Pleated Jeans
Every now and then, when cleaning out an old storage unit or traveling to a new place, we come across something unknown—an object we can’t identify. Maybe it’s one of grandma’s antiques or perhaps it looks to be something much more dangerous.
Fortunately, we live in the 21st century and we have the ability to turn to the internet with our questions. At least, that’s what these people did when they came upon some truly uncommon objects and, for better or for worse, the internet really delivered.
1. I found this thing in my food. It was just stuck to a piece of meat; it wasn’t lodged into it or anything. Anyone know what it is?
Answer: Cattle/pig microchip for meat traceability.
2. What is the point of such a device?
Answer: USB charging condom. This way you can plug your phone into a random USB port and be sure that no data is exchanged. Only the power pins are passed through to the phone. Also called a sync stop.
3. Found a rock on the porch of my new home, flipped it over and saw this. Is that a fossil?
Answer: Yup, that’s a fossil. Tree trunk impression.
4. Found this white fuzzy thing in my basement, mother freaked out. Someone, please tell me what the heck it is.
Answer: Spiders infected with fungus look like this.
5. What is this spiky tool for?
Answer: Angel food cake breaker.
6. I found this little guy under a stair in a parking garage at the mall. The clothing is made out of thread and his hair is made by what seems like glue dipped into dirt?
Answer: It is a worry doll. You tell your worries to it, and put it under your pillow at night. It’s supposed to take away your worries while you’re sleeping.
7. Found this in house I’m tearing apart in a book like someone wanted to keep them don’t think it’s real money…
Answer: Its money from the Philippines when it was occupied by Japan in 1941.
8. Anyone know what those round impressions are called, and what are they for?
Answer: Old windows were made of glass spun out into flatness. That’s the center of the spin.
New windows are made of glass floated on a pool of molten tin, which makes very flat panes without any annoying bullseyes.
9. Grandmother received this from her friend after his death. Nobody at the senior’s center she lives at knows what it is.
Answer: Opium pipe.
10. This sticker on the inside cover of a second-hand bible. Pretty sure it depicts a partridge and a fig tree, both of which have biblical connections but no idea what it means.
Answer: No Bush/Quail. 1992 election sticker.
11. This belonged to my great grandfather, what is it?
Answer: If it’s legit, that’s a really old Gibson, from between 1903 and 1933. It’s going to be worth more than you think, so be really careful with it. Seriously.
12. Went exploring in White Sands, New Mexico and found an…object, what is this thing?
Answer: Looks like it could be titanium – titanium spheres of similar size are a relatively commonly found space debris
13. What are these things and what are they doing?
Answer: They’re European red slugs. And they’re doing it.
14. My girlfriend found these in her dinner. Are they seeds?
Answer: Pretty good picture of insect eggs.
15. Researching plantation houses in the 1700’s. What is the thing hanging from the ceiling in this dining room?
Answer: Very early ceiling fan. The rope at the top would be pulled to create the back and forth motion to fan the air and keep flies away from the table during a meal.
16. I found this jammed in my front door lock, it’s about 1.5” long. What is it?
Answer: It’s a tension wrench from a lock pick set.
17. Some kind of explosive lying on the floor of server room?
Answer: It’s a Sagger Missile A Russian MCLOS ATGM. Good luck w that bud.
18. Bathroom coat hangers that can move up or down. Why would you want them downward?
Answer: We call them anti-ligature. If the rest of the items in the room aren’t also anti-ligature (door knobs, door hinges, tp dispenser, etc) then it doesn’t make much sense to have it there. If everything else IS, then you’re in a room designed for individuals that are a suicide risk.
19. These were free roaming at a Zoo so didn’t have a sign/info on them. Thought they were hares but walkedon all fours and hand quite long front a back legs.
Answer: Patagonian Cavy.
20. Saw on my flight to cali, no idea how to google it.
Answer: Specifically, this looks like Concentrated Thermal Solar. It uses mirrors to reflect the light to a central tower which is barely visible in your picture due to the glare coming off of it. The light is then converted to heat where it drives a steam turbine, or some other heat engine.
21. My sister found this when cleaning out a fish. This was in the mouth and there was a smaller one in the stomach. It kinda freaked us out, does anyone know what it is?
Answer: Tongue eating parasite (cymothoa exigua). Truly harrowing. Eats the fish’s tongue and then takes the place of the fish’s tongue.
22. I saw this “cloud” on my way to work yesterday morning, May 22nd, at 5 AM EST. Other than this, the sky was completely clear.
Answer: Rocket launch. I live near a launch complex. See this a lot.
23. It is approx. 3 meters long and open at the end. Found with some similar looking ones scattered around on a hillside while hiking. What is this thing?
Answer: This device is called Gazex and it’s used to start avalanches, so they can control when and where they happen. This avalanche control system uses specially constructedand “exploder” sites and tubes built at key locations in avalanche territory to set off avalanches at controlled times. The exploders literally detonate a mixture of oxygen and propane from the tube structures. The explosive force expelled from the tubes triggers avalanches. The explosive bursts are fueled by gas canisters stored in tanks beneath the exploders on the mountain.
24. What is this black stuff appearing on the walls of my hostel’s bathroom? It’s almost in every corner as well. Should I be worried?
Answer: Termite infestation.
25. Found this kayaking in the Mississippi river yesterday, I think it’s some kind of exact fungus but I’ve never seen this in my life.
Answer: Bryozoa (also known as the Polyzoa, Ectoprocta or commonly as moss animals) colony.