“What Is This Thing?” — 25 Times People Asked The Internet To Identify Mysterious Objects This Week
Reddit’s r/whatisthisthing is basically the internet’s lost-and-found for mysterious objects. Someone stumbles across a strange gadget, tool, or relic, snaps a picture, and tosses it into the void. Within minutes, a stranger who somehow knows exactly what it is swoops in with the answer. It’s part detective work, part trivia night, and it never disappoints.
I love watching people attempt to solve everyday mysteries like amateur detectives. It’s a reminder that the internet is actually useful sometimes. Here are some of the most interesting “What is this thing?” posts solved this week.
1. “Teeny tiny flask—may be 100 years old—smells like cloves inside”
More Information:
Small flask with a nickel photographed alongside for comparison. It smells like cloves inside.
My 90-year-old grandma thinks it may have belonged to her grandmother—or she may have picked it up at a thrift store.
Solved By: WippitGuud
It’s a perfume pendant. People carried these in the 19th century to mask unpleasant odors (think chamber pots being emptied into the street).
You’d dab a scented liquid or herb inside—like cloves—and raise it to your nose whenever you needed a more pleasant smell.
2. “Ceramic pieces stitched together with kanji.”
More Information:
I found this at my grandmother’s house. She’s Japanese, but we live in Brazil.
I used Google Lens and it said it was mahjong, but from what I know, the pieces aren’t stitched together like this object.
Solved By: SincerelySpicy
*It’s a ceramic pillow. The word “Tôtin” is kunrei-shiki romanization for 陶枕, while the more common modern romanization is “Tōchin.” These pillows were often tied around a thicker pillow for use.
The translation confusion comes from the writing style—Google Translate doesn’t recognize old-fashioned right-to-left horizontal text, so it tries to read it backwards.
When you invert the text, it makes sense: 物心療法普及の會 translates to “Association for the Promotion of Psycho-Physiological Therapy.”*
3. “I saw this e-bike with an attachment on the back. I looks like it is sensing something. what does it do or what is it for?”
Solved By: Brudius
*At first glance it looks like some kind of sidewalk or street-view setup, similar to what Google uses.
EDIT: It’s actually a mobile LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) mapping rig. Utility companies, surveyors, and city planners use these to collect street-level 3D data—basically the same idea as Google Maps, but focused on mapping terrain, utilities, and infrastructure.*
4. “Found this machine sealed in between the walls of the house. On the left there is a red bulb with a sticker that says ‘MEDIUM’ on it, and the right has what appears to be a belt driver. What is this?”
Solved By: Bazzofski
This is an old Montgomery Ward screw-drive garage door opener.
They used a threaded rod mechanism instead of the chain or belt drives you see on modern openers.
5. “Strange syringe looking thing – found in pine straw”
More Information:
Someone found this and showed it to me. It doesn’t look like a normal needle.
Solved By: High_s_Drive_4U
It’s a Pneudart, a device used for darting animals with medicine or sedatives.
They’re commonly used by veterinarians and wildlife professionals to deliver treatment from a safe distance.
6. “Large yellow plastic/glass fiber spiral found on the south coast of Norway. It’s about 1.5m in diameter and 6m long.”
Solved By: Nonhinged
It’s an Archimedes screw, a device that uses a rotating spiral to move water.
This particular one is part of a Flumill tidal power project, where the same principle is used to generate renewable energy from moving water.
7. “Concrete object on a beach in FL”
More Information:
Found this guy on the beach in Vero Beach, FL.
It is grey. It has a concrete bit and a black plastic/rubber “tube”. Too heavy to move.
Stuck in sand. What is it? Anyone know? Thank you!
Solved By: happens2me2
It’s a drainage pipe fitted with a Red Valve Tideflex duckbill check valve.
It lets storm or wastewater flow out but prevents seawater and debris from flowing back in during high tide.
8. “Wood artefact with fabric stripes. It seems an old piece of furniture. Picture taken at a market in Piedmont, Italy.”
Solved By: nitro479
It’s a Victorian fireplace screen, used to shield people from sparks and heat while also serving as a decorative piece in front of the hearth.
9. “Laundry Room Storage Cabinet/Drawer with 4 Compartments”
Solved By:
It looks like storage for long rolls—likely bolts of cloth or wrapping paper. The size and layout would work well for either use.
10. “Small flexible rubber…thingies found in plumbing”
More Information:
Had my main sewer line water jetted today, found these and managed to fish them out.
I have no clue what they could be or how they ended up in my plumbing (it must have been a tenant). Any idea what these are?
They’re about 2-3” in size, rubber/plastic, easily flexible and the two sets of “x”s are different in length.
The stuff wrapped around the middle is just gunk that caught on it in the plumbing.
Solved By: Larry_Safari
They’re Poise Impressa bladder supports, a disposable product used for incontinence. The rubber/plastic design helps provide internal support, and the “x” sections are part of the structure. The material around the middle is just buildup from being in the plumbing.
11. “What is this? I’ve had it for years. Looks like a multitool.”
More Information:
I have no clue what this is, I’ve had it for at least 5 years. Can’t remember how I got it or when, but it has always been in my junk box in my garage.
It’s about as tall as my hand, and one end looks like the back end of a hammer for pulling nails out of things.
Solved By: jeremiahfelt
That’s a mock Halligan.
A real Halligan is a multipurpose firefighting tool used for forcible entry and other tasks, but this one’s a cast mini version made to be a bottle opener.
I once bought one as a gag gift for a brand-new (and very short) lieutenant.
12. “Found in laundry. Clear sparkly bean-like thing stained my clothes pink”
More Information:
Went to fold my clothes immediately after taking them out of the dryer (shared building laundry) and this jelly bean shaped thing fell out.
It’s slimy, stains anything it touches pink (including my fingers), and smells faintly of vanilla. It also has bits of glitter inside it
Solved By: PM_ME_YR_KITTEN
It’s a clear lipstick that changes color when applied. They look transparent in the tube but react with your skin to give a tint.
13. “What is this very small electronic thing i found in my bookshelf in my apartment that made 2 beeping noises like almost every 5 or so minutes”
More Information:
I found this small thing in my bookshelf. I kept hearing beeping noises all day in the living room and it was driving me nuts.
I had enough and went through the whole bookshelf and found this and removed the battery it had in it and it stopped making the beeping noises.
I suspect my roommate might have put it there or something to mess with me, but he’s been all day in his room playing video games and i been all day in the living room so I doubt it because i would’ve seen him putting it there
Solved By: Humming_Cat
It’s a simple prank device—basically just a battery and a tiny speaker on a circuit board. They’re sold as “annoying sound” gadgets that randomly beep to drive people crazy.
14. “What is this very small plastic resealable cap?”
More Information:
Found in my backyard, hence the dirt inside of it. VA/MD/DC area, United States, home/neighborhood built in 2002.
Cap can be closed and opened, other end is solid. No odors.
Any ideas?
Solved By: OpeningParamedic8592
Those little capsules are nicknamed “trash cans.”
Cops have been spotting them around D.C., Baltimore, Jersey, and Philly since a few years back.
They’re just tiny plastic vials with lids—usually smaller than a penny up to about a nickel.
They come in all kinds of colors (pink, orange, yellow, clear, etc.) and are mostly used because they’re cheap, durable, and easy to carry around.
15. “Found on a playground in Virginia, has a screw and is not flexible”
Solved By: ta-dome-a
That’s a snap toggle drywall anchor, used to mount heavy items securely to drywall.
16. “What did my dog chew up? Found in my apartment, very small yellow plastic circle with this spiral looking piece broken off”
More Information:
Roughy the size of a dime, the back says “C27”. I cannot for the life of me find anything that it may be part of?
Solved By: frickdom
Looks like the screw base from a chapstick tube—possibly Burt’s Bees or something similar.
17. “Stained glass effect triangular stand with metal soldered edges and twisted wire hooks”
More Information:
Approx 25 x 12 x 8 cm. Staff in the second hand shop have no idea!
Solved By: Corvidae5
I do stained glass, so I recognize this—it’s a stand for an oil-wand kaleidoscope, with spots to hold extra colored wands.
You tilt them, and the sparkles inside drift past the mirrors to create different patterns.
18. “Vertical wooden shelf with small 4″x4″ folding shelves in poolside screened in porch”
Solved By: at2168
That’s an IKEA CD shelf. I had the exact same one back in college—though mine wasn’t painted.
19. “Weird stools found at the curb in an old industrial area”
More Information:
Found in Rochester, NY. These two stools—if that’s what they are—have some decent age. They’re super solid and made of a dense fruitwood. One has an oak shaft permanently fixed in place, protruding downward beneath the legs. The shaft is perforated, apparently to accept pegs, and the end is split with a wedge that holds it in place in the seat.
The second stool has no shaft of its own, but it seems designed to accept the end of the other stool’s shaft. Each seat also has a single threaded wooden hole that runs parallel to the surface, from the outer edge into the shaft opening.
They almost look like they have something to do with food—maybe parts of an apple press? But they’re clearly (?) stools. Rock solidly made.
I know furniture, carpentry, and antiques, having worked professionally in all three fields, and I’m stumped.
The seats measure about a foot across. Based on construction, I’d guess they were made sometime between 1880 and 1940. No ornamentation, brass screws, natural varnish/oil finish. They’ve seen good wear—but from doing what?
Solved By: Great_Sleep_802
These are the bases of two chairs that have been stacked together. The seats and backs are missing, which is likely why they were discarded.
20. “Small cardboard discs found while picking up trash on the river?”
More Information:
I find these a lot while picking up trash and I have no clue what they’re for. I am usually on dry rocks in a river. Most common trash items in the spot I go to include cans, bottles, food packaging, and smoking paraphernalia. Any ideas?
Solved By: zachsilvey
That’s firework debris—the kind of casing or leftover piece you’d find after fireworks on the 4th of July.
21. “What is this Nordic Specialties metal thing I found in a used vehicle that came from CO? Says Goleta, CA and is somewhat heavy.”
Solved By: Unique_Acadia_2099
*It’s a device called a crampon. Normally, crampons are metal spikes that attach to boots to provide traction on ice. In this case, they were designed to attach to snowshoes for use on hard, icy surfaces.
They were made by Nordic Specialties, a company that hand-crafted wooden snowshoes. These crampons were sold as accessories for their snowshoes, and you’d typically have two (unless you only needed one!). The company was based in Goleta, California—better known for surfing than snow—but they produced quality snow gear before going out of business in the ’70s or ’80s.*
22. “Small fabric pouch containing a tiny wooden block with writing on it”
More Information:
Found on the floor of the shop my husband works in. They have quite of a lot of Asian tourists coming through so that’s probably who dropped it but does anyone know what it is??
Solved By: whenyoupayforduprez
It’s a Japanese temple talisman (omamori). These charms are sold for different purposes—safe travels, passing exams, good health, etc. The text inside would specify the exact blessing, but if it came from a tourist spot it’s likely for safe travels.
23. “Metal and plastic disc in plastic wrap found in tie. Not flat, has some width to it, doesn’t feel like a button. Tie I found it in in photos.”
Solved By: OuchBag
It’s a piezoelectric sound module—basically a little speaker that plays a Christmas song (like “ho ho ho”) when pressed.
OP Replied:
Solved! I went back to the goodwill I found it at and played with it some more. It just seems like it has an extremely dead battery.
I might buy it and put a new battery in it because of how ugly + tacky this lovely tie is.
Thanks.
24. “What is this rusty metal wiring located behind a toilet within a 19th century british hotel?”
Solved By: disposable-assassin
That’s steel wool stuffed into a wall gap—commonly used as an anti-rodent measure to block mice or rats from squeezing through openings around pipes.
25. “Cabinet in my building’s basement with a grate”
More Information:
This cabinet is next to the washing machines in my apartment building.
The logo on the inside is for an old piano company, but I can’t find anything about them making cabinets.
The right side top opens, the left does not.
Solved By: lvm__
It’s a gramophone cabinet. These were used to store the player and records, kind of like an early version of a stereo console.