In the vast world of the internet, there exists a unique community where users solve the mystery of odd and unknown objects. Enter the subreddit What Is This Thing?, home to over 2.3 million members who specialize in identifying random items that leave the rest of us stumped. Whether it’s a strange tool found in a thrift store or an antique object dug up in someone’s backyard, this community seems to have the answer.
Let’s take a look at 35 times people turned to this subreddit and found answers that even Google couldn’t provide. Here are some of the most fascinating and bizarre objects that left people scratching their heads—until the experts weighed in.
1 Strange Metal Thing Under a Car
Answer: Your mechanic is going to want that back. It’s part of a lift.
Imagine discovering a random metal piece under your car, only to learn it’s an essential part of the machinery that lifted your vehicle during repairs!
2 Upside-Down Magazine Rack in an Airbnb
Answer: It’s a magazine rack installed upside down. Airbnb decorators aren’t always experts.
Sometimes the simplest answer is the best. Misplaced furniture makes for some interesting Reddit mysteries.
3 Low Sink Setup in a Restroom
Answer: This is for Muslims to wash their feet before praying. It’s a practical alternative to lifting legs dangerously high into sinks.
Religious customs often influence architectural designs in unexpected ways, like this thoughtful sink design found in a public restroom.
4 Round Shelf Under a Table
Answer: It’s a place to rest your beer while playing cards.
Who knew that there was a special shelf just for beverages during card games? Practical and essential.
5 Wires and Beads on a Wooden Plank
Answer: A Himalayan calendar. The beads represent months, days, and years.
A truly unique find, this calendar dates back to ancient traditions and adds a touch of cultural mystery to the Reddit detective work.
6 Waxy Blob Found During Low Tide
Answer: It’s whale vomit, and it could be worth thousands of dollars per kilogram due to its use in high-end perfumes.
This beachcomber’s find wasn’t just a random blob—it was potentially a goldmine used in luxury fragrances.
7 Barrel-Like Carrier
Answer: It’s a Vasculum, used by botanists to collect and protect plant specimens.
Botanists once carried these sturdy containers to preserve fragile plants while on field expeditions.
8 Steel Engraved Tool Hidden in a House Foundation
Answer: It’s a horse hoof cleaning tool, traditionally buried in foundations for good luck.
Not just a tool, but also a symbol of ancient superstitions surrounding home-building practices.
9 Terra Cotta Object Found with Purchase
Answer: Terra cotta sugar saver. It keeps brown sugar soft and prevents clumping.
Practical and surprisingly common, this little tool is a kitchen essential for those who use brown sugar regularly.
10 Spoon with Tong Attachment in Antique Store
Answer: It’s a cuillère dégraisseuse, a French fat-separating spoon.
The French, known for their culinary tools, crafted this spoon to elegantly separate fat from sauces.
11 Screw-Capped Object with Bright Green Liquid
Answer: A diver rescue marker. Released in the ocean, it dyes the water for visibility.
This seemingly odd object turned out to be a life-saving device for divers in distress.
12 Radiator-Like Object in a Fortress
Answer: These were ancient radiators filled with hot stones or embers to heat rooms.
Before modern radiators, people used creative solutions like this one to stay warm in fortress walls.
13 Cast Aluminum Plaque with No Google Results
Answer: It’s a plaque related to horse breeding, with information about the sire and dam.
Even when Google fails, Reddit prevails in identifying niche objects like this plaque connected to horse genealogy.
14 Heavy Brass Object from Junk Drawer
Answer: A telephone dialer, designed to help you dial old rotary phones without using your fingers.
Once an everyday tool, this dialer has since become an antique treasure.
15 Wall-Mounted Metal Oval Near Sink
Answer: It’s a steel soap bar used to remove odors like garlic from hands.
Simple but effective, this metal “soap” helps neutralize strong odors after cooking.
16 Mercury Dime Spoon Pendant
Answer: A vintage spoon pendant likely used for illicit substances.
This curious piece likely had a not-so-innocent history, making it an interesting find.
17 Pointed Plastic Object Given as a Gift
Answer: A page spreader for reading, allowing you to hold books open with one hand.
A thoughtful gift for avid readers, this tool makes page-turning a breeze.
18 Heavy Metal Objects from Thrift Store
Answer: Weights for mechanical cuckoo clocks, used to power both the clock and the cuckoo sound.
These old-fashioned weights once powered beloved household items, adding both charm and function to the clock’s design.
19 Plastic Bubble in a Nike Box
Answer: Micro plastic particles likely part of a greenwashing initiative.
This tiny plastic bubble was a marketing gimmick promoting sustainability efforts by a major brand.
20 Brass Lamp-Like Object
Answer: An oil lamp. The wick is lit to provide light, making it a portable lantern.
An old-fashioned oil lamp often mistaken for something more exotic, this simple tool illuminated many homes before electricity.
21 Silver “Locket” With Ink Residue
Answer: It’s a small purse, with room for coins, powder, and calling cards.
This tiny accessory served multiple purposes, from holding makeup to storing bus fare.
22 Thick Metal Coil Plugged Into an Outlet
Answer: An immersion heater, used to heat cups of water.
A throwback to simpler times, this heater boiled water without the need for a stove.
23 Spiked Metal Collar from Spanish Home
Answer: An anti-wolf collar for sheepdogs, designed to protect them during attacks.
Farm life was harsh, and protective gear like this was essential for shepherds and their dogs.
24 Small Trailer with Openings
Answer: A racing pigeon transporter, complete with individual compartments.
Racing pigeons needed safe transportation, and this trailer provided just that.
25 Cabinet with Compartments and Key Hooks
Answer: A scientific specimen cabinet, perfect for organizing everything from rocks to butterflies.
Practical for scientists, this cabinet once held the treasures of natural history.
26 Gold-Plated Hearing Aid from Donation Bin
Answer: An old Beltone hearing aid with a transistor hidden in a tie clip.
Hearing aids have come a long way, but this antique design shows just how clever older devices were.
27 Wooden Block with Metal Fins
Answer: A cabbage slicer for making sauerkraut.
A vintage kitchen tool designed to finely slice cabbage for traditional food preparation.
28 Strange Hook with French Inscription
Answer: A butter curler, used to make decorative butter swirls.
A fancy tool for fancy butter presentations, straight out of French kitchens.
29 Knit Tubes for Furniture
Answer: Chair socks to prevent floor scratching.
These tiny tubes help protect floors from damage caused by chair legs, a simple but effective solution.
30 Stacks of Black Paper Strips in a Safe
Answer: A “black money scam” involving dyed construction paper passed off as currency.
This scam involved fooling people into thinking they were purchasing hidden, dyed cash.
31 Plastic Ring with Sharp Claws
Answer: A fishing net claw used to pull in nets.
A vital tool for fishermen, designed to help retrieve heavy nets full of fish.
32 Sealed Jar with Soft White Objects
Answer: Silkworm cocoons.
These soft objects once housed silkworms, likely part of a textile production process.
33 Wavy Pattern on Mail
Answer: An obfuscation pattern, meant to hide sensitive information from being read through the envelope.
This security feature protects personal information from prying eyes.
34 Device with Blade for Cutting Paper
Answer: A floppy disk notcher used to turn single-sided floppy disks into double-sided ones.
This little tool increased the storage capacity of floppy disks, a handy hack from the past.
35 Wrought Iron Poles in London
Answer: 19th-century gas lamps. The gas traveled up the pole to light the streets.
These gas lamps were once a common feature in London, lighting up the city before the advent of electricity.
Conclusion: The Wisdom of the Internet Community
The subreddit What Is This Thing? is a treasure trove of human curiosity and expertise. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the best way to identify an object is by tapping into collective knowledge. Whether you find an old tool or stumble upon a bizarre item, chances are, someone out there knows exactly what it is!
