There have been a lot of posts recently from people who have found strange items and are trying to figure out what they are. This is where the r/whatisthisthing subreddit comes in. Users post pictures and ask each other, “What is this thing?” as the name suggests. Because of the diversity of people on this social media platform, users can often tell what those things are right away. We’ve compiled a list of oddities that have found their purpose thanks to social media.
An Indian arrowhead
If you enjoy the history of science fiction, you may fantasize about fighting a mystical ancient force on your own. What would you think if you came across a genuine historical arrowhead?
We can’t imagine how ecstatic this person must have been when they discovered the Hopewell Indian culture arrow, which dates from around 2000 years ago. For those unfamiliar, the Hopewell tradition is a Native American culture that flourished during the middle Woodland era in the north-eastern and mid-western eastern Woodlands.
A 30 lb wrench
You can tell what this item is just by looking at it. Its unusual size, on the other hand, is what makes it confusing. Is this something someone bought as a joke, or does it actually serve a purpose?
Also, the fact that the original poster inherited this is strange. It weighs more than 30 pounds and, as it turns out, it served a purpose. This wrench was apparently used at the Federal Reserve, and it was a popular tourist attraction. Isn’t that amazing?
Public art for sleeping
We have to admire the original poster’s meticulous attention to detail. Most people would pass by public art without a second glance, let alone notice that each metal ring has two hooks on each side, which is unusual.
This is what puzzled the original poster’s creators, who wondered how it could not be considered public art. Those are hammock stands for swinging, sleeping, or resting, as it turns out. We hope that visitors to that park will bring their hammocks the next time they visit.
Ignorance is a bliss
What could be more disgusting than to look at small specks in your bedroom hanging from threads, but later find out it’s a bug? We can only imagine how this person felt when he went to Reddit to seek some kind of explanation for these mysterious little specs.
It turned out to be female lacewings. In particular, it was female lacewings which laid their eggs on a dried mucus attached to a leaf. Well, surely that’s a bit disgusting. We believe the user had to be happier not to find out!
Detecting items in chips
We’ve found the ideal random object that will blow your mind. What if you discovered this blue disc in a bag of your favorite sour cream crisps? This original poster must have been taken aback when they discovered they were testing chips, which were once popular.
This is a testing chip that goes through metal detectors to ensure they’re working, according to social media. What’s even funnier is that the chip failed to accomplish its goal because a foreign object did slip through unnoticed.
A piece of history
This New Zealand-made miniature mask is both creepy and beautiful. It’s clear that it was created for a specific purpose, given its extremely wide mouth. It turns out that this is a yawning dance mask worn by the Balinese.
It’s meant to be a scaled-down version of the masks they wear during their traditional dance performances. These masks, it appears, are sacred because they represent divine messengers. performances.” Balinese masks are thought to be sacred and represent divine messengers.
Shaving has really changed
Many commonplace items may become obsolete in a few years as technology advances. That’s why finding artifacts depicting how people in the past went about their daily lives is so intriguing.
Take, for example, this lovely china cupboard discovered by the original poster while going through his family’s belongings. It turns out it’s a shaving scuttle for keeping soap leather warm so it can be used again and again. Rather than being strange, this is simply vintage cool.
A Peruvian ceremonial chonta
Peru is known for its rich and glorious ancient culture and heritage, in addition to being a stunningly beautiful country. While standing on a beach in Lima, Peru, the original poster discovered a wooden object.
This so-called healer is actually a ceremonial “chonta.” It was used in healing rituals in the past. Even the carving on the wooden staff is made from Chonta Palmwood. It can be found at the center of a ceremonial altar.
Not so creepy after all
It’s fascinating to see devices from the past, and it makes you wonder how people lived before the modern era’s technological advances. This person described what appeared to be an unidentified metal object in a local park in the UK.
They are underground gas vents, according to social media. The poster must have been disappointed if they were hoping to find something far more exciting and mysterious. Life isn’t always as it appears in the movies.
Your favorite kitchen tool
What would you do if you discovered a silver ball that was flat on the ground? Especially if it appeared to be nothing more than a flat silver ball with no discernible shape or function? The majority of people will end up pulling their hair out, but we now have social media to help us out.
After chopping onions or garlic, this turned out to be a stainless-steel soap that you can rub on your hands. It appears to aid in the removal of the odor. That’s quite intriguing, but it would have been better if it had been made more obvious!
No, it is not a coffin
What could be more unsettling than finding a coffin (or something that looks like a coffin) on your property? It was described as a concrete slab discovered on a friend’s farm by the original poster. Rather than breaking it open with a crowbar, they decided to first post a picture of it on the internet.
It turned out to be a septic tank. If the original poster kept digging, they might even find a pipe on both ends. This is an older tank, which was typically buried 1 to 3 feet below ground level.
What is this squishy thing?
We’ve already discussed a number of creepy things, but this one is particularly revolting because it arrived in a sealed package. The imposter was described as a “squishy” creature by its creator. It’s probably nothing to be concerned about, according to a social media user.
They theorized that the blob was caused by solids from the milk in the drink, which mixed with the other ingredients. Perhaps there was a flaw in the manufacturing process that resulted in the rubbery hunk of residue in the drink. In any case, don’t eat it.
From the second world war
Many families now have pins, medals, and other items that have been handed down through the generations. They were curious about the origins of these bear pins, as well as the RRW markings on them. They would learn that, as it appears, one month after Germany launched its attack on Russia in 1941, a relief organization was established in New York to assist Russia.
The Russian War Relief, or the American Committee for Russian War Relief, was the name of this organization. These bears appear to pin from the Second World War.
A brand-new hobby?
This one is not particularly odd, but it may be confusing if you were born after the year 2000. It appears to be a collection of marbles at first glance. Of course, they were used by a large number of people, so we can understand why they were puzzled.
As it turns out, this is a marvelous solitaire game known as peg solitaire. Apparently, rather than using cards, this version of the game was used. That must be a pleasurable way to pass the time.
For the artist inside you
This is a rather confusing item. It was described as a dresser with no sides and an open space near the front of the drawer by the original poster. They’d soon figure out that it’s a flat-file or artist’s cabinet.
The mystery was quickly solved, thanks to the internet’s clever people. They recommended gently pushing the artwork up from the drawers’ edges to avoid damaging it. This is why the Internet is so appealing to us.
What are ranger beads?
What’s particularly fascinating about this community is that you have the opportunity to see items from all over the world, whether they’re from a small Russian village or New York City. These strange-looking ropes were discovered in the Netherlands by the original poster in the woods.
They could only describe it as having nine beads on the bottom and four beads on top. Ranger beads are what they’re called, and they’re used to count distance at a set pace. As a society, we’ve come a long way.
The Romans loved their oil
Though technology has advanced significantly since the ancient Romans and Greeks, seeing some of the household items they used in their daily lives is still fascinating. Consider this clay jar discovered in a garden in the south of the Netherlands by the original poster.
It appears to be a terracotta Roman oil jar, according to social media. The Romans produced massive amounts of pottery and terracotta, which have been discovered in archaeological excavations, revealing the Roman Empire’s traces.
Call pest control ASAP
This is one of those images that will give you shivers. It’s clearly organic, and despite the original poster’s best efforts, it has returned. This strange white thing is actually called “frass,” as the original poster would discover.
What is frass, exactly? It is defined by the dictionary as fine powdery refuse or fragile perforated board produced by boring insects. For the layperson, it’s a sign that you should contact pest control right away.
Hold on to this one
What if you flipped the switch on the back of an old clock labeled “miracle eye” and it worked? We can see how the original poster would have been confused by this, especially since it sounds like something from a movie.
It turns out to be a light sensor that can be turned on and off, as they quickly discovered. The clock will not make any sounds when it is turned on unless it detects light. This is to prevent people from waking up in the middle of the night. Isn’t that amazing?
Not from space
What would you do if you found this strange object in your backyard? Is it a piece of technology? Is it religious in nature, based on the design? Or is it some strange kitchen contraption that serves a specific purpose?
Given that it is referred to as a special wheel or chair, it is actually quite unimpressive. Its purpose is to keep the rebar in place while the concrete is being poured. We’re sure the original poster was dissatisfied with this uninteresting find.
This one for your pens
Anyone can tell right away that this item is extremely old, probably hundreds of years old, just by looking at it. Perhaps this is something that should be broadcast on TV.
This is a double inkwell, which was quite common in the nineteenth century. The second well is for washing your pen after writing to prevent ink from clogging the tip. You can also use it for two colors of ink if you aren’t concerned about your trip becoming clogged.
Spike man to the rescue
Spiders, no matter what anyone says, are terrifying. What would you think if you came across this spidery-looking, razor-sharp red-colored object late at night? It even appears to have spiked from certain angles! It turns out that it’s an electrostatic animal guard.
When an animal comes into contact with one of the prongs, it receives a small zap. It’s similar to an electric fence in that it keeps your animals from wandering off into the wild, but it’s smaller for added security. We’re hoping it hasn’t been touched by the original poster.
This one is really confusing
This benign-looking flat disc with a few holes appears to be just that. What was it used for, exactly? It even appears to be an incredibly stylish ashtray from certain angles. Even though it appears to be purely decorative, it serves a very specific purpose.
It’s a flower frog that’s used for flower arrangements. The number of holes is calculated so that stems can be arranged through them. It’s also available in a variety of designs and styles. Who’d have thought it?
A special gift from Pennsylvania
Since every place has its own distinct environment and set of circumstances, residents frequently devise novel solutions to everyday problems. Unfortunately, if you are new to the area, those same items may appear mysterious.
This user discovered this yellow object, and all they knew about it was that it was made of aluminum and that it was found on a lot of phones in southeast Pennsylvania. Grid reflectors are yellow mesh objects that help motorists see and avoid utility poles. We’re glad we figured it out.
This needs to be in a movie
Another item you might see on the set of your favorite science-fiction television show or film is this. It appears to be something that could be used for nefarious purposes, such as a secret dictatorial bunker. It could also just be something completely harmless.
The only information the original poster had was that it was a two-lane road that was being repaired and that they had seen this section dugout. It turns out that it’s actually used to store stormwater so that the sewers aren’t overburdened. Who’d have guessed it?
A radioactive home?
I’m guessing you don’t want anything radioactive in your home. So, imagine how this person felt when they discovered this buried warning sign in a crawlspace. This situation became so tense that it required the involvement of the local media.
Radiation control inspectors decided to inspect the site to see what was going on in this person’s crawlspace. Fortunately, nothing dangerous was discovered. The warning label, it turned out, was from the 1950s, and the red boxes contained nothing significant.
Use this with your purse
With just a glance at this object, you can tell it was designed for a specific purpose. Something on there appears to be made up of random bits of plastic, but it’s still unclear what it is. What is this strange object, exactly?
This round metal object, according to social media experts, resembles a bus or a small handbag. The sunken center part, according to legend, was stitched to the top of a purse and was used to open and close it.
This was used by the disabled
At first glance, this appears to be yet another teapot, albeit one that is slightly broken. If you look closely, you will notice that it does not have a lid or any markings on it.
It’s also made of white ceramic, and the glaze has some crazing, indicating that it’s not recent. It was actually an older version of the modern sippy cup, as the original poster would quickly discover. It was created for those who were unable to feed themselves due to illness or weakness.
Right out of a horror movie
If you’re like most people, one look at this is enough to make you jump out of your skin. But not the original poster, who had it for 20 years before deciding to look for information online. These appear to be the teeth of an American freshwater drum fish.
For those unfamiliar, these fish have teeth that are similar to human molars and are used to break down oysters and mussels for consumption. They’re also known as the grunter fish, the grinder, and the “google google.”
What is a hag moth, you ask?
There are strange things and strangely frightening things. Indeed, it has been described as “a weird squirming living Lovecraftian nightmare found on someone’s lawn chair.” We can’t imagine coming across something like this, especially with its huge, gaping mouth.
The original poster was informed by a helpful Internet user that it is actually a hag moth. Because of their fuzzy little legs, hag moth larvae are also known as monkey slugs. The good news, on the other hand? These obnoxious bugs aren’t a threat to either crops or people.
Debris from rockets gone by
This object is described as a honeycomb-shaped piece of polyester in the original poster. It was glued to a flimsy aluminum disk and fiberglassed. For the record, it was discovered in Guam’s US Treasury. It didn’t take the Internet long to research and figure this one out, and even then, the answer is fascinating.
It’s actually the result of a recent rocket launch that went wrong. Although a Chinese Long March rocket had launched, its payload was seen reentering the atmosphere outside of Guam.
Gotta thank the grandparents
If you’re close to your grandparents, you’re well aware of how particular they can be about which items they want in the house and which they don’t. Particularly if one of the aforementioned items resembles a carved and sacred ancient circle from comparable reservations thousands of years ago.
How could this fail to pique anyone’s interest? According to the Internet, this ancient object is a mottled Aztec sunstone made of jade. It is actually a sculpture dedicated to the sun, depicting days, months, and suns in hieroglyphs.
You might want to skip this one
If you’re afraid of bugs, you may wish to continue scrolling. We’re not sure who would consume one of these, but desperate times necessitate desperate measures… we suppose?
It is a type of polypore fungus, according to Internet users, that is exuding excessive moisture. This is referred to as “guttation.” Further investigation reveals that they are a type of fungus with spores or tubes beneath them. Regardless of what it is, just looking at it gives us the chills.
Roll back the 60s
Before streaming, people listened to music on cassettes and CDs. Of course, we’ve come a long way, but imagine discovering this on a magnetic device surrounded by cables. You’ll have to go all the way back to the 1960s to find the answer to this question because it’s actually called an audio head demagnetizer.
The use of this tool when recording with cassettes was necessary whenever there was a build-up of magnetism in the tape path. That the original poster could have predicted this is beyond comprehension.
An old sediment filter
What would you do if you discovered a dark mysterious electronic object in your basement, especially one connected to the waterline? Despite its frightening and grave appearance, this is a relatively harmless object. It’s a sediment filter that prevents particles from entering your drinking water.
Because it is equipped with an extremely old filter cartridge, this one does have a little bit of history to it. A little bit of history would be wonderful to have in our basement.
Yet another UFO?
Amidst technological advancements in recent decades, one thing has remained constant: our insatiable desire to identify so-called unidentifiable flying objects. To be fair, if anyone saw this thing in the sky, they would definitely want to photograph it. This happened in Pennsylvania, for the record.
The mysterious circle was actually called a soliton, which is a self-reinforcing wave, according to social media. The strange, round plumes in the air are caused by the smoke coming off the transformer, which creates the circles.
This one is for the kids
How would you feel about giving your child this strange-looking semicircular form-like device with a cow design to play with? While it appears to be the shape that people would use when painting their toenails, it is clearly not. Of course, social media stepped in to save the day and declared it a door stopper.
Its purpose is to assist in the protection of small fingers by preventing them from becoming trapped in the door. When someone asks, “Won’t someone think of the children?” you can show them this device the next time they ask.
Your new favorite game?
In an indoor version of the classic game of horseshoes, it is one of two game pieces that came up with the horseshoes. Even better, someone on the social media website had one when they were a kid. The fact that it ended up in the woods is unfortunate.
If you looked at this strange carved circular stone with these strange markings, you’d think it was some sacred object from an ancient culture. The original poster is missing a piece, the tiny red piece in the middle, as the original poster quickly notices.
We need this someone ASAP
We’re confident that many everyday items will become obsolete in the next 20 or 30 years. This strange item received by a college freshman exemplifies this perfectly.
They had received this item from the university and we’re stumped as to what it was, so they turned to the Internet for help. It turns out that this is a germ key. People use it to open door handles without touching them, preventing the spread of infections. One of these would be ideal for us.
A very ornamental missile
Many of the mysterious items that can be found are completely mundane and have no serious backstory. After that, there’s this thing. This item was discovered in the woods of Tennessee by this user’s brother.
It turns out that the missile on the plinth outside the nearby military high school is a missile. We’re glad the original poster noticed this, because it can be particularly frightening based on its appearance. If we’re being honest, it might be better suited for a museum.
A fire grenade in a research lab
It’s one thing to find strange things in the woods or your backyard, but it’s quite another to find them in a research lab. Something appears to be contained within this glass item. The original poster, who happens to be a scientist, is baffled.
They’d find out it’s an early 1900s fire grenade. According to social media, the reason some were filled with plain H20 and others with unknown chemicals was to help put out any fires by suffocating them.
Not so creepy after all
This thing looks like something out of a rural horror movie set at first glance. The only hint provided by the original poster was that a paintball field and a hotel in Europe were nearby. People on the internet haven’t quite figured it out yet, but we think it’s a three-dimensional maze.
In addition to children’s camps and other outdoor activities, it is also used in the military. Some people believe it is an example of an ancient practice of creating sculptures out of plants, which dates back thousands of years.
The coolest jar opener ever
What if you came across this strange shop item with jagged teeth? It was discovered on the underside of their cabinet by the original poster, who claimed it was from the 1970s. Although it appears to be harmless, it serves a specific purpose.
However, it is not what you might have expected. It’s nothing more than a jar opener. We might get one of these ourselves, to be honest. We’re curious if the original poster actually used it.
Is it a bird or a UFO?
There are some strange things that make you think of something out of a science fiction film or a government conspiracy. This wind turbine was clipped onto cable lines near the original poster’s house and was happily spinning away.
We’re sure they were relieved to learn that the object is used to identify flying objects. It appears to be a poor flight diverter, which provides a more cost-effective method of reducing the risk to both lines and innocent birds.
Be careful with this one
When it comes to mysterious objects, you should always be cautious, but when it comes to a mysterious axe that is razor sharp, you should be extra cautious. The original poster mistook the item for an ax and assumed it came from Japan.
They quickly discovered that it wasn’t an ax, but rather a delimbing tool for reaching higher limbs in a tree. Because of the sharpness of this tool, users can quickly cut them off. This is not something you want lying around your house, particularly if you have children.
A place to wash your feet
There are only a few things you should expect to see when entering a public restroom. There will be a few stalls, sinks, possibly a baby changing station, and possibly a few urinals. That’s all there is to it. So we can only imagine how surprised someone was when they entered a bathroom and saw this device.
It turns out to be a foot-washing station. We’re not sure why someone would want to wash their feet in a public restroom, but hey, anything to avoid stinking up the place, right?
Found on the highway
We’ve all witnessed strange things on the highway before. Cars with custom paint jobs, trucks hauling house pieces, and, if you’re lucky, the Wienermobile. This, however, stood out from the rest. More than ten highway patrol cruisers were following this massive metal container down the highway. It appeared to be very important.
People on the internet speculated that it was a heat exchanger and that the tense escort squad was simply due to the object’s unwieldy size. So it’s not a bomb or anything of the sort.
What’s with this metal?
This is something that many of us have probably witnessed before but never questioned. The presence of these metal bits on retaining walls is not uncommon, but what are they for? These appear to be in place to prevent people from skating.
Walls like this are the ideal height for skaters to grind their boards against, resulting in scuffing and possibly ruining the walls. Sorry, skater boys and girls. Another attempt by the system to keep us down! There’s always the skate park, right?
The spoils of war
Soldiers frequently return from battle with a variety of artifacts. As time passes, the significance of these objects fades. That’s how you end up with so many mysterious war antiques. This medal was brought back by a father who served in the Iraq War, but it wasn’t one that the US military had given him.
This was an Iraqi medal known as the Mother of All Battles Medal, according to the internet. After Saddam declared victory, it was given to Iraqi soldiers who fought in Desert Storm.
A glass tool for flowers
If you spend enough time looking through old cabinets in your home, you’re bound to come across something intriguing and mysterious. This person came across this glass tool and had no idea what it was used for. It wasn’t long before the Internet discovered that it was actually used for flowers and was known as a flower frog.
It is used to assist in the arrangement of flowers in bouquets and other arrangements. Even the mother of the original poster, who adores flowers, had no idea what it was for, which is likely due to the fact that flower frogs are no longer used.
An amazing sight from an airplane
Looking out the plane window is one of the most enjoyable things to do while traveling. It may sound simple, but watching the clouds roll beneath you as beautiful landscapes pass by is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. You might even come across sights like this! If we ever saw something like this, we’d immediately assume aliens were nearby.
However, it appears that the true cause is a little less intriguing. Because of some intense lights coming from greenhouses below, these clouds looked like this. Even though they aren’t aliens, they are still pretty cool!
A tiny dried-up corn on the cob?
It’s difficult to trust your intuition, but it’s usually right more often than you think. Folks, your gut instinct usually knows what’s going on. As an example, consider the following story.
This person was eating peanuts when they came across this strange object. It was clearly not a peanut, and it resembled a dried-up cob of corn. They knew it couldn’t be that, though. So they turned to the internet for answers, and were met with a simple response: “it’s a tiny dried-up corn on the cob.”
Metal and plastic
The Internet’s detective work can be truly amazing at times. Someone discovered this strange metal and plastic object and was completely stumped as to what it could be. We would have been just as lost if the Internet hadn’t already provided us with the answer.
It appears to be a simple, decorative keychain from the Georg Jensen company. And how did the Internet learn about this? We have no idea, to be honest. Trying to figure out what this sounds like is a difficult task.
A sweet potato with holes
You know how it feels when you cut open some produce and it doesn’t look like you expected it to? That’s a bad one, to be sure. You then have to deal with the fact that you now have to eat (or throw away) a piece of produce that isn’t what you wanted, whether it’s too ripe or not ripe enough.
That’s exactly what happened to this person when they discovered their sweet potatoes were bursting at the seams! This, however, is not due to a bug infestation. This appears to occur only when sweet potatoes are stored in hot temperatures. Huh. Weird.
Is that a belt?
One Reddit user discovered this while investigating and digging through old boxes in their shop. It has the appearance of a belt, but it is much shorter and has metal pieces on both sides.
Its length is made of leather and appears to be quite old. Because it’s an old strap used to transport car batteries, most of us would have no idea what it is. The ends fit over the car’s terminals, allowing the battery to be lifted out. Although we doubt that this item is still in use, it is an interesting antique nonetheless.
A mysterious science object
We have a “science object” that was discovered in an abandoned asylum. What’s going on?! This person was apparently digging through an old mental hospital and picking up random objects when they came across this. That sounds like a fun way to spend a day. The term “science object” was technically correct, but it was not at all helpful in identifying this object for the original poster.
It was later discovered to be a projector light bulb. So that’s the mystery solved. Still, we’re more curious about what else this person discovered in that old asylum! Creepy!
What on earth is that?
Okay, now this is the kind of thing that Internet sleuths adore. It appears to be quite mysterious. It also appears to be homemade, making it difficult to identify. And you know how much these people enjoy a good challenge! An erhu was identified as a hand-me-down from the poster’s father-in-law. Are you unfamiliar with the erhu?
They appear to be old Chinese instruments that are similar to fiddles. This one had a few missing pieces, but it was definitely that! I’m not sure how anyone figured this one out!
HAL is in the building
Imagine purchasing a home and discovering what appears to be HAL installed in the wall. If there’s one thing we’ve learned from 2001: A Space Odyssey, it’s that glowing lights built into the wall aren’t to be trusted! Still, before buying a new, safer home, this person wanted to know what this thing was, so they turned to the internet. It turned out to be less of a threat than previously thought.
This light is merely an indicator light that something in the house has changed. And it appears that tracing the wire is the only way to figure out what it’s saying. To us, it appears to be pointless!
The mystery of the green pods
We’ve seen quite a few pods in our time. Pods of all kinds: seed pods, Tide Pods, dish detergent pods, and so on. However, these appear to be a little different. This is due to the fact that they are! Apparently, these aren’t even half-filled with detergent. Pop Pops, it appears, are the toys in question. They’re made of slime and have a collectible hidden inside. So, no, you shouldn’t eat these pods either.
Regardless of how enticing they may appear. However, we’re sure that popping them open is still a lot of fun, especially for small children. Friends, go ahead and pop. But no eating.
A helmet from the future
This helmet was seen on a motorcycle driver, and it appears to be very futuristic. The helmet itself isn’t particularly bizarre, but the strange pipe system protruding from the back makes it look more at home on a Star Wars set than on a busy American highway.
However, it turns out that it isn’t quite as crazy as it looks. These pipes were installed on the helmet after it was purchased, and their purpose is to improve the helmet’s ventilation. This is primarily to prevent it from fogging up. First and foremost, safety!