secure where they couldn't cause injury made good sense.
Load More Replies... #53
Beautiful Transparent Green And Sphere, But Not A Marble. Found Outside In North Texas. It Has Shrunk In The Last 2 Days. When Found It Was The Size Of A Marble, Now The Size Of A Pea, But Still Perfectly Sphere
Answer: Lol, orbeez! Fun little water filled marbles that dehydrate into tiny balls
Triv 3 years ago
They saw something similar to that in the United States. They're like water pearls or something, that are meant to hold on to water. You put them in your plants, they absorb the excess water, then gradually release it for your plants.
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lapis lazuli 3 years ago
my friends and i had this stupid game where we would throw them and try to catch as many as possible. very fun. well not so fun when we had to clean it up.
#54
This Plastic Box Is Glued By Years Of Paint To My Wall, Only Says "Air King" On It, Which Just Shows Fans When I Google The Name. Looks Original To A House Built In The Late 60's/Early 70's
Answer: the chime for your doorbell.
RafCo 3 years ago
My house was built in 1924, and has one of these for the "new" doorbell added in early 70s. Still has the original doorbell from 1924 as well, which is a k**b on the door which you rotate and it rings as it spins. I also lived in a house built in 1977, which had cool boxes like this, but it was an intercom system. You could press a button outside, and speak with someone in the kitchen. Useful when we locked ourselves out as kids.
#55
Just Purchased A Home Built In 1938. This Kitchen Counter Is Shorter Than The Others, And Has This Metal Insert Built In. It Feels Thin, Like Maybe Ice Was Kept Underneath To Keep Items On Top Cool? I Have Searched Multiple Sites On Old Homes And Have Had Zero Luck Figuring Out The Purpose
Answer: used for kneading dough. The flat surface is where you knead it, the other part is for measuring out the dough into portions.
Kathryn Baylis 3 years ago
Possibly was bout like a box, so you knead the dough on top, then put it under that top to rise. We have an antique drought tray that works on the same concept. It’s a wooden table with a removable top, where you knead the dough on top, then put it inside where it’s dark so it can rise.
#56
What Is This Chrome Thing Near The Toilet And The Tp Holder?
Answer: Looks like a holder for magazines. "Literature" is an important bathroom supplies category - or at least used to be before smartphones
Jayne Kyra 3 years ago
Literature was also the back of a cleaner if one forgot their usual literature and/or phone.
Béla Kun 3 years ago
If you want me I can recite the ingredients of the air freshener from memory
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'Tammy Chapman' 3 years ago
we had a small magazine rack next to the toilet growing up. Now i just have a few books on the stand above the toilet
Lene 3 years ago
I am popular with my bf, my dad and my bf's dad because I insist to have a book shelf with books and magazines in the bathroom. So often when ppl are spending half hours or more at the bathroom it's usually because they started some interesting reading and just couldn't stop again 😁
Jill Bussey 3 years ago
Depending on the size, it could be for tp, which used to be flat packed. The brand name in the UK was Izal, but I don't know about other countries.
#57
White Submarine-Shaped Boat Getting Towed Every Morning And Afternoon Along The Shoreline Of Honolulu, Hawaii
Answer: Atlantis Discovery – Waikiki Submarine Tour
#58
This 1.5 Foot By About 3 Foot Cubby In My Friends New Bedroom
Answer: It's because the vents for hvac were installed after the house was built - they basically sacrificed some space in one room to run the duct work, then constructed awkward walls around it.
Kathryn Baylis 3 years ago
A cat litter box is not something you’d want in your bedroom. Believe me.
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Florence 3 years ago
imagine laying in ur bed at night and you see a dark figure crouched in there
Kathryn Baylis 3 years ago
For me, that would be one of my three cats—-and there would be a cushion in there for them to lay on. If it was bigger, my dog’s bed would go in there.
Load More Replies... #59
In A Classic Buy-Now-Consult-The-Internet-Later Situation, I Now Own These Neon Rainbow Acrylic Mystery Sticks I Found At The Goodwill Bins. Anyone Know What I Bought?
Answer: Multi-Color Acrylic Mahjong Mah Jongg Racks
Vanessa Richardson 3 years ago
From Google: Mahjong or mah-jongg is a tile-based game that was developed in the 19th century in China and has spread throughout the world since the early 20th century. It is commonly played by four players. ———these are the racks that hold the tiles. Similar in function to those used in scrabble.
Triv 3 years ago
Thanks for keeping us lazy, Vanessa. I'll upvote your comment so it hopefully remains the top comment!
Load More Replies... Lauren Caswell 3 years ago
For holding Mahjong tiles I can only guess? Maybe they are extras/replacements for a popular brand of the game?
Reh Thomas 3 years ago
Chinese game that uses 144 tiles with Chinese characters and symbols typically played with 3-4 people.
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#60
Old Heavy Key With “Good Health” Engraved
Answer: It's the key to good health. These 'motivational knickknacks (not sure what else to call them) have been a thing for generations.
Katie Lutesinger 3 years ago
I read a story about a Sultan who was so pampered he had never even set foot on the ground, and when he got sick all his doctors were too scared to tell him it was because he never got any exercise. Then a clever man who had been caught trespassing in the gardens and needed to think of a good story claimed he was a doctor too, and he told the Sultan that the key to good health was buried in the garden, but only the man who dug it up would benefit from it. So the Sultan started digging, ultimately for days and weeks and then months on end. Which of course did the trick.
#61
This Cool Vintage Tool Handle In The Shape Of A Leg Was Donated To Our Tool Library But We Can't Figure Out What It Was Used For. Any Suggestions?
Answer: It's for use with a rat tail file. The tail goes into the groove in the back, and the front foot holds the file down to the work piece. Can help with keeping your file parallel to the work surface when you only have one hand to hold the file with.
Don Golosso 3 years ago
Without explanation on what it is it really looks like just a wooden and metal leg. When you read what it's used for you can see the ergonomic finger shapes in the metal part.
Huddo's sister 3 years ago
Looks like a long, round edged, file with a tapered point on one end.
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#62
What Are These Successive White Target Markers Attached To The Train Tracks? They Have A Tiny Through Hole In The Middle And Are On Both Rails At The Train Stop
Answer: they're for measuring and monitoring track movement.
the train doesn't record it, someone with a total station (laser measuring equipment) will stand in a position of safety and measure these daily / weekly / whatever is specified in the track monitoring plan. they measure up to 1/10th of a mm and will be input into a spreadsheet to check rate of movement and in what areas. if you look around you should be able to see some yellow targets on surrounding infrastructure used to set up and calibrate the equipment.
Kamil Bielecki 3 years ago
Sorry. It's not achievable accuracy. top total stations has 0.5' (arc second) accuracy. It's 1/7200 of a degree. On distance like 100m it gives about 0.2424mm of accuracy. In one axis only. Add to this about 0,5mm+5ppm inaccuracy in distance measurement, and U can consider 0,5mm@100m as great accuracy. In fact, most of totalstations used in this kind of measurements has a 1' accuracy, and not very often u have only 100m spread. Another fact, there is reflective foil with cross printed on it. It is compromising accuracy for extra 1mm@100m. There should be reflective prisms instead. Believe me. I'm working in this field for quite a few years.
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#63
A Putty Type Substance Found Inside A Dehumidifier. It Doesn't Seem To Have Any Purpose That I Can Think Of Since It's Inside A Plastic Bag Which Is Inside A Plastic Box With No Visible Pipes Or Vents Attached To It. It Doesn't Have Any Smell But It's Oily Like Glazing Putty
Answer: It's foam. Possibly for sound deadening so the compressor isn't as noticeable.
Bagged expanding foam is common for applications where you want to fill a space but don't want the foam to make contact with what's in the space. It's more commonly used in packaging of odd shaped items, but can be used in other applications seen here.
The bag is inserted then an expanding foam of some variety is added. The bag conforms to the surrounding surfaces as the foam expands allowing the combination to be form fitting without the foam making contact with any of the surfaces.
Kathryn Baylis 3 years ago
We need this in more places that just this. Sound deadening foam is something people who have to sleep during the day (because they work the graveyard shift) would cover everything—-and everyone—-around them
#64
These Red And Green Lights On The Outside Of This Medical Clinic
Answer: A lab I worked at had the same thing, but we used them to signal that we had FedEx packages for pickup.
If it was green, the driver knew to come in and get outgoing packages, if it was red, it meant we had none.
#65
6" To 8" Black Cast Iron Frying Pan With A Raised Solid 2" Flat Surface In The Center Of The Pan
Answer: a donut skillet
Sue From Michigan 3 years ago
What would I use this for? How often would anyone be making a giant donut?
#66
What Is This Blue Artillery Shell Looking Thing That Was Dropped (And Assuming Unexploded) In Ukraine?
Answer: This is the shell from a guided artillery munition, or ballistic missile.
Phil Vaive 3 years ago
"Yeah it appeared during an invasion? Where lots of artillery shells have been going off? I can't for the life of me figure out what it might be"
Load More Replies... #67
Surgically Removed From My Cat’s Stomach. We Are At A Loss As To What It Is.. Help? It’s Rubbery In Texture And Maybe About An Inch Long
Answer: Do you have a water fountain for your cat? Our cat's fountain has something that looks like that that plugs the spot the power cord for the motor goes into the basin part.
Nikki Bastian 3 years ago
It almost looks like a handheld pencil sharpener, if you removed the blade. That's concerning, hope your kitty is feeling better.
Wandaluzt 3 years ago
It was posted on Reddit 2 months ago. No point saying that here, they won't see it.
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#68
What Is This? Looks And Feels Like A Microchip In The Middle. Found This Underneath The Sofa
Answer: a diabetes test strip
#69
What Is This Coloured Board Thing Firefighters Set Up?
Answer: Firefighter Accountability Tracker. It keeps track of personel and tasks
Karl Leaning 3 years ago
utter tosh! it's so the fire fighters can indulge their passion for watercolours
#70
What Is This Two Attached Differently Sized Cups Made Of (Probably) Uranium/Vaseline Glass?
Answer: smoke set. You put cigarettes in one cup and matches in the other, and there’s a place on the side to strike the match.
#71
Can Anyone Tell Me What This Is? It Looks Like A Plastic Key Of Some Sort But With A Ridge Pattern Instead Of A Normal Key Pattern
Answer: a paper towel or soap dispenser key
Kiss Army 3 years ago
Yes! These are the same as the ones to refill the paper towels in my office.
Load More Replies... #72
What Are These Little Porcelain Angels/Cherubs With Rings In Their Hands? Found In An Old Box Of Christmas Decorations But I’ve Never Seen Them Before
Answer: they slide onto taper candles as decoration
Izzy Curer 3 years ago
And then they fall as the candle that's supporting them melts? Yeah, sure, let's make them out of porcelain
Chelle Jones 3 years ago
They slide down as they melt to the base of the candle.
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Annett Nyrud 3 years ago
Candle decorations are usually slid all the way down and rest on the candle sticks... If they have nylon flowers or other flammable things on them, it is extra important to keep an eye on them while the candles burn.
#73
What Is This Thing On Wheels Next To Putin?
Answer: Bactericidal irradiator-recirculator DEZAR-4 (ORUBp-3-3-KRONT)
Kathryn Baylis 3 years ago (edited)
Don’t tell me Putie is a germophobe. If so, that opens up countless possibilities for f*****g with his head. (Peals of maniacal laughter at the thought of messing with this a*****e.)
Joe Reaves 3 years ago
Judging by his appearance he's taking steroids for some medical condition (the puffiness) and is almost certainly immunocompromised. Recorded conversations with one of the oligarchs near to him suggest blood cancer.
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Kate 3 years ago
Depends on the virus. If it filters the air, it would be somewhat helpful, but remember that viruses are much smaller than bacteria, so it'd be kinda like trying to use buckets to bail the water out of the Titanic -- it's not totally useless, but at best it'd just slightly delay the inevitable.
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Hyde and Seek 3 years ago
Little pillar machine that makes sure germs go away.
Load More Replies... #74
Found Scattered In Garden, Not Buried, About 4cm Long, Plastic
Answer: Remnants from a type of fireworks known as Saturn missiles
#75
Humming Metal Locked Box Next To A Corn Field
Answer: It's an electrical transformer.
Leoninus Fate 3 years ago
how the hell did they not know what this was? there is one of these on every other street ends, when I was young we stupidly sat and played on these cause there were tons of them at the ends of streets {im surprised none of us kids died....}
Robert T 3 years ago
I could guess from the humming noise, but this would appear to be perculiar to the country it is in, which I am guessing the USA.
Load More Replies... #76
Circular Object Found In Snow. Was Making A Loud Chirping Noise. Looked As If It Had An LED On One Side And A Hole On The Other Side. Sound Came From The Ring In The First Pic
Answer: Personal safety alarm
Khavrinen 3 years ago
Hope it just fell out of someone's pocket or purse, and wasn't dropped by someone trying to ward off an attacker. I would think the chirping noise is probably a low battery indicator. Maybe they just got annoyed with it and threw it away rather than trying to find a new battery.
beesechurger elite 3 years ago
my friends mom has this exact one and i thought it was just a keychain!
#77
Little Razors Attached To Some Sort Of Handle…found On Top Of Fridge. My Husband Has No Idea Either
Answer: Attachment for a mandolin slicer, to make julienne cut veggies. Looks like one of the sides where it clips on broke off
Katie Lutesinger 3 years ago
Well, there's no reason why it can't be multipurpose. :p
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#78
Found This Weird Electric Tool. When Plugged In And Turned On It Vibrates Very Intensely. Has Some Spring Like Coils On The Bottom
Answer: It’s a Swedish massager. Hand goes through the springs and it vibrates the hand as you massage someone
Angela B 3 years ago
Thank heavens there is no banana for scale with this one. Could have been a bit more tricky to explain.
Vinay Pai 3 years ago
Yeah, "bananas for scale" is happening a lot of late.
Load More Replies... Zero 3 years ago
These were originally developed for alleviating "hysteria" in women as the doctors were developing carpal tunnel doing it by hand. They were also eventually used on regular muscles though. My doctor g-pa had an even older one and was still working as of a decade ago. Probably still have it somewhere (yes it's been thoroughly and repeatedly sterilized).
Kathryn Baylis 3 years ago (edited)
Hope you wore gloves and cleaned and sanitized it before licking it up with your bare hands.
Katherine Marsh McKinney 3 years ago
My parents had one of those. The motor on the top weighed about 2 lbs, and the vibration felt strong enough to knock tiles off the neighbor's roof.
#79
Is This A Shock Collar? My Dog Was Wearing It After Coming Home From Boarding
Answer: Yes it is a bark collar, also formerly known as a shock collar. I say formerly because they now come with vibration. The rubber tips on the collar indicate they are not using the electric shock feature. Instead if the dog barks it vibrates, scaring the dog not to bark.
Kristal 3 years ago
... I would be pretty upset if a boarding place put a shock/vibrating collar on my dog (if I had one) without me knowing. That's like a teacher spanking a child when the child says something the teacher doesn't like ... or using a method to frighten the child so they don't do the behavior. I'd report that place.
Kathryn Baylis 3 years ago (edited)
Same here. While I can see their reasoning for it, I feel it’s something that should be cleared with the owner first. My poor pup, who doesn’t even wear a collar inside the house (it’s attached to his leash), would be in a bad emotional state if he was subjected to this.
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Foxxy (The Original) 3 years ago (edited)
I'm so glad shock collars are illegal in my state. So cruel.
Rebecca Moore 3 years ago
Why wouldn't they take it off before the owners saw it?! I hope they don't send them there again!!
Dani Tuo 3 years ago
This is definitely an e-collar, a shock collar by any standard. The "covers" are in fact conductive, this is fully capable of shocking the wearer it as is. The boarding place most likely did clearly say that they would use these, it would require owner consent to use, so either someone didn't read the paperwork properly or misunderstood the paperwork. Suggest that the dog goes to a different kennel. Tl;dr: Fully working shock collar, not covered at all.
Wang Zhuang 3 years ago
I agree, I find it highly unlikely the owner wouldn't have been notified about this. I imagine there were some forms they had to fill out, and maybe they missed that part
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RMA 3 years ago
We had to use a beeping (not shock) collar for the dogs at the beginning of lockdown. They needed some help transitioning to not barking in a prolonged manner in response to the doorbell - zoom court hearings and deafened judges. It really made a difference and didn’t need to be used for long.
Upstaged75 3 years ago
Invisible fence collars look like this too. Did the boarding facility have one? (That would be unusual though) My neighbors had an Akita who used to run through his invisible fence every day so he could hang out on our back porch. I think he was so fuzzy he could just ignore the warning from the collar and didn't mind the zap.
Amelia Shelton 3 years ago
I use a shocker collar. But it has a remote that you can either beep vibrate or shock, you can also change the strength and it comes with black rubber things to stop the strength a bit more. I never have to use the electric only the beep and rarely The buzz
Lambchop 3 years ago
Please wear this yourself for a couple of days, and get back to us on how innocuous it is.
Load More Replies... #80
Spiky Plastic Thing Banana For Scale!
Answer: Bottle holder for babies bottles. You use it as a drainer after washing them
#81
Pulled The Pan On My Transmission To Clean The Magnet, And Found Hundreds To Thousands Of These Little (<0.3mm) Steel Beads, Stuck To The Magnet. 2002 Subaru Outback 160k, Automatic. Confirmed By Mechanics That Nothing Inside The Transmission Resembles This. Transmission Also Seems To Run Fine
Answer: That's steel shot peen.
Manufacturer did a bad job of peen recovery.
#82
What Is The Large, Cylindrical Military Device That The Soldier Is Carrying?
Answer: This is a carrying container (like a golf club bag) but inside of it is an anti-tank guided missile. Specifically, I believe they are MBT LAWs which are Main Battle Tank Light Anti-Tank Launchers (AKA NLAWs)
Lewis Fisher Wells 3 years ago
if their fat enough im sure you could get a lock
Load More Replies... #83
Small Cylinder Attached To Camouflage Hunting Jacket
Answer: inflatable port for those 3-in-1 hunting jackets (duck hunting, for instance, often requires a boat ride and partial submersion in water)
#84
Thing Stickied To Corner Of Hand Me Over Desk, That's Been Handed Over Several Times, 4 Holes In Top About 3 Mm In Diameter, Transparent/Clear, Sticky Is Gel Like Substance On Bottom Attaching It To The Desk. Has Three Lobes. No One Has Removed This Thing Cause It's So Intriguing Apparently
Answer: It's for balloons. Table Top Bracket is capable of holding four stems with balloons, making an impressive, helium-free indoor display
Rebecca Moore 3 years ago
I always thought my desk would be a great place for some random balloon
Katie Lutesinger 3 years ago
Every time I see your username I start wondering if you're my friend Lenka, the lawyer from the Czech Republic. 😄
Load More Replies... Richard Casarez 3 years ago
The answers from the site. It is for tabletops not necessarily desk. If you're going to have a reception or some kind of function, you can place these on all the tables and put balloons in there or just whatever you wanted to. Can be removed from the table top without damage.
#85
Heavy Metal Ball End, Quality Rope. The Cat Insisted To Be In The Photo. Found Next To Some Horse Tracks
Answer: it’s a “backhand thumper” a Bering wrapped in paracord for self defense. It's also called a slung shot. Illegal to possess in California and probably some other states.
Saint Thomas 3 years ago
Wait... you can't possess a ball in a rope in California, but a Glock is OK ?
Brivid 3 years ago
The thumper manufacturers don't have high paid lobbyist, in D.C. and all over the country, greasing the palms of politicians.
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Benita Valdez 3 years ago
Are we still talking about a self defense weapon? 😉
Load More Replies... Jenny Michelle 3 years ago
That cat is like "Yes, it's mine bitches and I don't care what it is"
Dillon Sizemore 3 years ago (edited)
Yeah really don't get the point of this being illegal you can make one with a sock and change/soda can or pretty much any hard object in a long piece of fabric and while I know it's still illegal you can fill a small purse with a long shoulder strap with change and it's not. If you hit someone it will still probaly be assault with a deadly weapon but your not going to get in trouble for the weapon if it's the purse and not the others.
Lambchop 3 years ago
The usual substitute is a potato in a long sock. If you have to use it, you follow up by pitching the potato into the night and stuffing the sock into your pocket. Very few people get arrested for possession of a deadly sock.
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Katchen 3 years ago
I love living in a state where it’s illegal for my employer to make me sign a non-compete contract. It’s important to make the right things illegal.
Load More Replies... #86
Found This Buried In Some Pretty Old Dirt. Made Of Brass And Was Found Intact W Dirt Filling The Inside. Seems Too Small To Actually Have Been Any Kind Of Container
Answer: Its a cologne, or perfume container. Your missing the cap, most of the caps were little round balls with a screw bit on the bottom
Kathryn Baylis 3 years ago (edited)
Sure it’s not an old flask? One small enough to slip into the top of your boot, into the top of your stockings, or under your garter?
#87
Is This A Real Cannonball? Found 2 In My Yard In Northeast Wi. Weighs 6lb2.5oz
Answer: 6 pound shot put.
Mark Melton 3 years ago
Ball for inside of a ball mill, used to pulverize minerals to dust, etc..
#88
What Are These Creepy People Doing Or Wearing? Found On Noril'sk (Russia) Street View, 69°20'53.2"N 88°12'10.7"E
Answer: Anna Tolkacheva russian artist performator with as she says "obsession with coloures"
Robert T 3 years ago
Was going to say it was the Teletubbies on their winter holidays.
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#89
Clay Like Substance Packed In Foil Found Washed Up On The Beach
Answer: a food ration pack from a lifeboat
M O'Connell 3 years ago
Emergency food is mostly concerned with calorie density, and often designed specifically to be minimally palatable so you are less tempted to eat it all at once.
Load More Replies... #90
Cast Iron Shaft In The Marsh On My Property
Answer: its the worm and driveshaft out of a 28-29 model AA ford rearend. Could also be out of a model TT as they had a near identical rearend. If im not mistaken thats the low speed rear axle ratio as well.
driveshaft and worm likely 6-7 feet long.
Mark Melton 3 years ago
This is how we used to permanently mark our property lines. You bury a truck axle standing straight in the ground, but you bury it all the way, leaving only an inch sticking above ground. This way no one can argue or mess with your property boundaries.
#91
Black/Yellow, Large Looking Bomb Shaped Item, Found 30 Mins Outside Halifax, N.s
Answer: This actually looks like a variant of a paravane that Canada used in WW2, before they were generally obsoleted in favor of a US designed (and supplied) type. After the military stopped using them, the fishing industry started picking them up on the cheap (they're aluminum and hollow) and used them with fishing drag nets.
#92
I Found These In A Religious Thrift Store, But I Have No Idea What They Are. These Are Ceramic Cylinders Around 6 Inches Tall. They Are Glazed On The Outside And Unglazed On The Inside. The Word "Healthy" Is Stamped On The Base
Answer: I think those are vertical poultry roasters. The idea is to insert them into a whole chicken and bake it standing up. You'd need a baking pan to catch the juices of course.
Jayne Kyra 3 years ago
I am more interested in the 'religious thrift store' part. Those are really a thing?
Ricardo Ferreira 3 years ago
Maybe he meant a charitable thrift store managed by some religious organization.
Load More Replies... Benita Valdez 3 years ago
Apparently. I'd prefer the beer can as I like multifunction tools in the kitchen to reduce clutter
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memyselfandI 3 years ago
We have one of those made of wire. Never seen it used, it’s just clogging up the cupboard.
Panda in the Fake South 3 years ago
So same as a beer can when making "b******e chicken ". Stick a can empty or with seasoned liquid in the chicken hole then bake it standing up. Best way to bake chicken.
#93
Metal Triangle Shaped Hand Tool With An Offset Wooden Handle. Five Shallow Circle Indents On The Surface. Similar To A Trowel. Found In The Kitchen Section Of A Thrift Store, But Could Have Been Misplaced
Answer: It's a Masonic shot glass holder
#94
This Small Plastic Ball Was Found Dislodged In My Ear. Any Ideas?
Answer: airsoft pellet. An overwhelming majority of bb's are 6mm wide.
Falcon on Dizzy 3 years ago
as a person who plays airsoft a lot, it can be hard to tell sometimes. I've been hit by a paintball and didn't even notice!
Load More Replies... #95
Weird Thing In My Car’s Gas Cap Area? I Was Filling My Car Up At A Gas Station And Noticed This Weird Metal Tile That Had Been Left In The Little Area Where My Gas Cap/Tank Is. I Drive A ‘99 So Anyone Can Open My Gas Cover. Lemme Know If I’m Being Tracked Or Anything
Answer: it is just the mounting plate for something called a Pump Pal that allows you to "never touch a dirty gas pump again." Basically it's a silicon glove thing you wear when using the pump and it has a magnet that is used to store the glove on the fuel door of your car using that adhesive backed metal plate.
#96
1ft X 1ft X 2ft Hole In Concrete Basement Floor
Answer: That’s a sump. Made to put a sump-pump in to pump out water before it floods your basement
#97
Red And Clear Rubber Toy Like Thing Found In A Playground
Answer: It's from lego duplo playground set
valerie hunte 3 years ago
It’s a pair of balloons one of the little lego duplo people can hold in their odd shaped hands.
Jyri Hakola 3 years ago
and meant to be pair of balloons.. https://www.brickowl.com/catalog/lego-red-duplo-balloons-with-transparent-handle-40909
Annett Nyrud 3 years ago
Around 15 years ago, Lego Duplo had some larger dolls. They came with beds, kitchen furniture and pans, fabric clothes, and balloons like these, among other things.
#98
Found This Hard Plastic Item In A Kitchen Drawer. Pictured Next To A Keychain For Scale
Answer: It's a wine stopper. It's made by Rabbit and has a pourer as part of a set
Foxxy (The Original) 3 years ago
Is rabbit the same company that makes those shaped dildos lol.
KombatBunni 3 years ago
I think you may be right, especially with the shape of that “wine stopper” 😆
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Katchen 3 years ago
That must be a very large keychain, or perhaps it’s designed to pleasure a gnome?
Load More Replies... #99
Minivan With Telescopic Antenna On Top. It Appears That Antenna Is Tracking Something
Answer: a portable mobile base station, so called IMSI-Catcherused to relay cell signals trough it as mobiles connect to the strongest base station signal.
Karl Leaning 3 years ago
it's a uk television detection van, used to check if you have paid your tv licence
#100
Found Above The Door In The Backseat Of A 2011 Porsche Cayenne; What Are The Holes Behind The Small Door Used For?
Answer: They are to attach a net to secure a load in the trunk since it's no sedan
#101
Object Found In Kitchen Of Deceased Relative. About 18” Long. Puck Shaped End Is Heavy Solid Metal
Answer: it's caramelizing iron
Nicole Weymann 3 years ago
Apparently you use it for crème brulée/crema catalana/similar. You sprinkle the dessert with sugar and instead of putting a torch to it to caramelize the sugar you heat the iron and melt the sugared surface with it.
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#102
Cutouts Above All Doors In House. They Are Finished And Doors Don’t Extend Into The Cutout. No Holes Or Other Indicators Of Something Being Mounted On The Ceiling
Answer: Headers were cut out for a ceiling lift/track. If you look carefully you can still see the remnants of where the kindorf /support brackets were attached to the ceiling. You can also see the paint shadow on the trim where the ceiling rails passed through.
Lillian Swaim 3 years ago
It's for helping transport disabled people. Looks like from bedroom to bathroom
Foxxy (The Original) 3 years ago (edited)
Still had to google coz I didn't understand. The ceiling tracks are for people with mobility issues.
Huddo's sister 3 years ago
We had tracks on the ceiling for my brothers, to transfer them from the bed to wheelchair for example. I never considered some people would use them to transfer from one room to another like this, but it makes sense. The hoist itself wasn't as safe as we hoped though, because one dat the rope/chain or whatever it was broke and the metal hoist motor fell on my brother's head. We used a hoist on wheels, rather than ceiling mounted after that!
Leoninus Fate 3 years ago
look like the doorways in my house {7'4 m actually payed like 150 to get them fixed}
#103
Witt! Fairy Orb? I Found This After A Few Days Of Heavy Rain On A Non-Public Trail That I Walk Frequently. It Seems To Be Glass And Hallow... Not Heavy Like A Marble. The Green Parts Are Raised
Answer: That's a marble
Katie Lutesinger 3 years ago
I have a bag of marbles from when I was a kid that look exactly like this, except in different colours. Yes, including the nubbly surface.
Stoopham McFernybabes 3 years ago
That’s not a marble. Marbles aren’t hollow and have a smooth surface.
#104
These White Circles On My Ceiling. In Every Room Of My New Apartment. They Feel Like Tin Or Similar Lightweight Material When I Tap On Them. Tried To Get My Nails Underneath Pull One Off The Ceiling But They're Firmly Attached And I Didn't Want To Cause Damage
Answer: Concealer plate for a sprinkler head. Plate has a solder link that lets go and a lower temp than the bulb on the sprinkler head above the cover.
WoodenLion 3 years ago
you are in for a huge flood of very stinky water if you set that off. i would not be messing with it at all.
#105
Found On The Beach, It's Solid And The Green Casing Feels Like Stone But Is Almost A Little Stretchy When I Try To Pull At The Edges. Stays Solid When Heat Up
Answer: a capacitor. Looks like the two wires can be seen at the bottom. Might be an old "WIMA FKP 4", considering the colors of case and potting compound
Emmett O'Brian 3 years ago
Only electrolytic capacitors explode. I'm a bit rusty but I'm pretty sure this isn't electrolytic. I used to be able to identify the types by appearance. Guess I lost that.
Load More Replies... #106
It's A Toilet Paper Roll Wrapped In A Yellow Cleaning Cloth, That Is Attached By Gummy Strings And Clear Tape. The Cloth Is Stuffed Into The Roll On One End
Answer: It is a home made sploof
Satan Laughs 3 years ago
Sploof: an object made to help hide the exhale of smoke from a toke. Had to look that one up.
Giles McArdell 3 years ago
Thanks, I was thinking it might have a more, um , male genitalia based use.
Load More Replies... BoredBirb 3 years ago
I love the word "sploof" now 😜 (Clarification: not bc of use, because of its just a cool word!)
Katie Lutesinger 3 years ago
At first I thought they were referring to that thing my dog used to do where he'd lie down with his back legs spread out flat, but then I remembered that's a "sploot". XD
Katy McMouse 3 years ago
My sister used to make one with a paper towel roll, stuffed with dryer sheets, then another dryer sheet rubber banded to the end. I never saw it in action, but she said it worked pretty well.
GlassHalfWay 3 years ago
It works very well. We called them a flither or a mojo
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#107
Found At An Estate Sale In New Hampshire. About 3 Feet Tall, Gold Colored, But Silver Inside. Some Sort Of Brackets On The Back. Hollow Like A Bucket, Pretty Light Weight
Answer: a grape hob
Jenny Michelle 3 years ago
Looking on Google, there's a few almost identical ones for sale listed as grape hods.. the owners may have had it as a souvenir decorative item.. doesn't need to originate from the area.
Load More Replies... #108
From 1970 Flooded Time Capsule - Metal Cylinder About 8 To 10 Ounces
Answer: a seal, such as for letters or other such correspondence
#109
What’s This Hard Plastic 8 Chamber Unit With Rigid Metal Non-Moving Pins? Some Kind Of Revolver Cylinder?
Answer: Cap gun revolver cylinder
#110
Weird Concrete Slab Thing In The Garden Of My New Home
Answer: It probably had a sundial or bird bath attached at one point
#111
What Is This Item? All Night We Are Solving This. It Slides Open And There Is Tiny Piece Of Fiam Inside
Answer: It's a key fob for a programmable RFID entry system
#112
On The Bed In My Hotel. Doesn't Open Or Anything. W Melbourne, Australia
Answer: this piece is a nod at Ned Kelly's helmet where the slit in the first picture is where the eyes would be. It's been reimagined as a "playful leather and faux fur fascinator"
TKA 3 years ago
https://www.traveller.com.au/w-hotel-melbournes-new-fivestar-hotel-contains-subtle-nods-to-its-city-h1tuvi
Load More Replies... Rebecca Moore 3 years ago
Why would they put a hat on the bed? Are you meant to wear it to bed?
CelticElff 3 years ago
I understood almost none of that and am more confused than I was before reading WITT
Jill Tremblay 3 years ago
If you're in Australia it could be just about anything. Looks like it could be one of their many weird scary horrible curled up snakes, with long red hair..... lol
#113
Found This At My Internship And They Asked If I Could Guess What It Is, Any Ideas? It Is A Relatively Small, Metal Plate
Answer: Looks like a Witkar key. Even the design in the flat part looks like the company logo
Don Golosso 3 years ago
Aah, Witkar, a carsharing program from the Netherlands in the 1970's. They where electric golf cart like cars that you could use throughout our Capitol. It never became the success it was intended to be though.
#114
What’s This Device Mounted Under My Office Desk?
Answer: Occupancy sensor. They are linked to a display screen to help with hot desking.
Scagsy 3 years ago
A horrible practice where no employee has their own desk and they have to locate a new one when they arrive every day. I used to hate it. Just added stress that you really don't need.
Load More Replies... #115
Small Dimpled Rubber Ball That Was Fired At A Cyclist, Drive-By Style. Very Squishy And About The Size Of A Paintball
Answer: Nerf ball for a Nerf ball gun like the Hyper or the Rival
Marla 3 years ago
Very nearly asked what do balls smell like. Now I'm upset
Load More Replies... RMA 3 years ago
Funny how cyclists ride through red lights, lean on your car, scratch your car in traffic, ride on footpaths, don’t have lights, etc etc
Load More Replies...
What do you think ?
tuzdayschild 3 years ago
I knew only one, the bed warmer. From an episode of Bewitched when they went back in time to Puritan Salem.
Caleb Smith 3 years ago
How do people know these things? And what does witt mean? I probably should've read the article lol
tuzdayschild 3 years ago
I knew only one, the bed warmer. From an episode of Bewitched when they went back in time to Puritan Salem.
Caleb Smith 3 years ago
How do people know these things? And what does witt mean? I probably should've read the article lol
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