Nobody can be expected to know everything . Even with the aid of Google , there are some things that are tough to figure out .
So let’s say you’ve found something weird. You’ve Googled it, you’ve asked everyone you know what it might be, and you’re still no closer to identifying it. What to you do? Well, if you’re a true denizen of the internet, you already know the answer: you post it on the r/whatisthisthing subreddit and watch the answers roll in.
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“A pan with two handles but this small cup welded to the middle. what is it for and is the metal funnel of use with it?”
If you’re a connoisseur of beer can chicken, you probably already know that this is a specialty pan for cooking the dish.
“Found in Ukraine. Something military? Text on it ‘MT-R91.’ Metal case with rope.”
This has a scary nuclear symbol on it, but it isn’t actually nuclear in and of itself. It’s a signpost or marker that indicates that nuclear material is nearby.
“Found in our holiday home. Hard plastic exterior, soft silicon inside. Clicks open and closed. Approx 15cm. Pen for scale.”
This appears to be a silicon pot holder. Rather than using oven mitts, you can just clamp this thing around the handle of a hot pot.
“Wooden block with what looks like an aux chord coming out. Found in my hotel room in Rome, there are four of them in the room next to the beds.”
This is an outdated bit of infrastructure. It once allowed guests to plug in their headphones and listen to music or TV.
“Around 2′ 10″ long. looks handmade, entirely out of metal. No markings and nothing found on Google.”
The person who posted these must not spend much time outside, because they’re obviously roasting sticks designed for use around a campfire or bonfire.
“Does anyone know what this is? We found it in our Airbnb, it is heavy, carpeted, and has two inflexible wooden posts.”
This is something that’s an homage to something else. It’s a stool that looks like a camel saddle, but it isn’t functional as a camel saddle.
“What is the small white plastic tube? It has a ‘lot’ number stamped on the end and unscrews to a smaller white tube inside. The inner tube smells minty but does not open further.”
This thing is a pocket-sized inhaler — not the prescription kind, just an over-the-counter model. The mint or eucalyptus smell is designed to open up nasal passages.
“Guy wearing this ankle thing at a vacation resort in the Caribbean…what is this thing?”
It’s unlikely that this guy would have made it all the way to a Caribbean resort while wearing a court-mandated ankle monitor, so it can’t be that. It’s probably a mosquito repellant device.
“Found in remote northern Alaska, machined metal with hoses and wires running through the center.”
It’s unattached to anything and looks like it fell from the sky — turns out that’s exactly what happened. It’s most likely a component of a rocket that was sent into the sky to study aurora borealis.
“Small metallic object found in the woods many years ago. Decent D&D prop and desk clutter.”
This is one of those things where you really had to be there to know what it is. Fortunately, a commenter knew exactly what it is: a souvenir medallion from Parkdean Holiday Resorts in the United Kingdom.
“What are these sets of seven dimples on styrofoam?”
These weird dimples are a remnant of the manufacturing process. Because styrofoam expands as it’s manufactured, it needs a port for steam to enter the mold. These little dots are the steam injection points.
“What is this thing? Someone is sticking them to walls and doors around the office.”
My first thought was that this looked somewhat similar to QR codes. It isn’t a QR code, but it is, in fact, similar. Security guards scan these stickers when doing their rounds to show that they’ve checked the area.
“Moved into dorm, no ethernet but wondering about these ports.”
That isn’t quite a USB port, but it looks like it’s in the same family. Well, it turns out it really isn’t. It’s known as a token ring and needs a specialized connector.
“What is this growth on my mugs after I microwave them?”
This isn’t mold or fungus, it’s just excess water that was left in the mug. Earthware and stoneware, especially when it’s cheap, is full of microscopic cracks and holes. This allows the liquid inside to seep through the cracks and crystallize.
“What is the red pointy plastic used for? I can’t get a straight answer.”
The other end of this tool is a bottle opener, which gives us a clue. The red end is for pushing open cans. It comes from a time before pop-top cans.
“I was watching a remastered clip of Netherlands in 1919. What are these reflectors on their caps?”
I was very curious as to the reason that Dutch women would wear weird reflectors on their hats back in the day. Turns out they’re known as oorijzers, or ear irons , and they’re just a pointless fashion accessory.
“Small plastic pouch with red gel and a metal disc inside.”
If you’re an outdoorsy type who lives in a cold climate, you probably already know the answer to this one: it’s a hand warmer. Just click the disc to start a warming chemical reaction, slip it into your glove or boot, and you’re good to go.
“Large sand table in the basement of a house for sale in NJ. More than 10 feet long, several curved metal bars or tubes around the side and a ‘bridge’ in the middle. On the right in the picture is a movable conveyor belt thing. That’s all the info I have.”
This is somewhat reminiscent of a fancy train set, and that guess isn’t actually that far off. This is a dirt course for RC vehicles to race on.
“2.5 inches with a ring-sized hole, gold-colored metal, is this jewelry?”
![Image credit: reddit | [user]](https://diplycom5cc47.zapwp.com/q:i/r:0/wp:1/w:1/u:https://static.diply.com/eca01a6d-9ccb-4f06-b100-b617839b23b8.webp)
The fact that the ring isn’t complete indicates that it’s designed to be clipped to things, but that isn’t actually the case. In fact, this is a “sixth digit” device designed for pressing buttons and reaching things. The design of the ring is there to accommodate fingers of different sizes.
“What is this dent in the handle of my beer stein?”
This one’s pretty straightforward, and anyone who knows anything about German beer steins already knows the answer. It’s a notch where a hinged lid attachment can be mounted to the mug.
