30 Times People Seeked Help In This Online Community To Identify Mysterious Objects
Have you ever looked at something and wondered " What is this thing?"
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Have you ever looked at something and wondered " What is this thing?" We come across many unidentifiable things in our daily lives - some people choose to avoid them, while others get caught into the web of curiosity and they don't give up until they finally find out what the thing exactly is!
"What is This Thing" is an online community where the second group of people can be found. Nearly 2 million members of this subreddit help each other identify things that seem mysterious or peculiar. Scroll below to see some of the most interesting things people shared in this online group. And if you want more, see our previous posts here, here, and here.
More info: Reddit | Frequently Asked Things
Image source: SumYungHoe98
Answer: Fire beaters. Used to extinguish small fires
Image source: PastorJames2020
Answer: they’re good luck/prayer charms that are tossed in the water on purpose.
Image source: gng3quionbve4
Answer: these are to help bats orientate themselves, until the trees are larger. Did they recently cut down trees along this road? Bats need to hear reflection of their sound to know where they are going. These things will replace the leaves in that.
Image source: OpenMagazine8906
Answer: Stingray teeth
Image source: iatethecookies
Answer: These are blinders, typically used so the sign can old be read from a narrow angle. They're also called directional shields. You'll see them on traffic lights a lot more often.
Image source: chapel976
Answer: a hip bath
Image source: WemiGod
Answer: these are nets for catching the fruit from the tree - currently rolled up because there is no fruit. They were spread out to cover the area beneath the trees when I was there in late summer.
Image source: Venhomous
Answer: Artillery expert here
What you have there is a projectile from the 35x228mm Oerlikon Flab Kan 63/90 (Same gun that is on the Flugabwehrkanonenpanzer Gepard).
From the fact it has an aluminium dummy fuze (the large cutouts make it obvious there is not enough space for the fuze mechanism) and it looked like it was painted bluish-grey, that makes it an "Übungsgranate" - a Target Practice shot. Be advised that doesn't mean it's inert, because even a TP shot can have active pyrotechnic devices like tracers and I can't see the bottom of it.
My advice, is, as always, call EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal, AKA the "bomb squad") and they'll sort it for you, because you don't do demining over the internet.
Image source: LardLad00
Answer: It is a fish crib. It is a device to give baby fish a place to hide from the big boys. They also make for some good fishing as the lunckers will hang around hoping for a few little ones to come out.
Image source: ItIsNotBecause
Answer: They have these in violins. They call them the mouse. It’s just years and years of fluff and detritus. If they get repaired the repairer will put ‘the mouse’ back into the violin for good luck. It could be something like that.
Image source: Calrner
Answer: Pit mine, the spiral you see is the actual road trucks drive on to transport the materials mined from the bottom to the top.
Image source: Ciecie33
Answer: It's a butter pick.
Image source: Jolly-Challenge-3924
Answer: It is a Campbell-Stokes sunshine recorder. You place a strip of card into one set of grooves in the piece that curves behind the sphere, point the opposite side of the sphere towards the equator, and the sphere will focus the sunlight to burn a track on the card. The card has hours marked, and more the card is burnt, the brighter the sunlight was.
Image source: ERENSAVAGE
Answer: a water reserve for fire fighting.
Image source: isleptitaway
Answer: rat/rodent poison.
Image source: IAMA_KOOK_AMA
Answer: This is 100% frayed edges of the conveyors that take the crackers through the sheeting process before being transferred to the oven band.
Image source: descendin9
Answer: It's for bees, particularly Mason bees
Image source: ky-ta
Answer: This is for horse mounting.
Image source: burnout641
Answer: it's a clockwork spit turner for turning a roast or other meat automatically.
Image source: Pj35az
Answer: Nested set of seven plated medical cervical dilators.
Image source: Morcalvin
Answer: That’s a taco holder.
Image source: 20ht
Answer: Funnel for making a portugese sweet called "Fios de Ovos" or egg threads.
Image source: SpriteUnicorn
Answer: it's a byproduct of burning rubbish with a high iodine content.
Image source: Gadetron
Answer: Pretty sure they put those on there to stop skimming.
Image source: i-speak-arbitrarily
Answer: The cover is for the start or run capacitor, foam is probably just to stop it from rattling
Image source: kjax016
Answer: This is very common in Germany, we call it "Wechselbad". You're supposed to keep your feet in the warm water first and then quickly put them in the cold water (repeat a few times). This is supposed to help with circulation although I'm not sure if there's actually scientific evidence for that.
We usually have these in spas and other wellness or health related facilities.
Image source: hippie-mom-2901
Answer: Its a promotional key ring for a company that makes glass eyes for taxidermy.
Image source: graansmoothie
Answer: They are cooling vests
Image source: gempir
Answer: Bat house
Image source: Puppyluv4lyfe
Answer: the things attached to a garter belt to hold up stockings
#1 Found On A Hike In The Highlands In Scotland. Looks And Feels Handmade, Wooden Handle And Mesh Made Of Wire
Image source: SumYungHoe98
Answer: Fire beaters. Used to extinguish small fires
#2 Found These Soft Metal Objects While Metal Detecting Under A Pier At Low Tide
Image source: PastorJames2020
Answer: they’re good luck/prayer charms that are tossed in the water on purpose.
#3 Posts With Nets On Top On Side Of Street In The Netherlands
Image source: gng3quionbve4
Answer: these are to help bats orientate themselves, until the trees are larger. Did they recently cut down trees along this road? Bats need to hear reflection of their sound to know where they are going. These things will replace the leaves in that.
#4 Found This Glass Like Tube “Shell” Washed Up On A Beach In North Carolina, Any Idea What It Is?
Image source: OpenMagazine8906
Answer: Stingray teeth
#5 Variable Stop Sign In Illinois
Image source: iatethecookies
Answer: These are blinders, typically used so the sign can old be read from a narrow angle. They're also called directional shields. You'll see them on traffic lights a lot more often.
#6 Full Tub With Deep Front Half. USA. Listing Calls It A Mailman Tub. Google Results In Rule 34
Image source: chapel976
Answer: a hip bath
#7 Blue Nets Tied Between The Trees. Found While Hiking In The Cinque Terre National Park In Italy
Image source: WemiGod
Answer: these are nets for catching the fruit from the tree - currently rolled up because there is no fruit. They were spread out to cover the area beneath the trees when I was there in late summer.
#8 Ammunition With A Weird Shiny Tip, Could Be 30mm? Worried If Inert Or Not. Found On Glacier In Swiss
Image source: Venhomous
Answer: Artillery expert here
What you have there is a projectile from the 35x228mm Oerlikon Flab Kan 63/90 (Same gun that is on the Flugabwehrkanonenpanzer Gepard).
From the fact it has an aluminium dummy fuze (the large cutouts make it obvious there is not enough space for the fuze mechanism) and it looked like it was painted bluish-grey, that makes it an "Übungsgranate" - a Target Practice shot. Be advised that doesn't mean it's inert, because even a TP shot can have active pyrotechnic devices like tracers and I can't see the bottom of it.
My advice, is, as always, call EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal, AKA the "bomb squad") and they'll sort it for you, because you don't do demining over the internet.
#9 Just Bought A Lake Home And Found Three Of These In The Water Next To The Pier. Criss-Cross Stack Of Corrugated Pipes Wrapped In Plastic Netting All Weight Down By Bricks
Image source: LardLad00
Answer: It is a fish crib. It is a device to give baby fish a place to hide from the big boys. They also make for some good fishing as the lunckers will hang around hoping for a few little ones to come out.
#10 Found Inside A Musical Instrument, It Is The Size Of A Big Grape But There Aren't Any Holes Big Enough For It To Have Fallen Inside
Image source: ItIsNotBecause
Answer: They have these in violins. They call them the mouse. It’s just years and years of fluff and detritus. If they get repaired the repairer will put ‘the mouse’ back into the violin for good luck. It could be something like that.
#11 Flying Over An Area Outside Of Tucson We Saw This Hole And It Looks Like It Has Water In It
Image source: Calrner
Answer: Pit mine, the spiral you see is the actual road trucks drive on to transport the materials mined from the bottom to the top.
#12 Part Of Silverware Set. It Has A Corkscrew Tip, But It Is Not Sturdy Enough To Be Used As S Corkscrew. Thoughts For Its Purpose?
Image source: Ciecie33
Answer: It's a butter pick.
#13 Weird Glass Ball, Suspended By Screws, In A Metal Frame, Bronze Or Gold Colour In Appearance
Image source: Jolly-Challenge-3924
Answer: It is a Campbell-Stokes sunshine recorder. You place a strip of card into one set of grooves in the piece that curves behind the sphere, point the opposite side of the sphere towards the equator, and the sphere will focus the sunlight to burn a track on the card. The card has hours marked, and more the card is burnt, the brighter the sunlight was.
#14 What Is This Pool In The Middle Of Nowhere
Image source: ERENSAVAGE
Answer: a water reserve for fire fighting.
#15 Any Ideas What Someone Left At My House Party? Small Green Ridged Brick, Hole In The Middle, Crumbles When I Scratch It
Image source: isleptitaway
Answer: rat/rodent poison.
#16 What Are These Strands/Threads Coming Out Of My Crackers?
Image source: IAMA_KOOK_AMA
Answer: This is 100% frayed edges of the conveyors that take the crackers through the sheeting process before being transferred to the oven band.
#17 It’s Upside But Looks To Be A Feeder Or Nester Of Some Sort, Attached To The Top Of The Fence By Previous Owner. What Is This Thing?
Image source: descendin9
Answer: It's for bees, particularly Mason bees
#18 What Is This Random Set Of Stairs With A Platform? It’s Located At The Entrance To A Local Forest With Walking Trails
Image source: ky-ta
Answer: This is for horse mounting.
#19 What Is This Thing Hanging Outside My Fireplace. It Seems To Have Gears Inside Of It, And Pivots Into The Fireplace
Image source: burnout641
Answer: it's a clockwork spit turner for turning a roast or other meat automatically.
#20 Stainless Steel Curved Rods. Largest Is About 9 Inches. They Have Been In Family Since The 40s They All Fit Inside Of One Another. Best Guess So Far Is Glove Finger Stretchers
Image source: Pj35az
Answer: Nested set of seven plated medical cervical dilators.
#21 This Thing Is Made Of Terracotta And Has Sunflowers On Each End
Image source: Morcalvin
Answer: That’s a taco holder.
#22 A Kitchen Utensil With A Wooden Handle, Attached To A Round Metal Cup With 3 Spikes (With Holes In)
Image source: 20ht
Answer: Funnel for making a portugese sweet called "Fios de Ovos" or egg threads.
#23 I Know This Isnt Exactly An Object But Was Hoping You Guys Could Still Help Me Out. What Is This Purple Smoke?
Image source: SpriteUnicorn
Answer: it's a byproduct of burning rubbish with a high iodine content.
#24 What Are These 2 Metal Studs On The Side Of This ATM?
Image source: Gadetron
Answer: Pretty sure they put those on there to stop skimming.
#25 Opened Up An Old Motor I Acquired At A Garage Sale, Took This Part Off The Top And There’s A Sponge And Some Wires Inside. Why Is There A Sponge Inside?
Image source: i-speak-arbitrarily
Answer: The cover is for the start or run capacitor, foam is probably just to stop it from rattling
#26 This Fancy Hotel Has A Shallow Tub With Two Sides. When The Button Is Pressed, One Side Lights Up With A Red Light And Hot Water For About 30 Seconds. Then The Other Side Lights Up With Blue Light And Cold Water And Shuts Off After The Same Amount Of Time
Image source: kjax016
Answer: This is very common in Germany, we call it "Wechselbad". You're supposed to keep your feet in the warm water first and then quickly put them in the cold water (repeat a few times). This is supposed to help with circulation although I'm not sure if there's actually scientific evidence for that.
We usually have these in spas and other wellness or health related facilities.
#27 Real Life Looking Eyeball, Maybe Glass? With 3 Holes On The Metal Piece. Found At A Flea Market
Image source: hippie-mom-2901
Answer: Its a promotional key ring for a company that makes glass eyes for taxidermy.
#28 What Are These Vest With Liquid Pouches Worn By Olympic Sailors For? Worn By Dutch Sailors Bekkering And Duetz During A Post Race Interview
Image source: graansmoothie
Answer: They are cooling vests
#29 Two Of These Buildings On A Lot Where New Housing Is Going To Be Built
Image source: gempir
Answer: Bat house
#30 Metal, Plastic, And Canvas-Looking Fabric Clips. They Are A Few Inches Long And Some Say Flatex
Image source: Puppyluv4lyfe
Answer: the things attached to a garter belt to hold up stockingsDE
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