If you ever—and we do mean ever—need a mystery solved, ask the internet for help. The amount of collective wisdom, combined with the Holmesian skills of amateur sleuths, is absolutely staggering. And you’re likely to feel your jaw drop at how quickly they find the answer to your question.
The r/whatisthisthing subreddit is a 2.2-million-member-strong online group that solves mysteries. And quite successfully, we might add! Internet users share a photo of an odd, bizarre, and often vintage item that puzzles them. Then, the community comes together to explain what it is, what it’s used for, and (if they happen to know it) share the broader context. It’s honestly one of the most interesting digital communities out there. You’ll find their latest successfully solved queries as you scroll down below.
Here at Bored Panda, we’re pretty big fans of what the r/whatisthisthing community has been doing for the past 12+ years. When you’ve finished upvoting the posts in this list that you think are very best examples of unraveled mysteries, consider taking a peek at our other recent articles about the sub here, here, and here.
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#41 What Is This House In The Middle Of Ocean? This Was About A Mile Off The Coast Of Mobile Al When I Went On A Cruise
Answer: It's the Middle Bay Light.
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162points
#42 Black Stone Object Found Buried In A Garden In Somerset, UK. Ornate Carving On Front, Uneven Scratch Marks On Back
Answer: The material appears to be “Whitby Jet”, a material that occurs on the Yorkshire coastline. It was made extremely popular by Queen Victoria as mourning jewelery but it has been used and carved by people in the Bronze Age, Roman era, Viking era etc.. to me it looks like a Victorian amateur carved plaque in Whitby Jet but could be an earlier thing. You can tell if it’s jet by rubbing it-it will retain a static charge and attract dust or lint.
Edit-just realized how small it is. Probably part of a bracelet or necklace from Victorian era.
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161points
#43 Witt I Found A Bunch Of These Small Red Cylinders Under My Couch. They're Filled With Cement Like Material Wrapped In Paper Similar To The Paper Crayons Are Wrapped In
Answer: That is a firecracker my dude! Watch your fingers!!
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160points
#44 Witt I Found At A Thrift Store? Compass, Clock (?) And Springloaded Slots
Answer: 80s car insert. Compass for use with maps Slots for holding coins for tolls. Ford or mazda is my guess.
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152points
#45 Small Black Balls That Came Out Of My Cat’s Fur When Brushing
Answer: OK, hear me out, does the furminator brush yhat you have have a black handle with bumps and are some of those bumps missing? Because it looks like the grippy bumps on the handle of mine broken off...
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151points
#46 Thin Decorated Metal Plate, 7 Inches Long
Answer: From the catch tray for a Kuerig coffee maker.
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151points
#47 Weird Symbols In Saskatchewan Taken From 21,000ft
Answer: Here’s your answer: Ducks Unlimited waterfowl habitat.
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149points
#48 Hotel Room Bed Leg Has Red Flashing Light Coming From Rubber Piece…
Answer: There's a YouTube video that says it's a mesh bed bug detector. Video calls it Wirepas.
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146points
#49 Paper-Wrapped Substance Inside Plastic Box Inside 60s Czech Military Bag
Answer: This looks like the soap that was used to prevent a gas mask from fogging up.
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145points
#50 I Was Watching A Remastered Clip Of Netherlands In 1919. What Are These Reflectors On Their Caps?
Answer: They're called 'oorijzers'. Started out as hat pins, became their own bit of pointless fashion.
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138points
