No matter how smart, well-traveled, and well-read you are, you simply can’t know everything. It’s impossible to fit the entire world’s knowledge into a single person’s mind. And so, even the brainiest individuals sometimes spot things that are so bizarre that they have no idea what they’re for and how they work.
Luckily, the sprawling and experienced ‘What Is This Thing?’ community is here to help answer people’s questions. It’s an online group that unites millions of internet sleuths—veteran and amateur alike—who help identify mysterious objects. We’ve collected some of the freshest mysteries these netizens have helped solve to show you just how weird the world can get.
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#41 What Is This Long, Quilted, Hanging Cloth Thing With Horizontal Pockets? No Tags, Each Pocket Is The Same Size
Wine bottle holder or really any bottle holder.
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44points
#42 What Is This Round Metal Thing That Looks Like A Lock Of Some Sort On Our Front Door?
It’s a key switch (more than likely) for an alarm system that no longer exists; key switches were fairly common in the days before keypads to arm/disarm. The back of the door where that hole is used to have wires going to it, and if you were to put a wrench on the two flats it would unscrew if you wanted to remove it and have the hole filled. Right now it’s not connected to anything, so nothing to worry about. Hope that helps!
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43points
#43 What Are These Hair-Like U-Shaped Things I Found In My Bed Today? They Were All Around Belly/Back Height
Looks like pieces of Velcro.
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43points
#44 Pairs Of ‘Islands’ In A Bay Off US Naval Base
Mooring platforms for the fleet. Lots of great fishing and diving near them. Spend 4 1/2 years in the island of misfit toys.
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43points
#45 Yellow Plastic Dog Face Keychain With Sharp Pointy Spike. About Three Inches Long. Found On The Ground Near Tennis Courts At My Gym
This is actually a pickleball holder!!! Pickleballs have holes in them and you're supposed to slide it in and it'll stay put.
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43points
#46 What Is This Metal Circular/Ball Contraption? Found The Picture In A Restaurant In Germany - Could It Be An Agricultural Tool? It Looks To Be Ca 3m In Diameter And Has Spokes Going Inward As Well As Around
This is art: "Scarabäus" by Adrian Basilius.
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43points
#47 Red Curved Plastic Item Handed Out At French Cash Register
This is a token for a raffle. You put it in slot machine to win coupons.
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43points
#48 This Came In A Nail Trimming Kit. Can't Figure Out What It's Used For. It Looks Like A Tiny Honey Comber. It's The Length Of A Toenail Clipper With A Rubberized Handle
Ear cleaner.
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42points
#49 Found On A Shore In Turkey, Istanbul Within The Black Sea. Seems To Made Out Of Titanium, Conical And Exposed To High Heat. It Is Moderatly Heavy And Has Russian Text On It. Weighs As Much As A Kilo Maximum
It looks very similar to the nosecone and structure on the ramjets for a Russian KH-31 missile, like in this photo.
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41points
#50 Strange Purple Powder/Fine Sand, Found On Former Sheep Farm (France), Runs Bright Pink Under Water, Stains Skin Brown
Chemist here
Definitely sounds like potassium permanganate. It's suspected to be a health hazard and it harms aquatic ecosystems. You're probably fine for handling it a bit, but you should avoid skin contact. If you add a tiny bit of it to hydrogen-peroxide and it fizzes then it should be an indicator that it might be potassium permanganate.
It decomposes into manganese oxide which are the brown spots. The oxide isn't very soluble in water which is why it's hard to rinse off.
It's a pretty effective oxidant, so be careful about storing it near flammable substances.
Definitely sounds like potassium permanganate. It's suspected to be a health hazard and it harms aquatic ecosystems. You're probably fine for handling it a bit, but you should avoid skin contact. If you add a tiny bit of it to hydrogen-peroxide and it fizzes then it should be an indicator that it might be potassium permanganate.
It decomposes into manganese oxide which are the brown spots. The oxide isn't very soluble in water which is why it's hard to rinse off.
It's a pretty effective oxidant, so be careful about storing it near flammable substances.
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24points
