Have you ever found a strange object, widget or whatsit and wondered what that thing is?
You’re not alone. Thanks to the good people on the What is this Thing? subreddit, lots of people have found closure when it comes to their odd finds.
Wooden box of colors.
This wooden box — featuring two pieces each of eleven different color swatches — is a Montessori Color Box , which is a learning tool for schoolkids.
Strange metal tool found at health department.
You’re looking at a universal handle for a rongeur, which is a surgical instrument used for nasal surgeries. Part of this thing snaps into the handle, while the arm on the side locks it into place.
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Little brick outcroppings.
After a lot of research, a commenter said these things are where the downspouts — or drain spouts — exit from the roof or the interior of the building.
On a hotel pillow.
It turns out these are attached to zippers to prevent bed bugs or other pests from getting inside the bedding, as the zippers are where these critters typically get in.
Found in the ground in Montreal.
This is exactly what it appears to be: an unexploded artillery round, likely a 155. Don’t worry, though: the bomb squad showed up and took care of things safely.
Solid, heavy metal things.
These heavy widgets with numbers on them are screw machine cold heading punches. The initials on the side indicate that they were made by Wrentham Tool.
Building in Kerry, Ireland.
A railroad ran through this area up until 1953 and these stone buildings functioned as water towers to store water for refilling steam engine tanks and tenders.
Tool found in grandma’s basement.
This weird thing is a tool used to milk cows. Without getting into the gory details, it’s designed to make the cow’s udders more accessible.
Device bought at estate sale.
This looks like some kind of tool with an unknown purpose, but the most likely answer is that it’s probably some kind of art — similar to the stuff found here .
Blueprints found in father-in-law’s effects.
These intricate drawings are plans for a trocar, or trochar, which is a medical or veterinary device. It consists of an awl, a hollow tube and a seal.
Found in Serbia, can’t be opened.
This big wooden thing is a type of plumb bob. Essentially, you dangle it on a string to measure the depth or height of something.
Wall “dongus” in new apartment.
This is a panic button for a burglar alarm. If this is an older apartment, it’s probably no longer functional. Best not to press it all the same.
Big metal engine found in copper mining area.
This old machinery is too big to cart back down the mountain. It’s most likely an old sluice machine, designed to separate copper from everything else.
Found among grandma’s things.
Sometimes the simplest explanation is the correct one and that’s definitely the case here. These are pewter charms, symbolizing peace, love and happiness.
Found in a box of matches.
This is a weird one: it’s a pin that’s designed to hold a match while being pinned to a shirt. In case the wearer needs a match, it’s right there.
The metal sheath also works as a handle for the match.
Made of glass, with narrowing holes throughout.
In the days before florists used foam or gels to hold flowers in place, they used these glass devices, which are known as flower frogs.
Bright colors near Agate, Utah.
These are all ponds, designed for evaporation. They get their colors from the minerals being mined in the area, particularly potash.
Plate with pins and numbers.
Computers back in the day would read punch cards, which was basically a predecessor to modern computer code. This is one of those punch cards.
Velvet box with black object inside.
This is an old-school pocket hand warmer. The black part is a coal rod. Light it in the middle, close the box, and stick it in your pocket for warmth.
Sharp, spiky thing found in frozen meal.
This is a bit unnerving to find in your meal but at least it’s organic. How a seed pod found its way into a frozen meal, though, is anyone’s guess.
