20 People Who Stumbled Upon Strange Things and Solved Mysteries on the Internet
The Internet has become an essential part of our lives as it allows us to communicate with the rest of the world. However, some people have also proven that it can be useful for solving any type of question, including one that may seem like a real mystery.
In this article, we’ve compiled 20 photos shared by people who found strange things and had no idea what they were until they got some help from folks online.
1. “Found this while cleaning out the attic. It’s wood, looks handmade, and measures 20 cm, but I have no idea what it is or does!”
Answer: “Perhaps it’s a Yacouba Double Spoon — a symbol of hospitality in traditional African art. It represents 2 very distinct universes that are opposite.” Ⓒ juareno / Reddit
2. “A toilet with a U-shaped divot in the front”
Answer: “It’s a type of handicap toilet more common in Europe than in the United States. It’s supposed to have an open-front seat too. That allows a person to slide straight onto and off of the seat (such as from a wheelchair), without their private parts ever touching the seat or the bowl. This is more comfortable and decreases the spread of disease.” Ⓒ JerseyWiseguy / Reddit
3. “I found this in my dad’s room.”
Answer: “It goes over shoes to give grip on ice.” Ⓒ BmanUltima / Reddit
4. “A thumb protector possibly, but for what? I found it at a yard sale.”
Answer: “It’s for shucking clams or oysters. It protects from sharp edges and knife slips.” Ⓒ hmd2017 / Reddit
5. “10” long, ball comes off this tool or part."
Answer: “It looks like a fake hip.” Ⓒ MaryPoppinSomePillz / Reddit
6. “This is growing from the basement ceiling at a very rapid rate. It is also leaving grayish particles on the table below it.”
Answer: “Those are the studs from your walls redistributed by termites.” Ⓒ jackrats / Reddit
7. “What are these perfect sets of beach holes? Flip-flop for scale.”
Answer: “All you clam commenters were right. These are the remnants of a scientific clam survey.” Ⓒ papa_higgins / Reddit
8. “I keep seeing this little box on many different cars in my neighborhood. It looks like some sort of lock box?”
Answer: “It’s a dealership lock box. The car keys are stored in the box so that different salespeople or mechanics can drive the car.” Ⓒ Westcork1916 / Reddit
9. “An opening in the bottom floor of an 1850s home in Charleston, SC”
Answer: “It’s probably just a way to access your crawlspace. There’s usually plumbing, wiring, and potentially ductwork that periodically may need maintenance.” Ⓒ Joejayce / Reddit
10. “Found in a supermarket men’s restroom”
Answer: “100% a diaper dispenser. At the Walmart in my town, we have these in the men’s bathroom with a changing table (as all businesses should).” Ⓒ Unknown author / Reddit
11. “Found in a public park/disc golf course. Everything not screened in is removable. What is it for?”
Answer: “It’s a bee and bug house, it’s filled with different materials for lone bugs to overwinter.” Ⓒ MammieisQueen / Reddit
12. “Found while helping a friend clean out a house.”
Answer: “It’s a small steam engine toy. Add water and 1 or 2 Esbit bricks, ignite, and learn.” Ⓒ Unknown author / Reddit
13. “Got this as a prize in a Christmas cracker with no instructions, just a few sharp hooks?”
Answer: “It’s a needle threader.” Ⓒ BattleFlan / Reddit
14. “What is this weird half-truck and why is it pushing a flatbed trailer? Is there any sort of advantage of pushing rather than pulling it?”
Answer: “It’s a floatplane mover.” Ⓒ ccwinitialt / Reddit
15. “A local music shop is offering free strings to anyone who can tell them what this is. Not even the owner knows what it is. Help me out?”
Answer: “That’s a rope wrench (spreader) for small rope or wire bundles. The bar in the middle of the handle is there to help control tension on the line while you work on it, and the forks allow you to spread the strands so you can splice into it or fix a broken strand.” Ⓒ Unknown author / Reddit
16. “Cue ball attached to a pool cue?”
Answer: “It’s so little, kids can play and not destroy the table, ripping the felt with the cue, for example.” Ⓒ DoctorOfMeat / Reddit
17. “Found on the shoreline of a beach in the Scottish Isles. They were scattered, not in one area. Feel like glass, one clear and the rest black. The one that has a line has equal lines all the way around.”
Answer: “Pretty sure the black ones are carbon rods from batteries. They are a quite common find while beachcombing. If the clear one has a hole through the center, it is part of a broken thermometer.” Ⓒ MrD***ESQ / Reddit
18. “Found this out in the woods.”
Answer: “It’s a steam boiler. Maybe from a train engine or, more likely, from a building used for heat or some kind of power for a mining operation.” Ⓒ brock_lee / Reddit
19. “A plaque with numbers inscribed on it, found on the sidewalk outside a building at my university”
Answer: “Magic square — it’s a popular sort of decoration to put outside math departments.” Ⓒ peekitup / Reddit
20. “Found this thing on the beach. It’s solid and smells like seaweed, what is it?”
Answer: “Codium bursa, a green marine algae of medium size” Ⓒ aclownunderasaw / Reddit
Have you ever stumbled upon any strange-looking object? If so, could you find out what it was? Tell us in the comments!