The world is full of gadgets, gizmos, whatsits and random stuff whose purpose isn’t immediately apparent.
Thanks to the subreddit r/whatisthisthing , we can indulge our curiosity and figure out what these things are, once and for all. Let’s check out some of the weirder stuff.
“Metal sphere with Russian writing found on a Bahamas beach.”
Here’s a fun, and potentially valuable find. It’s the pneumatic accelerator tank of an engine control system from a Soyuz rocket. As for how it actually works, well, I’m no rocket scientist.
“Staying at an Airbnb, why does the vent have a green light inside it?”
This is probably a custom-made sterilization system. It’s hard to say how well it would work, since ultraviolet light is better at sterilization, but this person is trying it with green light.
“Small red container. The lid has a small spoon attached to the inside.”
You read about snuff boxes and snuff containers in old books, but what did these antiquated old things actually look like? Well, thanks to this photo, you now know what one of them looked like.
“What’s the long-lasting trail behind this boat?”
This isn’t an unusually long trail. It just shows disturbed water that hasn’t fully mixed back in yet. The sun shines differently on the different surfaces which makes the trail appear super long.
“I work in a restaurant, we had a customer complaining that they found that in our chicken – it’s not a part of any equipment we have in store. Any ideas?”
This is clearly a wrench ring, one that was probably worn as jewelry. It probably broke and fell off someone’s hand in the processing plant and wound up in the chicken.
“They’ve been showing up on the beach by the hundreds for the last month!”
These are bio filters, commonly used in fish tanks or sewage treatment facilities. As for why they’re showing up by the hundreds, it’s hard to say. Perhaps a container fell off a ship.
“Found this digging around the mouth of a major Caribbean harbor (on my property). Did this come out of a cannon?”
Here’s one where the poster was actually bang-on with their guess. This is probably a cannonball. It’s hard to tell whether it was fired from a cannon or simply stored on the property.
“What would cause my friend’s lawn to look like this after the snow melted?”
Some of you are probably nodding knowingly as you recognize this as a sign of major vole activity. These little rodents live and burrow underground and can cause some serious disruption to the lawn above.
“I’m waiting for the bank to open and they have this card facing the street. What is it used for?”
This is obviously the king of clubs, but what’s its purpose? Bank employees are probably using it as a safety signal. It could indicate that the bank is all clear to open up.
“Found in a garden. Metallic object that closes in on itself.”
This cryptic object is more than likely a Hindu ritual box. It’s used to store colorful powders like turmeric, which can then be sprinkled over statues of idols.
“What is this boat off the coast of Long Island, NY with three tall smoke stacks?”
Those aren’t cartoonishly long smoke stacks, they’re cartoonishly long piles. This boat is a barge, and when it’s out at sea doing barge stuff, it lowers the piles into the sea floor for stability.
“Unknown glass object filled with unknown liquid, found in an early 1900’s barn. Any leads?”
![Image credit: [deleted]](https://static.diply.com/rBWn3TJCBw8HXnRvPTtr.jpg)
This is obviously an old-timey object, but what is it? Turns out it’s an old-timey fire extinguisher. If it was heated to a certain point, it would shatter and (hopefully) extinguish some of the flames.
“Any guesses as to what this plane part is? Fell out of the sky in Colorado when that United engine failed.”
This one is just flat-out hilarious, and you may already know what this is. Despite the poster’s claim that it probably fell out of the sky, it’s more likely that it just fell out of someone’s pocket. That’s because it’s a vape pen.
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“This is a on gate blocking road access to some cell towers. Why so many locks, and how would someone even open it?”
It looks like the world’s most secured gate, but it’s actually only got a normal level of security. It’s designed so that only one lock needs to be opened for the gate to swing open. It’s just that lots of people have their own keys for it.
“Found this glass like tube “shell” washed up on a beach in North Caroline, any idea what it is?”
This looks like some kind of new-age thimble, but it’s actually organic in nature. That’s because it’s a stingray tooth, believe it or not. They use these flat teeth to grind up hard stuff like shells.
“My neighbors shared an unsettling video of a woman holding this device up to their ring doorbell. She walked up, held it directly in front of the camera while it made a clicking/buzzing noise and then left quickly.”
The person who posted this is right to be suspicious. This shows a frequency scanner which can pick up and clone the signals from car key fobs.
“What kind of pan is this and what is it used for?”
This type of pan probably has a few names and nicknames, but in short, it’s a fat-draining pan. It’s designed to make it easy to pour fat or liquids out.
“What is this bubbling out of the ground in my yard? Purplish metallic gooey inside. Keeps bubbling even if I dig a thin layer down with a shovel.”
This stuff is a weird color and it keeps expanding. You know what else is a weird color and keeps expanding? Expanding foam. It’s likely from some unused cans that were buried underground and rusted open.
“Found this metal key shaped object with in my wall behind some meshes, anyone knows what this is?”
It’s tough to see because it’s buried in plaster and drywall dust, but this object is in front of a safe in the wall. That means it’s the keyhole of the safe.
“Reflective prism attached to the side of a government building, no wires or markings.”
This is probably an optical survey prism. It’s there to measure the weight of a building’s foundation. If the building settles, the optical prism will give a sense of just how much.
