“What Is This Thing?” — 25 Times People Asked The Internet To Identify Mysterious Objects This Week

There’s something magical about posting a random photo of a weird object and having Reddit identify it in 30 seconds flat. The subreddit r/WhatIsThisThing is basically an online detective agency for the world’s most random stuff, from mysterious metal hooks to bizarre antique gadgets.

Every week, people upload photos of strange finds from thrift stores, garages, and grandparents’ attics, and the internet comes through like a CSI lab with encyclopedic knowledge.

Here are some of the best recent posts that had everyone asking, “What is this thing?”

1. “The outside is like compressed dirt but smells fishy. Inside is plastic and I’ve seen some of them a plastic paper with writing on the inside. Found them around the neighborhood.”

Solved By Halal0szto:

Wildlife vaccination bait.

linkgenesis:

Yep. Most likely an edible rabies vaccine.

DrAsheRGBA:

Yes. The block is made of fish meal and the vaccine packet is inside.

soitgoes_42:

What’s with the plastic inside? Do the animals just gnaw the outer part? Edit: Someone below mentioned that it’s not plastic, but digestible wax! Fascinating.

RunWild0_0:

So, what is the “plastic” core?

BlueberryBatter:

It’s an edible wax substance. Plastic wouldn’t be used because—plastic. Gelatin wouldn’t hold up to the elements.

If you’ve ever played with wax lips or enjoyed wax syrup candies, it’s a similar substance. It can be digested or passed without causing obstructions and easily punctured by teeth so the vaccine can be ingested.

Safe, humane, and helps animals avoid humans (and vice versa).

2. “Small, gray fabric stuffed item with black stitching on the outside. Shaped like a figure.”

“Found this in the laundry room of my partner/their roommate’s rental house. They both thought it was the other person’s. It has something small, hard, thin, and rectangular sewn inside it with the stuffing.

The object is small compared to the rest of the doll—it wasn’t sharp enough to pierce through the fabric, but it felt about the same size and shape as a shaving razor blade.”

Solved By desktopmilitia:

It’s the Nail from a Hollow Knight plush! It has a magnet inside so they can hold it.

mastergangles:

This sub continues to be the most impressive and fascinating space on the internet.

InspectionNew302:

Right? I needed these types of collaborative answers when I was younger.

3. “What is this built-in metal compartment in my 1970s bathroom?”

“I recently moved into a 1970s apartment and am somewhat puzzled by this built-in metal compartment low on the wall between the bathtub and the bathroom door.

The door is approximately knee-height and swings open to reveal a small metal box behind it, which feels hollow when tapped.

For some additional context (relevant or not is TBD), my unit was originally a penthouse hotel suite. The tub has jets and there is also an Italian bidet in the bathroom. On the other side of this wall is a sauna, though there is no opening from the sauna side.

It doesn’t seem connected to anything obvious, so I’m curious what it might have been used for originally — a laundry chute? Towel bin? Trash compartment? Something else entirely?”

Solved By ANameLessTaken:

Originally designed to hold a scale, apparently. You can see a description of this and some other products Here .

laurenjh17 (OP):

Cool! That’s exactly what it is! And thanks to your link, I just discovered that my TP holder opens to reveal a secret compartment!

4. “Mini pot with paw prints on it received at an animal rescue benefit”

“We went to a benefit for an animal rescue organization in our city and this was one of the items in a gift bag we received. We think this may be something to grow catnip in, maybe by adding water? But we have no idea!

Any help would be appreciated!”

Solved By Skreamies1:

To put cat whiskers in that you find around the house when they fall out — seen them before here .

spineofthesnowman (OP):

Oh wow, this actually may be it. It does feel like it’s probably too light to hold cat grass. If our girl tried chomping on anything growing from it, she’d probably end up picking up the entire thing.

5. “What is this for, behind the chair in my premier inn hotel room? Secured into the floor, heavy duty metal ring.”

“It was hidden behind/ under the chair. Fixed into the floor. ‘Arrest/ restraint use only’?”

Solved By anossov:

It’s a fall arrest anchor point for window cleaners or anyone else who needs to work at height nearby.

Natural_Calendar1163 (OP):

That makes perfect sense, thank you. Curious they would have it sticking up in a hotel room floor — I’d have thought it would be outside or something.

Most_Moose_2637:

They can be for fire escape as well. A lot of old offices have them retrofitted if the stairs aren’t properly protected.

costabius:

Yup, there should be a room with one of these and an opening window on each upper floor, for evacuating people who can’t be brought down the stairs.

6. “Saw this in a BBQ restaurant and we were debating what it was used for. Wooden handle on one end and curved metal on the other end.”

Solved By drdirtybottom:

Pig scraper.

ClosetLadyGhost:

And pray tell, what in the world is that?

GimmeTwo:

It’s for scraping hair off of hide.

ImpossiblePraline238:

Not the exact model, but a good overview. Searching “vintage bell hog scraper” will pull up similar versions.

“A bell hog scraper was traditionally used in farm processing to clean the animal’s hide after heating. It’s a vintage agricultural tool, often seen in collections today.”

7. “What are these large grey plastic things on every third railing?”

Solved Byarisraver:

Ventev’s Wi-Fi Handrail Enclosure.

jeffblunt (OP):

Solved!

8. “Round beige symmetrical 1cm sticky putty-texture circles left in ziplock bag by our babysitter, no scent”

Solved By a4t2x0:

As the father of a 13-month-old, I can confidently say it’s yogurt melts. They become chewy and malleable if exposed to moisture in the air for very long. I’m thinking carrot mango… great choice.

MothershipCnxn (OP):

Solved!

astroandromeda:

Yup, the Amara carrot mango ones from Costco lol.

9. “What is the purpose of this rooftop tower in Portland Maine?”

Solved By blackrabbit107:

It reminds me of the type of towers the old AT&T Long Lines system used.

singlejeff:

It’s definitely a Long Lines tower that’s had the horns removed. OP, see Wikipedia .

turd_sculptor (OP):

Solved!

10. “What could be these hooks on the wall of my chimney?”

“I’ve had this place for quite some time and I always wondered what these hooks were for.. the other chimneys in the house have them as well. The house is quite old. Thanks for the help!”

Solved By LameBicycle:

Holds back a metal mesh curtain that used to be there to catch sparks or embers?

Weird_Forever_5543 (OP):

Okay, that’s definitely it.

byerss:

Lol, I feel like an old fogey, but fireplaces used to have chainmail-style curtains built in.

They were probably removed at some point, but the hooks would be for holding the curtains back.

11. “Small wooden chests with specific cylindrical shaped interior”

“Hi everyone. About a year ago I bought a small wooden chest in a thrift store. This week I bought a second similar one in that same thrift store. I feel like I now started a collection of wooden boxen but I do not know their intended purpose.

The are about 15-20 cm in length, 3-4 cm wide and 3-4 cm high. The interior has a specific cylindrical shape with 2 slits at the bottom (they don’t go all the way through). The interior is similar in both but doesn’t have the exact same dimensions.

A reverse google image search got me a generic result: small wooden box for trinkets, jewelry, sigars, … and that a few second had sites are selling similar boxes but without explanation what they are originally intended for.”

Solved By xtiaaneubaten:

The shape is because of construction, not specific to function. These are cheaply made and mass produced, and that’s just the shape the router makes with that size bit and a single pass.

To have corners, you’d need a finer bit and multiple passes, which takes longer — and with mass production, time = money.

Assumption_Putrid (OP):

Solved! This sounds like a very reasonable explanation to me.

12. “What is this metal thing stuck in my car wheel? Flattened metal object”

“My wife called me the other day while driving as she had heard a loud noise from the car. She had been parked in a street and had just started driving again for about 20 seconds and heard this loud noise while driving. She couldn’t figure out what was wrong and there were no lights and she drove the car home.

I have found the culprit being this metal object lodged between the break and the hubcap of the car. It is a Hyundai i30. Can’t seem to work out if it has broken off the car somehow or if someone put it there?”

Solved By al_prazolam:

It’s an Alibarbar vape. The A and L from the logo are visible in Pic 3. https://alibarbar.com/

that_bassoon:

I love this sub so much.

Sea_Dust895:

Amen. You see random images here of something not used in 20 years and someone says “yeah it’s a cover plate for a 1985 video game console that was only sold in Thailand for 3 weeks”. But I am one.

hiphopfam (OP):

My wife was saying vape and I refused to believe because it just seems so much more sturdy than the vapes I usually see. Definitely this brand although can’t find the specific vape.

13. “Electronic box fixed around pipe feeding into a pub urinal”

Solved By photonicsguy:

It’s an electric solenoid controlling a water valve, likely connected to a timer to control when or how often the urinal flushed.

Tall_Firefighter7201:

That’s wild, I never thought about how complex that stuff is.

tealfuzzball:

See that white sensor top left of the picture? That’s the motion sensor the solenoid attaches to. In old systems, the cistern would very slowly fill and then flush all day and night. This way, it only activates once someone has been inside the toilet, saving lots of water.

welsh_will (OP):

Thought that might be related! Thanks!

14. “What is this structure in front of our house? House built in the 50s, horseshoe shape driveway.”

“The metal holding the lights on top are not actually attached to anything, and the light is a cheap solar power bulb (as shown in picture 4). What is this for?”

Solved By JaimeOnReddit:

Is this a fancy “show” house? Looks like mounting brackets for some high-intensity commercial lamps to light up the façade. The concrete boxes shade the neighbors from the light.

clovermxxn (OP):

Solved!

dogmatixx:

I think that’s a good guess — brackets for old floodlights that faced the house. Either because it was a model home or part of a security system.

clovermxxn (OP):

You may be on to something, but I’m unsure. It’s not a fancy house by any means. If this helps, we’re the only house with stucco on the block and a horseshoe driveway. We’ve also heard that we may have had an old heated driveway, but not sure if that’s related.

15. “Metal Stake at least 73″ long, eye hole at head.”

“This stake head was originally 4-5 inches underground.

I managed to pull it up so the head is 26″ above ground.

It can be pushed deeper so the head is 18″ above ground.

Its total length reachable from my is 73″

It can rotate relatively freely.”

Solved By Sooner70:

It’s an anchor for a guide wire.

NRCS_DRONE:

Guy-Wire — Wikipedia .

obnoxiouscarbuncle:

If you’re in a residential area and it’s near the road, it might be from an old utility pole.

menthol_patient:

I prefer to think OP’s house’s last owner was a mad shipwright who was buried in his back garden in a homemade yacht.

laserman100:

We had one of those in the front yard of the house I grew up in. During the winter, we’d try to build a wall of snow from the anchor to the ground!

Appropriate_Tree_670 (OP):

Solved!

16. “Small needle like item found on bedroom floor”

“I found this on the floor of my bedroom this morning, and have never seen it before. It is sharp on both sides, with one having a smaller, sharper point. It’s small, picture next to match for reference.

I found it near a new-ish rug if it could be connected to that?”

Solved By Mymindisdirtybutfun:

It is a tip for a circle drawing or compass tool.

Yowza41 (OP):

Solved! How odd, no clue where it would have come from.

ZestfullyStank:

Has your significant other been drafting behind your back? Just kidding. Some compasses come with two of these and the other end can be changed out for a piece of graphite for marking. It’s the sort of thing that falls out of a bag and easily gets stuck in a shoe tread.

PiercedGeek:

Behind someone’s back is the best place to draft!

17. “Found this thing metal detecting in the woods in southeastern Poland, rectangular box possibly made of aluminum, one end open with some lettering on the side”

Solved By sweatybullfrognuts:

It’s one of the enclosures in a Unimor Neptun 212A TV as seen in the pictures Here . You can see the cutouts on the end face on the part you have.

Marshman1113 (OP):

Solved! Amazing work, thanks for the help!!!!

Magician_Sure:

Impressive! How did you know that?

ReFreshing:

Right? It amazes me somebody could actually link that together even when super obscure.

Over_Addition_3704:

It’s particularly impressive considering what they are.

FreddyFerdiland:

Exactly. “Check with an ohmmeter with the power off. There might be a short circuit or open circuit in the video amplifier’s compensation circuit (CK14TV): with the amplifier tube plugged, the voltage here should be close to the anode voltage supplying the signal path (approx. 200V). Have you measured the voltage at the anode of the video amplifier tube (PFL200, pin 10)? It should be very close to the voltage at the cathode of the picture tube. If it’s that low there, you probably have a short circuit to ground, and you’ll soon burn out the tube or even the coil in the compensation circuit.”

Kittendorf:

This is the correct answer. It is specifically the casing for an amplifier compensation circuit, which is a kind of self-contained component akin to a modern integrated circuit, but using relays and tubes in place of diodes and transistors.

18. “What is this cardboard thing? About 7 inches long with clear colored plastic in the middle. Got them in a Halloween goody bag and didn’t see anything that was supposed to go with them.”

Solved By jackrats:

Reading Aids Beginner Reading Highlighters Overlay Reading Tracking Rulers – Source

MissionAnywhere237 (OP):

Solved!

Competitive_Feed5259:

Oh my goodness, I just remembered myself thanks to this! I haven’t used one of these since I was a little kid.

UpsetConversation589:

That’s a solid find — those highlighters can really help with keeping track.

19. “Green, solid section of van bumper with two sections”

“Saw this while driving. The darker green thing on / in the bumper appeared to be totally solid and didn’t swing or anything while the car was driving. I’m just curious what the thing is.”

Solved By hybroid:

It’s part of the ramp for wheelchair accessibility. link

binkleyz:

And I’m going to guess that the odd lights indicate that this was used for student transportation at one point.

shoobe01:

That was gonna be my comment also. It’s apparently a used school or other transit van, hence the old and dented and weird color, and the extra lights. These vans or conversions are crazy expensive, so many who need them do not have them. Nice that there is a used market developing.

jlbang (OP):

Solved! Thank you! 🙂

20. “Broken glass piece with what looks like 2 holes found in a playground near some picnic tables”

Solved By jpers36:

Are you sure it’s glass? Because it looks exactly like the shell to an Xbox controller.

Ledbetter2:

100 percent Xbox.

moi865 (OP):

Solved!

21. “Tool found on the wall of a Hickory Hollow. About 2.5 feet long. Made ofsome kind of steel or iron.”

Solved By No-Tap6886:

It’s a hay knife.

Sad_Cantaloupe_8162 (OP): Solved! DING DING DING! We have a winner! Thank you for solving the puzzle!

22. “Metal thing with handle, found in creek bed in Hillsboro, Texas.”

“Hi! I’m not sure if this is old, or just very… weathered. Does anyone know what it is, and how old it is? Google image search did not find anything.”

Solved By TheEVegaExperience:

That is a circular saw. *was*