When you come across a strange contraption or object for the first time, it's not always obvious what it's meant to be used for, no matter how hard you look at it, and Google images can only help so far. When you don't have easy access to resources like libraries or knowledgeable friends, knowing where to begin your search can be a challenge.
When a little additional assistance is needed, Reddit and other social networking sites can be known for sparking helpful discussions about the subject. You don't need a modern-day Sherlock Holmes to conduct your detective work! To get answers, all you have to do is get online. Some internet resources can indeed be trusted, especially if the answers originate from experts or knowledgeable folks.
Grandma's Gift
Clearly, this Grandma cherishes her granddaughter to the point of gifting her with a beautiful and valuable antique. Grandma, however, remains tight-lipped about its actual purpose, making this a strange gift. We wouldn't have guessed what this Tiffany's tool was for, even if we tried. This lucky woman found the answer to her question after heading on over to Reddit.
This device is used as a grinder. You can crush herbs between the metal ball and the glass rim of a cup or glass. Cocktail muddlers are available in various materials, the most common of which is plastic, and may be found at both bars and restaurants. This muddler is made out of something else and is something we've never seen before.
Strange Seeds
There's something about this image that makes us feel uneasy. You might have had the same experience as this internet denizen—when your meal looks to have been contaminated by seeds or stones that fell in from somewhere. That wouldn’t be so bad, would it? Well, no. These aren't seeds or little rocks—they’re something far worse.
It appears that these are eggs. Unfortunately, a harlequin beetle saw fit to lay these eggs in this person’s meal. If only they were just seeds! As scary as it seems, this bug isn't harmful to people, but to cabbage and other crops they are. In any case, you probably don’t want to find this in your food.
Circle in the Sky
Any unknown object in the sky should pique the interest of onlookers. A strange cloud, a flying kite, a strange airplane, or even a slightly-colorful insect all pique ours. This individual was driving through Pennsylvania when they noticed an unusual smoke ring in the sky above them.
Unbeknownst to most people, this actually happens rather frequently. One possible explanation for the enigmatic rings is the bursting of transformers. Volcanoes and smokestacks are two other possible explanations. Smoke vortex rings can only be formed with the help of cylindrical objects.
Mysterious Shrine
Imagine you're out exploring a new location, taking in the sights, when suddenly, you come across this bizarre structure. What would your first impression be? Would you be willing to enter the building to see what's inside? One option would be to ignore it and go about your life.
It doesn’t appear to be a religious shrine or place where rites are held. In fact, this is a water tower. Its primary function is to supply steam engines with water. This was spotted by a person on the internet, who also mentioned that a railway was once nearby.
As Unique As A Snowflake
Most of us enjoy a good mystery, so long as unraveling it doesn’t trigger some kind of curse. We'd rather find a package of old mysterious charms than an unidentifiable bug or species lurking in the kitchen's shadows. This person was fortunate to come across the former – items both lovely and fascinating.
It's an adorable little charm box. According to helpful internet commenters, this snowflake charm box is loaded with snowflakes that individually represent joy, serenity, and love. The origin of this wonderful box is still a mystery, but we think it would make a thoughtful present for someone special.
A Very Special Banjo
What's the big deal about this particular musical instrument? Upon first glance, it appears to be a run-of-the-mill banjo. However, someone on the internet believed there was more than met the eye and was keen to reveal this musical instrument's unique make and model.
As they pointed out, this isn't your average banjo. The banjo is a Gibson model that dates back to the early 1900s, making it a bonafide antique. Be careful when you strum this baby—she’d probably be worth a small fortune.
The Strange Cup
People were baffled by this one. While some people thought it was an old teacup, others threw their two cents in and guessed that it was a shaving mug. We guess it's possible to use it both ways. But who got it right? It turns out that this antique china mug was used for shaving.
In days gone by, men and women used traditional methods such as soap, water, and a shaving brush before switching to electric or disposable razors. You would fill the cup with hot water, set the soap on the side with holes, and wash your brush on the soap and water. People sure seemed a lot more refined in the past!
Unfamiliar Tool
It's challenging to keep track of all of the small tools and devices we have stashed away in our kitchen drawers and cupboards. We spend so much money on goods that sit in our cupboards, or we receive gifts that gather dust after we realize how we have no idea how to use them.
Someone spotted a wooden stick with four prongs in their kitchen and had no clue what it was. Apparently, this is a tool for removing olives from a jar or picking up olives from a platter without getting your hands wet or slimy.
The Miracle Eye
There is no doubt that Cuckoo and Grandfather clocks are loud. Some grandfather clocks chime and make sounds similar to church bells, while others play minor tunes. The sounds might be beautiful and pleasant to some people but a nuisance to others. This person found a mysterious switch on the back of their clock.
The "wonder eye" is a light sensor used in older clocks that detects light and determines whether or not the clock should chime. This feature is activated when you switch it on. However, if the sensor is turned off and there are no lights, it will not chime at all.
Kill It With Fire
We’re curious to know how long this person had been living in their house before they made this random discovery. This device, which works like an electric collar, sends a shock to anything that comes into contact with the spikes.
It's presumably designed to keep animals away from the garden's veggies. On the other hand, this technique could also keep squirrels and other trespassers out of the yard. In either case, we hope the family dog doesn't stumble onto it by accident.
Chug Chug
We're very confident that you won’t know what this one is. We couldn’t get it at first glance, and we had multiple attempts at it. Is there something in the bottle being preserved? Is something growing in this bottle? Redditors on the subreddit r/whatisthisthing were able to provide the answer.
Because we couldn't tell what it was after seriously wracking our noodles, it's impressive that someone on the internet figured it out at a glance. It’s a kombucha bottle. That object growing there is SCOBY, an acronym that stands for “symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast.”
Voodoo Dolls
You've seen voodoo dolls on TV or in movies, right? You know, those dolls used to inflict supernatural agony on people? You pierce the doll with pins, and the human it represents feels pain. It's hard to look at this small doll without thinking of those ominous artifacts.
This person has nothing to worry about unless they believe in voodoo magic. Moreover, most voodoo dolls are far larger than this one is. It's actually called a worry doll, and it's designed to relieve your anxieties. You tell it your troubles, then put it under your pillow. Unfortunately, this doll looks too frightening to place beneath our pillows.
Bedtime Mystery
There is a good chance you’ll have no clue what this is, where it came from, or why it was hidden under a pillow. We wouldn’t blame you if you made a frantic phone call to the hotel's front desk after finding this in your pillow during your stay. This person couldn't resist snapping a picture and posting it online.
This device is intended to be placed in the pillow and is actually used to keep bedbugs and dust mites at bay. In addition, it keeps bedbugs out of the zipper's most vulnerable area. So the next time you see one of these in a hotel room, don't take it out!
Grandma's Prized Object
This appears to be a meticulously crafted piece of art. Inferring its age from the imagery on its body, we can assume that this object is most likely Asian in origin. We can tell it's old. There probably aren't many of these left in the world. But what exactly is it?
The answer might surprise you. It’s actually a little chimney. On the other hand, this chimney isn't used to emit smoke but rather to help a person inhale it. A kind internet user pointed out this is an ancient opium pipe. Thank you, kind sir.
The Germ Key
When this college student opened her mail, she could have used a little more context for her gift. Students at this college were given germ keys to prevent the spread of germs. It's a good initiative, considering the pandemic that started in 2019. But they failed to clarify what they had sent, leaving their students in the dark.
With this key, you can open doors without touching them with your bare hands—assuming you’re dealing with handles and not doorknobs. To be safe, you should also clean your germ key after each use, especially if you're concerned about catching any nasty bacteria.
Encrypted Door?
If you're concerned about your house’s safety, we completely understand. Everyone wants to feel comfortable in their own home, and some folks go to great lengths to make that happen. However, we're concerned that this person didn't notice the weird object on the door earlier.
Exactly where does this person live? Is this a hotel, an apartment, or what? This person may not be the most attentive. Fortunately, someone on the web was able to explain what this is. It's designed to be a camera-mounting plate for surveillance. So it isn’t terribly useful in its current state.
Wrong Drawer?
This person claims to have kept these two clips in their kitchen drawer for a long time and has no idea what they're used for. As odd as it may sound, chances are good that we all have things stashed away in the back of our kitchen cabinets. One resembles an open-mouthed green monkey, while the other has no discernible features.
Fortunately, Redditors have the answers. One person speculated that these were fruit peelers—bananas and oranges, specifically. Because both items have Paul Mitchell's name written on them, it's a little strange that someone would ask about this. The Paul Mitchell hair care brand is well-known. We doubt they'd make anything for the kitchen.
Added Security
If you didn’t know what this gadget was for, you might guess it to be a kind of jacket you connect your USB into before plugging it into a power source. But what use would that be? This device actually protects your hardware against viruses. Always use protection!
This gadget is designed to ensure that no information is shared when you connect to something. Unfortunately, when you connect to a computer, there is a possibility that you will become infected with a virus. This little thing can apparently prevent that from happening.
Looks Like a Pancake
The image below depicts a rock that got flipped over randomly by the photographer. This person clearly had no idea what they were looking at when they snapped the photo, posted it to social media, and then carried on with their day.
Although it’s just a rock, the impressions left on the rock are what make it valuable. An ancient tree trunk left those indelible imprints. You're gazing at a priceless fossil. Hopefully, it was preserved and put in a museum. Or at least in somebody’s yard.
After 20 Years
For all its faults, you have to agree the internet can be an incredible source of information. We’ve been staring at this thing for a while now, and we still have no idea what to call it. A Reddit thread provided the answer to the question this person had been asking for two decades.
This strangely-looking object is the jaw of a freshwater drum fish. While we’re sure that this person isn’t now necessarily devoting their life to learning about drum fish, the fact that they finally received an answer must be extremely satisfying.
Fishy
This woman found something weird in a fish's mouth while gutting it. We're confident that most people have no idea what this device is, and we're ready to put money on it. But, before we unveil it, feel free to guess. What do you think it is?
Don't worry—we had no idea either. You’re looking at a tongue-eating parasite. Fishing for these creatures is a near-impossible task. This parasite settles on a fish's tongue and feeds on everything it eats. This sounds like something out of a horror movie.
Cute Dog
We adore Dachshunds, AKA sausage dogs. They’re such a charming breed. How could you not love them? Is there any doubt that this piece of art is a sausage dog? The face is a little odd, but it's still adorable.
This puzzled the person who found it in their home, wondering whether or not it had a specific purpose. The only thing they knew about it was that it was hollow on the inside. It looks like it could be some form of container. People on the internet presume that this isn't just for looks. It's actually a pencil/crayon holder.
A Container
An inkwell is just a small container for ink—but there’s no reason an inkwell has to be as plain as its description. It’s unlikely that the antique artifact this guy found is likely still in use, but it’s still very pretty to look at.
These two inkwells appear to come as a set and have intricate carvings on each. The dual container has two wells: one carries ink for dipping a quill into, and the other holds water for cleaning your quill.
Gateways to Other Dimensions
At a glance, this view is enough to cause vertigo and dizziness. What's producing the distorted appearance of the glass, exactly? Is there something on or outside the window? Our first instinct was to assume gunshots were to blame, but that didn't sound right.
Someone took a picture of these windows and drummed up the intrigue online. These windows were once produced by spinning molten glass until it was flat. The spinning points are marked by the warped glass. Fortunately, easier methods are now available to achieve this effect.
Antique Security Device
Someone discovered a weird pipe outside their front door, which they believe was installed when the property was built in the 1970s. Their best option was to go to the community on Reddit. This was a simple case for the mystery solvers there to crack.
Initially, they said it was a security measure. Even though many of us now use cameras and other electronic gadgets to defend our homes from burglars, this technology was not available in the past. This fixture holds a door that more effectively locks the door.
Giant Wrench
How does one inherit such a large object without learning something about it? That's what we're interested in finding out. This wrench's size is almost ridiculous, but it works perfectly well. There are a few things that aren't going to use your standard bolts: ships, tanks, bridges, and buildings.
Using the right equipment is essential while installing and tightening bolts on a bridge. When working on a large machine, it seems like a tool like this may be really useful. That's what this wrench is here to do. There is only one remaining question: how can one lift it?
Not Exactly Monopoly Money
This five peso bill resembles fake monopoly money. Why would the Japanese create pesos bills? And why print it in the English language? It might be safe to say that this money is fake. But you’d be wrong in assuming that.
If you tried paying for goods in a store, you’d probably receive a strange look, at the very least. However, if the year were 1941, things would be pretty different. These notes were printed during Japan's occupation of the Philippines. As such, the note isn’t counterfeit, but it is out of date.
As You Asleep
The creepiest creatures in the world lurk in the shadows as we sleep. When they're able to fly, they're much more terrifying. So, who or what is to blame for laying or leaving this? Or is it possible that it has something to do with witchcraft? Curiosity got the better of this person, and he sought assistance on Reddit.
Put your fears to rest. The truth is nothing so esoteric—there's no need to contact a witch doctor or seek deliverance from your local priest if you discover this in your bed or elsewhere in your room. These buckwheat hulls, widely used as pillow stuffing, may have just slipped out of the cushion case.
Best Buy
Finding a dry package within a goods box is not uncommon. Moisture-proofing is just what they’re there to do. Unless you’re five years old, it’s obvious they shouldn’t be consumed. They're also not something you'd expect to find in a bag of chips or any other type of food.
It wasn't a moisture control package in this situation, though. Metal testing chips were found inside a bag of cream chips. As this particular box was able to leave the warehouse and reach retail shelves, we can conclude that some spot-testing failed at this production plant.
Spaghetti Fork
As a society, we love a happy ending. Here’s such a story. Someone came across this fork-like item and decided to look it up online to see if anyone else knew what it was. Fortunately for us, someone recognized it. It’s not a fork, despite resembling one.
This item is known as a rope wrench. Typically, it is used to regulate the tension of a line. This instrument can be used to manage the tension of wire bundles or ropes. Helpful if you’re setting lines across structures or climbing, we suppose.
Bird Chair
Inside this mailbox appears to be a small chair, perhaps for birds. Perhaps this mailbox was repurposed into a birdhouse. It could be a bird's drinking or eating bowl, if not a chair. It’s cute, but we can think of better places to put such a thing.
As it turns out, our guess was incorrect. This mailbox isn't for birds, as one thoughtful Redditor revealed, and it's thanks to the internet we now know what it's for. The mail recipient is meant to leave a few coins in that little dish for the postal worker.
New Palette
What comes to mind when you look at this image? Two sets of watercolor paint, most likely. It's as though the owner added a little black to the mix to darken the colors. However, instead of seeing this image and moving on, one internet user sought clarification.
Those who examined this image more closely found that it was actually a satellite photograph. The tiny white lines you see are roads. We don't know what's in them, but there are also big pools of something. Internet spectators guessed that these are reservoirs that may be drying up.
Birds and Plants Not Permitted
Some establishments have signs denying lit cigarettes or dogs on the premises, but we've never seen one like this before. Likewise, this caption clearly states that birds and trees are not permitted. It's unclear what kind of environment constitutes a no-trees and birds zone.
On the other hand, this sticker has nothing to do with birds or trees. In reality, it's a political issue. Before the 1992 elections, this sticker was put up in opposition to George Bush and his then-incumbent vice president, Dan Quayle. And now it makes sense.
Prawn Crackers
When we look at the prawn cracker in the picture, we might be hesitant to just throw it in our mouths and munch on it without thinking. Most people may even elect to discard the entire bag. Honestly, we wouldn’t blame them.
The look of these strange-looking prawn crackers would raise the hairs on our backs, too, but apparently, they’re very tasty. To make your own, try using tapioca flour, baking soda, or even fresh garlic or shrimp in your mix. According to someone on the internet, this is what prawn crackers look like until they are deep-fried.
Towers of Light
Those sparkling, tower-like structures remind us of something out of a science fiction film. There is no way we should treat them lightly. This is how extraterrestrial invasions typically begin in the movies. It's hard not to wonder what's going on inside the towers.
Luckily for us, these structures have nothing to do with extraterrestrials and are human-made. The lights on the ground are mirrors, which reflect sunlight back to the towers to generate electricity. Well, that’s a nice, straightforward, and logical explanation.
Dust?
When this guy discovered teeny tiny strings dangling from his cabinets, he couldn't figure out what they were. When you ask a question on the internet, you may get an answer you don't want to hear. It's one of those things.
This seemingly strange clump of stringy dust turned out to be lacewing eggs. The lacewings are little and harmless, so most people wouldn't know they were eggs. If you ever see these guys, there’s no need to call the exterminator. They’ll be gone before you know it.
A Brush?
What could this possibly be? A plastic microphone prop? An avant-garde ornament? When in doubt, reach out. This poster set the internet to task, and Reddit was more than happy to help. It turns out it’s for pets.
This blue rubber toy is primarily used as a chew toy. The little bristles on the pole assist clean your pet's teeth while the flat half attaches to the floor. So the dogs get to clean their teeth while having fun, and your furniture is spared destruction.
Unwanted Company
We know there's something on the ceiling, but we're not sure if it's alive—or even from this plane of existence. If we found something like this in our house, our first instinct would be to run. And maybe burn our house down just to be sure.
It's not a good feeling to wake up in the middle of the night and see something hanging over your bed. But that’s right—it’s a spider. However, the spider has been infected with a parasitic fungus, causing it to bloat all over. Twice as bad as you thought.
Car Bubble
Contrary to what you may be thinking, this isn’t a goldfish bowl. And we can confirm that this is not a sunroof. The truth is that this is a car from a ride-sharing firm, Bubbl, based in Dallas. They use translucent bubbles over the driver's seat to signal that they're under their wing.
Bubbl provides ride-sharing services for people with disabilities, older people, unaccompanied minors, and other high-risk groups. Drivers for Bubbl are either police officers who aren't on duty or retired cops. It’s an odd marketing gimmick, but it does catch attention.
A Slime?
If you saw this in your glass, you might never trust your tap water ever again. This person poured a glass before going to bed, and when they awoke the following day, they discovered something alien floating there. This looks gross, but it's good that they posted it online so we could also discover what it was.
A reasonable explanation exists for what you're seeing, so don't worry about it being alien ooze. Something presumably melted and fell into the glass of water, then cooled and solidified. It's not a stretch, given that the water was under the light. What might worry this person is what melted and fell from above.