For the most part, there’s little mystery as to what is in our homes. We put most of it there ourselves and even if we didn’t get an explanation on weird features that came with the house, we eventually figured out what they did.
But every now and then, we can come across something with a purpose and origin that completely eludes us. It may have always been there or it may have ended up on the premises overnight. And if it’s laying in a place that nobody has access to, it could be a loose part that fell off something.
In any case, but especially that last one, it’s something that should be identified. And fortunately for the confused and curious among us, the r/whatisthisthing subreddit serves exactly that purpose.
And as we’re about to see, its users do so pretty effectively.
Although it’s clear that these parts came from an action figure, the uploader wasn’t sure who this arm and part of a leg were supposed to belong to.
Identifying this doesn’t seem like it would be easy, but someone spotted it perfectly within an hour. What helps is that the Asian character depicted on this leg matches the figure made for WWE wrestler AJ Styles.
When somebody found this in the back of their kitchen cupboards, they were drawing a blank.
And that’s apparently because they’re parts belonging to a Thermomix food processor, which the uploader doesn’t own.
I wonder if this is how the person who used to live there will finally find out where these things went.
Out of context, this little face with a very large mouth would make quite an impression.
And that probably goes a long way to explain why this miniature replica of a “yawning” mask used in Balinese dances was manufactured.
It’s certainly memorable.
This fish statue was made with a specific purpose in mind, but its finder had a little trouble figuring out what it was.
Fortunately, it didn’t take long before somebody clued them in that this is a holder for a mosquito coil. That’s a type of incense that’s supposed to repel the little pests.
When the uploader was seeking answers as to what this was, they explained that both the little circles and the long ovals surrounding them spin.
I’m not sure that feature is particularly helpful when someone is serving drinks with this thing, but that is nonetheless its intended purpose.
While this wasn’t hard to recognize, it’s also easy to see why the uplaoder wouldn’t immediately recognize this pile of orange shreds on their windowsill.
After all, it’s not like that’s a place where we usually find old Ramen noodles. As far as anyone can tell, the noodles either fell from the upstairs neighbor’s balcony or an animal left them here.
This was discovered in the street, but that’s not where you’d get the most use out of it.
That’s because this is a drain plug that’s specifically intended for use on boats. Depending on where they found it, it was probably a long way from home.
It remains unclear why this little metal device ended up on the uplaoder’s balcony, but they at least learned why it has a magnet on the back.
Apparently, this is a cell phone speaker that somebody removed from their phone for whatever reason.
The uploader figured that a strong wind blew it here, but what happened before that?
Somebody made this heart-shaped brooch, but the uploader wasn’t sure what they made it out of.
The answer, it turns out, is that it was made from volvarina shells. And what’s a volvarina? A tiny sea snail, apparently.
It’s not hard to understand why this person would want to figure out why this odd jelly-like substance appeared at the side of their house.
But while initial guesses ranged from fungus to tree byproducts, it turned out that this is actually the absorbent found in diapers.
And since the uploader had to put diapers on their dog because it’s in heat, I think we can consider this a solved mystery.
The uploader didn’t know what this is, but they nonetheless discovered that it slices tomatoes evenly.
Although they were actually close to this thing’s intended purpose, it’s actually meant to split English muffins.
Obviously, its makers were thinking a little too small because that’s not all it’s good for.
This massive unit would certainly provoke some curiosity, but the uploader had a fairly obvious clue as to what they were looking at.
They said that their elevator was no longer working, which makes a lot of sense considering that this is what an elevator’s motor looks like.
It’s likely being replaced.
When the uploader bought a bidet, this came as a free gift.
And their purchase turned out to be important information because this is a apparently a portable bidet made to attach to water bottles.
Obviously, not one that anyone actually intends to drink out of.
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When this person went hiking in Massachusetts, they weren’t sure what to make of this 20-foot “staircase.”
Since it was completely flat on the other side, they figured that this wasn’t actually a staircase and they were right. It’s actually a retention pond used in case of flooding that were often built next to mills.
Since this one was near an old mill, that information checks out.
Whether they were hunting for them or not, the uploader happened upon some very real eggs in their yard this Easter.
As one sharp-eyed commenter spotted, these are the eggs of a small bird called the dark-eyed Junco that’s commonly found in the Pacific Northwest.
This ornate pin was found in the uploader’s garage and they figured it was supposed to screw into something.
As someone discovered, they were right because this is a knob that you affix to either a cabinet or a drawer. That person gets bonus points because they even found it that it was made by Hickory Hardware.
In this case, it was less about identifying items and more about figuring out why they’re being used this way.
I suppose it is kind of odd to see CDs hanging from twine in somebody’s yard if you don’t know the secret. Apparently, birds get freaked out by the reflections they see in CDs, which keeps them away while this person re-seeds their lawn.
This seems like a pretty mysterious tool, but it’s easier to recognize when it’s complete.
That’s because we’re looking at a duster without the part that actually does the dusting.
It’s intended to just slide a replacement over those two little wires, though, so it’s not like it’s broken.
When the uploader uncovered this, neither they nor their parents knew what it was.
After some initial confusion, this person eventually learned that this was some epoxy putty. It’s soft now, but it’s supposed to harden once they knead it and activate it.
We may not see these stands on the side of the road much, but they’re a pretty good idea.
That’s because this is a hand and foot rest that cyclists can use when they’re stopped at this crosswalk.
The uploader happened to find this keychain, but was unsure as to what the attached, retractable white bar was supposed to be.
However, the blurb about real-time traffic info is a bit of a clue because that bar is actually a tire pressure gauge.
When this person discovered these small pods on their curtain, they were treated to two pieces of bad news.
First off, you might have suspected that these are insect eggs and you would be right. Secondly, these holes we can see in them indicates that they’ve already hatched.
And to top it all off, they’re likely to be stink bugs. Yay…
Still, it could be worse. You could find a bunch of these bean-shaped growths in a room that releases yellow liquid when cut open.
As the uploader was disheartened to discover, one room in their house was filled with cockroach egg sacs. Yeah, everybody’s favorite visitor.
The uploader has had this in their house since they moved in and had to keep making up explanations for it when people visited.
So I guess it’s not so surprising that they’d want to find out what they’ve really got here. It turns out that it’s a gambrel used for hanging up game as a hunter takes what they need from it.
Considering that they’re a hunter themselves, the uploader was a little embarrassed not to recognize it.
This pull-out in the dresser doesn’t seem like it would have much of a purpose, but it does have at least one.
Apparently, it’s supposed to hold clothes hangers. Someone else apparently dried socks on one of these, which at least gives it another use.
When the uplaoder was watching a Korean music video, they noticed a strange wall unit in the background.
Apparently, central air isn’t very common in much of Asia because a lack of local lumber means most buildings are made of concrete, which is hard to install ducting in.
So instead, people will buy these large, free-standing air conditioners.
While working at a college in Scotland, this person came across a hammer that they described as “specific.”
And yes, the unusual design shows that this wasn’t made simply to hammer nails. Instead, it’s actually a blacksmithing tool.
The uploader said this instrument has a spring inside that moves, but doesn’t pop.
And that means that the spring in this center punch, which is used to mark the center of a hole for drilling, is working properly.
As one commenter pointed out, however, this is also sometimes used by thieves to break car windows. As they put it, “it probably wasn’t a tradesman that dropped it.”
Although it came with a lot of speculation, the uploader posted a simple question: “What is this giant structure that appeared overnight?”
They figured it may have been on a ship since they’re near a river, but it’s more likely to be a silo for wood chips or something similar. Strange as it may seem, it’s not unusual for those to be set up so quickly.
Upon finding this, the uploader said, “This is in my fridge, wrapped in tinfoil inside the little box to the left.”
They also wondered why a little piece of jelly would be so guarded and the answer apparently concerns the fact that it’s either a gummy variant of LSD or a marijuana edible.
Either way, it sounds like someone needs to have a talk with whoever they live with.
