Join the Fun!

Like we've mentioned in an earlier article, the subreddit has a branch called 'Trace an Object' that searches for objects posted by Europol that are linked to child abuse cases. "We've had some luck in identifying some things, but there's more yet unsolved and more to come as Europol does release some new information every few months," the moderator team explained to us then.

At the time, the 'Trace an Object' subreddit had around 53k members but now the number has grown to 67k. So in a way, the more attention 'What Is This Thing' gets, the more help Interpol receives. Presuming people will find about 'Trace an Object' in the process as well.

#2

Small Round “Shelf” In Old Mail Box. What Is This Thing?

Answer: for leaving change for postal worker to add postage. USPS delivery people are required to have stamps and you don't even need to catch them to buy some. If you have a piece of mail without postage you can put it in your mailbox with cash and the carrier will bring back change (if needed) the next day.

theokcorral Report

Final score:

399points

POST

There are other subreddits that are helping the public too. And they can work together on serious cases. For example, when user and college student shadybusiness15 took apart one of their extension cords, they noticed something wasn't quite right—there were mysterious wires and a SIM card with a serial number in it. Curious, they posted photos of it to both 'What Is This Thing' and 'The Reddit Bureau of Investigation', a place where people are passionate about solving mysteries as well.

Users quickly identified the mysterious parts as audio surveillance. The contraption connected to a phone number, which the owner could call to pick up audio in his room at college. Shadybusiness15 called the number but it was already disconnected. Shady business indeed.

#3

My Security Camera Caught This Individual With A Large Device, Possibly Scanning For Something? The Individual Noticed The Camera And Changed Their Mind It Seems, But What Have They Got And What Are They Doing?

My Security Camera Caught This Individual With A Large Device, Possibly Scanning For Something? The Individual Noticed The Camera And Changed Their Mind It Seems, But What Have They Got And What Are They Doing?

Answer: this person is probably a carthieve scanning for keyless car keys. . never leave them near windows and doors

Final score:

388points

POST

#4

Found In A House I Moved Into. The Chain Has Two Corks Attached On Either End

Answer: It is for wine. Ice goes in the little side container to keep it cold.

Final score:

386points

POST

#5

This Is About The Size Of My Hand, Made Of/With Some Kind Of Metal (I Think Copper)

Answer: This is mostly likely thousands of years old - a Pre-Columbian artifact.

You should take it to a university or museum for analysis.

DO NOT polish it or clean it.

ItsaMeRobert Report

Final score:

375points

POST

#6

Glass Items Seen At Yard Sale. They Aren't Doorknobs And Some Look Like One Solid Piece?

Answer: Knife rests

Final score:

351points

POST

#7

What Is This Piece Of Playground Equipment For? Seems Like It Must Have A Function Other Than To Just Lay On It

Answer: Manufacturers are providing a lot more pieces that are accessible to children with limited mobility. While this may seem less interesting at first glance, imagine the benefits to children who’ve never been able to climb up to a slide or fire pole.

Enginerdad Report

Final score:

316points

POST

#8

1.5 Inches Long, Hard And Glossy. Found 5 Feet Below The Bottom Of A Virginia River

Answer: Fossil snail casting

Final score:

311points

POST

#9

Found On Counter In Medical Exam Room: String Of Plastic Numbered Oval Beads. My Own Doc Had No Idea. Pen For Scale

Answer: orchidometer. Used for sizing testicles.

Final score:

305points

POST

#10

What Is The Hollow Part Of This For? Never Seen Anything Like It Before. Cat For Size Reference

Answer: phone table with storage space for the phone book.

Final score:

302points

POST

#11

My Boyfriend And I Were Traveling Sunday Evening (10/25) And We Flew Over Clouds That Were Glowing Orange. Photo Details Suggest That It Was Somewhere Over Kingsville, On, Canada. Any Idea What Caused This?

My Boyfriend And I Were Traveling Sunday Evening (10/25) And We Flew Over Clouds That Were Glowing Orange. Photo Details Suggest That It Was Somewhere Over Kingsville, On, Canada. Any Idea What Caused This?

Answer: Grow lights inside massive greenhouses just east of Kingsville.

lolliven Report

Final score:

301points

POST

#12

What Is The Purpose Of The “Chip” In The One Prong Of This Fork? At First, I Though It Actually Was Just A Chip, But Turns Out Its On Multiple Forks In My Drawer. Any Ideas?

Answer: they make one tine wider for cutting stuff, but the wider one wouldn’t stab as well as the others, so the gave it a clipped point.

aceastrojet Report

Final score:

300points

POST

#13

Someone Was Gifted This For A New Baby With No Note On What It Is

Answer: It is a door silencer. It wraps around and covers the latch on a door so that it doesn't latch and the rubber also makes the door open and close silently. The straps go around the doorknob on each side.

padmoosen Report

Final score:

299points

POST

#14

Friend Found At A Goodwill. Tool Belt Of Some Kind. Anyone Know The Specific Use?

Answer: it's a fishing rod holder.

ffatr2012 Report

Final score:

298points

POST

#15

My Girlfriend Lives In A Basement Apartment And In The Closet Under A False Floor There's This Pipe In The Ground. Smells Terrible Like Sewage. Any Idea What It Is And How To Fix It?

Answer: It appears to be an old broken drain, or more likely, a cleanout with a broken cover. That needs to be capped ASAP. Sewer gasses are a noxious health hazard. Note, tape and plastic are not an acceptable cap.

Orphan-Slayer Report

Final score:

288points

POST

Mywifelikesteancum Report

#16

This Hollow Bumpy Thing Was In My Quarantine Care Package. On Either End Are 5 Small Holes Arranged In A Pentagon (Which Don't Whistle Btw).

Answer: Just asked my girlfriend who is Korean who says it’s from the health centre in Jeju island. The writing says “Metropolitan mental health welfare centre” It is literally just a hand massager, really common for old people To get one with welfare packs. Pressure points are really important to Korean people. So wouldn’t be surprised to hear they include one in the COVID care kit.

Final score:

288points

POST

#17

Strange Mask? Found It But I’m Not Sure What It Is

Answer: the makeup or mask worn by the Beast in the 80s/90s "Beauty and the Beast"

Final score:

287points

POST

#18

Friend Received This Passed Down From His Great Great Grandfather. It’s Believed To Be From Persia & About 2,000 Years Old

Answer: It’s a hairpin or a clothes pin/brooch. If it’s something 2000 years old, you need to see a professional at a museum/institute of archaeology to get it evaluated AND then get it insured.

trvlbugspnner Report

Final score:

282points

POST

#19

Jump Rope Spike? Two Spring Covered Spikes Connected With Paracord

Answer: They are rescue grips for things like ice fishing. Run the cord through your jacket sleeves and the spikesv are at hand if you fall through the ice.

Wolfe_Cola Report

Final score:

277points

POST

#20

Found This While Renovating. Any Idea? Bomb Squad On The Way. Montreal, Qc

Answer: That is an artillery round, probably 155. Looks unfired, good that EOD is en route. Do not mess with it.

clark_harrison Report

Final score:

274points

POST

#21

Weird Metal Part That Comes In A Matchbox Every Once In A While

Answer: It’s an extension for lighting candles

megaku Report

Final score:

268points

POST

#22

What Is This? White Particles On Back Of TV. Found No Where Else In Home, Not Even On Surrounding Furniture/Wall. Cleans Off But Reappears After A Few Weeks.

Answer: fire retardant reacting with the environment. This white powder is not harmful nor is it mold. We have had a few cases and have found it is the fire retardant interacting with the environment. In most instances all that is needed to correct this is a damp cloth, but in the case the white spots do come back we have a tech come out and replace the back cabinet.

Boxerorbag Report

Final score:

267points

POST

#23

Near Agate, Utah. My Dad And I Came Across This On Google Maps Today But No Search On Google Gave Me An Answer

Answer: These have to be evaporation ponds near some sort of mineral mine.

aimeeeeeee12 Report

Final score:

265points

POST

#24

My Mother Says This Cast Iron Thing Is For Pouring Oil, But My Grandmother Says She’s Wrong And Can’t Remember What It’s For. Help?

Answer: This thing is used to melt down lead to cast new bullets.

Final score:

265points

POST

#25

This Was Found With Old Tools. Doesn't Seem To Attach To Anything. It Can Lock In Place And The Middle Bit Turns Round, Unravelling Two Straps Of Fabric. I'm Stumped!

Answer: It’s for carrying books.

shantayyoustayyy Report

Final score:

264points

POST

#26

What Is This Thing: Some Beach Sand In Ecuador Is Magnetic

Answer: Ironsand, also known as iron-sand or iron sand, is a type of sand with heavy concentrations of iron. It is typically dark grey or blackish in colour.

Final score:

263points

POST

#27

Found At Antique Shop. Think It Might Be Some Sort Of Food Server. But Really No Idea What This Is!

Answer: bun warmer

KatieLily_Simmer Report

Final score:

259points

POST

#28

Inherited This Ornate Large... Pendant? Wall Decoration?

Answer: It may be Tibetan. They often wear their wealth on their clothing. This could be an ornament of that sort.
At first I thought the animals on the front looked kind of Chinese, but when I saw the mountains on the back, the style came together as Tibetan.

flamboyantpuree Report

Final score:

254points

POST

#29

Metallic Ring With Central Slider And Numbers Engraved. Details In Comments

Answer: Sundial pendant. In the XVIII century the monks invented in the forests of Prussia, this small and handy, portable sundial, which indicates the time corresponding to the height of the sun.

Final score:

250points

POST

#30

Found This Tiny Book With No Cover And Has These Weird Text In It

Answer: Handbook of Royal Arch Masonry, Guide for Chapter Officers

Final score:

246points

POST

#31

Small Silver Fob- Nazi Or Navajo

Answer: it is a "Whirling Log Fred Harvey Thunderbird" pendant (Navajo vintage jewellery) I suspect that's a couple hundred dollars at least.

itsbahamadave Report

Final score:

245points

POST

#32

Why Does This Mailbox Of Letters Around It? Building Was Built In The Early 1900s

Answer: It used to be a combination lock. Now retrofitted with a key lock

Final score:

236points

POST

#33

House Built Circa 1950. Left Door Is A Linen Closet. Right Door Is... What? So Deep That It Takes Up Space In A Closet Around The Corner. Door For House Elf? Witt?

Answer: Card table space

two_owwies Report

Final score:

235points

POST

#34

Found While Turning Garden This Spring In The Appalachian Foothills Of East Tennessee. What Is This Thing?

Answer: a knapped flint knife. It's also very strong. Typically it's knapped but your blade looks like it was sharpened on a stone. It's probably a Boy Scout or survival class project.

Creep41 Report

Final score:

231points

POST

#35

These Weird Crystals Growing On My Highlighter?

Answer: it went through varying changes in temperature in the past years and destabilized causing oil to separate and crystallize. Same thing happens in crayons.

okaythenksbye Report

Final score:

229points

POST

#36

Solid Metal “Kiss” That Was In Our Bag Of Candy Cane Kisses. Is It Part Of The Machinery?

Answer: Definitely not a part of the machine. Since it is the same size and shape, I would say it's a QA "guage" to help operators verify shape and portion size at a glance.

Final score:

225points

POST

#37

Found In A Cemetary While Geocaching. The Doll Was Wrapped In The Paper Which Was Wrapped In The Cloth Cross And Bound With Twine. Overall Very Creepy

Answer: it's a voodoo doll

rtothewin Report

Final score:

221points

POST

Lis Daglish 3 years ago

Put. It. Back. And walk away....

333points

Vic 3 years ago

If you find yourself pricked or twitching, call a Voodoo doctor..

30points

Maya Jones 3 years ago

I would keep it as a doll friend hehe :)

7points

NaruTheCollective 3 years ago

Yeah stop touching it....

6points

Antonio Gregovich 3 years ago

Walk! You should run and never return to that country

6points

Among Us 3 years ago (edited)

And then nuke it. Or explode it with the guy with the bombshell thing (sorry I have a trash memory and cannot remember what that thing was called)

4points

Oskar vanZandt 3 years ago

Too late!

3points

Grim Reaper 3 years ago

walk?! walk! run dude!

3points

CharliAnn Olney 3 years ago

Too late.

0points

Michele Clarke 3 years ago

HAHAHA! I was saying the same thing as I am scrolling down and saw your comment!

0points

Just JoLynn 3 years ago

How disrespectful, not only to geochache in a cemetery but you find an item wrapped and bound at a grave and decide to open it and rumage though it for your own curiosity? Some people.

43points

Josette Bergeron 3 years ago

Yeah, geocaching isn't allowed in burial places of any kind. Look at the guidelines online. It's discouraged because it can be destructive or disrespectful.

32points

Jon S. 3 years ago

Cemeteries are tourist attractions in the UK

0points

Noodles Macintosh 3 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

PjandBolt 3 years ago

Put that thing back where it came from or so help meee!

34points

Arctic Fox Lover 3 years ago

So help meeee, so help meee, and cut!

6points

Valerie S. Mayer 3 years ago

the paper is stating a curse... It sais 'maldito Alonso' (cursed Alonso in Spanish)... 'hizo de la justicia' (justice was made or something like that) in black says 'devastado' (devastated)... I also can read 'perro cabron' _cursed mother f****er_. Te last readable word says 'tendras" (you will have).... In summary a very scary cursed voodoo doll made by somebody that was very very mad and angry with a lot of bad intentions.

30points

Lana Raven 3 years ago

I thought that was something about justice too,"justicia", but if you look at it closely it says "hijo de tu putisima madre" son of your f****ing mother

1point

Pearl Of the SeaWing RainWings 3 years ago

Thanks for the translation, I wanted to know!

0points

Maria Rodriguez 3 years ago

Maybe it was deserved...

0points

troufaki13 3 years ago

Put it down and back away slowly...

24points

Hurrem Haseki 3 years ago

The writing is spanish. The first word is "Maldito" followed by what seems to me a man's name (Alonso or Alfonso). Means "Coursed Alfonso/Alonso". I can also see some words Like "Madre"(mother), "Felicidad" (happiness), and more. It would be VERY interesting to read the rest

23points

Ashes_The_Kitty 3 years ago

maybe a curse? for a dead person or something?

2points

Laura Craig 3 years ago

Yeah, and they really should not have messed with it. Let alone unwrapped it. I hope they put it back as they found it

21points

Nafisatou Diop 3 years ago

Its all fun and games til that thing moves.

17points

Vuun 3 years ago

It's tough to read most of the paper, but it's definitely a curse in Spanish.

15points

partypoison 3 years ago

Weird, because Voodoo magick is kind of only an african american thing unless you're invited into it. {i'm not but i didn't brief research}

0points

Jayne Kyra 3 years ago

If you find a doll anywhere, leave it. It wants to be there.

13points

Kristy Haws 3 years ago

This explains 2020....

9points

Colleen Garland 3 years ago

Unless you believe in voodoo, relax. It's art.

6points

A.J Milne 3 years ago

Oh no no no run, You might be cursed now!!!

6points

María Violeta 3 years ago

I can read: cursed --- son of your whore mother -- you and you offspring will not know joy and then something about a dog (may be an insult) and a burial place.

4points

Nandi La Sophia 3 years ago

I figured it was a binding of some sort because of the twine and the spell. I'm an Olorisha and we don't do stuff like this typically in Lucumi, and it doesn't really look like Vodou to me either, I suspected it was just folk magic/Brujeria? or possibly a regional form of Rootwork.

8points

Zoe Vokes 3 years ago

Why would you ever touch something so creepy looking?

4points

A Dumbo Octopus 3 years ago

Do. Not. F**k. With Witchcraft. Especially Voodoo, as Voodoo is a closed practice.

3points

PANDAS 3 years ago

THANK YOU!

1point

CaSandra Lone 3 years ago

It’s a voodoo doll that has been officially cursed! I learned about these when I was a little girl living in the south. It looks like it has two pins placed through it. You need to be saged-smugged and your soul blessed from what I recall. You can have the doll uncursed and blessed by a local voodoo doctor. Just be careful who you go to. Perhaps speak the locals first. This is all if you believe in voodoo magic. Good luck, very scary, superstitious stuff.

2points

Lisa Chambers 3 years ago

Made in the likeness of someone, wrapped in a (probably) binding spell. Makes me wonder if the finder has become sick or experienced a nasty change in their personality.

2points

Gia 3 years ago

The audacity of picking that up in a cemetery, what an asshole

2points

Lana Raven 3 years ago

I see the phrase "hijo de tu putisima madre" that's like a super loaded "son of a b***"...It's creepy, the person that made this curse was very angry.

2points

Duck 3 years ago

why the f**k would u pick that up and TOUCH it, and then UNROLL the paper? you basically disembodied it, and LOOK AT THE PAPER. thats deffo some curse or weird scripture. IN THE CEMENTARY. yo, this is how people get haunted lmao now i understand scray movie logic.

2points

CaSandra Lone 3 years ago

They thought it was a geocache. You have to open them once they are discovered to see what’s inside. You log the find, take something out and leave something in its place. That’s partly what makes it so fun.

0points

Naomi Cline 3 years ago

Did you take it off a grave? I wouldn’t mess with anything “found” in a graveyard. Geocache some where else.

2points

PANDAS 3 years ago

put it down, walk away, wash your hands, and never look back. voodoo is NOT something you wanna mess with

2points

PANDAS 3 years ago

also, picking something up at a graveyard and unwrapping it is EXTREMELY disrespectful. it could be an offering of somesort, and by opening it/playing with it you could be messing up the whole thing. :(

4points

ANGEL BABY 3 years ago

Now you have the whoodoo of the voodoo!

2points

RuralAnemone 3 years ago

oops

1point

RuralAnemone 3 years ago

*ow*

1point

Eredyn IreMist 3 years ago

Why would you open it?!!?!?!?!?!? Was this pre-2020??? Is that the catalyst for the horrors of the past year??

1point

Stacy S. 3 years ago

It was used on my Ex husband.

1point

ChickyChicky 3 years ago

Take it home! Put it under your pillow!

1point

Jody Brown 3 years ago

Judging from its location, it worked.

1point

NWB 3 years ago

We don't need this being found the beginning of 2021 thanks very much!

1point

Gëë Bëë 3 years ago

Waaaaait.......did you open this Dec 31st 2019? it would explain alot!

1point

partypoison 3 years ago (edited)

Oh gods. Messed with magick. That's a horrible thing to do. Imagine if it was necromancy... or revenge.

1point

Joe Dunn 3 years ago

First Daughter Alice Roosevelt (often referred to as the first White House "Wild Child" was banned from the White House grounds for 2 administrations following her Father's. The Reason? She is said to have created a voodoo doll exactly like this one and used it to hex incoming First Lady Nellie Taft.

1point

Orionpax75 3 years ago

Well he's f****d!!

1point

thepinkrobot 3 years ago

There's always someone who has to touch and undo a bound doll...

1point

Maria Rodriguez 3 years ago

Bro why are you even touching that?

1point

Mary Peace 3 years ago

Right. Enough said.

1point

The 5-star rated 5-star rating system 3 years ago

I am both disgusted and intrigued...

1point

.because humor 3 years ago

Lovely

1point

Sk FaiXan 3 years ago

is he ok?

1point

Momica98 6 months ago

Cemetery

0points

Tara B 2 years ago

yeah never pick up creepy things in a cemetery sheesh..

0points

Efaye Liu 3 years ago

You should put it back... It might be a spirit's doll (i'm serious)

0points

JujulieHH 3 years ago

Harsh words on that piece of cloth! Dang.. It's in Spanish. Someone was a bad son of a b***h to some girl...

0points

JujulieHH 3 years ago

Harsh words on that piece of cloth! Dang...

0points

Bora 3 years ago

Take this to a temple, ask a priest to pray for it, and wash your hands in the holy water container before you leave.

0points

Lululoohoo 3 years ago

YOU TOUCHED IT?! You even undid it?! Sorry man. you're now cursed.

0points

Fred Burrows 3 years ago

You gonna be unhappy with the spirits that you released .

0points

Dan Pieniak 3 years ago

He is finally found - WALDO :-)

0points

Lynn Morello 3 years ago

Place a cup of salt in the bottom of a bucket, place the Doll on top of the salt, now cover the doll with more salt, usually 3 cups. O each for Life, Death and Spirit. Leave it to sit from one complete full moon until after the next, somewhere the moon light can get to it. The doll will be cleansed of any curses or Voodoo that had been laid. When a Voodoo Doll has been found, it is an Omen that the Spell cast, was wrong and the victim should be freed. You don't need any ceremony or spell casting or words, the Salt will do all the work. After which. If the victim is still alive, they should be free of the spell.

0points

Mickie Shea 3 years ago

Yea Gads. Stop touching it like, now.

0points

Iara Ra 3 years ago

The paper has writtings in Spanish such as « cursed », « happiness » « son »

0points

Dawn Welton 3 years ago

OMG! WHY would anyone even touch it?!

0points

June Galloway 3 years ago

someone wanted to curse the deceased, even in the after life. OR did not want their bad spirit to come back, Too late now.

0points

StormsTempest 3 years ago

DONT TOUCH STUFF LIKE THIS OH MY GOOOOD

0points

Shalini Pabreja 3 years ago

Put it back and then purify your home with sage and prayers.

0points

Jenn C 3 years ago (edited)

You found something weird at a cemetery ... And you unwrapped it?!

0points

LoveThePanda 3 years ago

Go read it on Reddit, very interesting

0points

TexasWoman 3 years ago

There ain’t nothing wrong with holding it

0points

Gina Babe 3 years ago

Putthatshitback

0points

BlahBlahBlackSheepah 3 years ago

Why would you geocache in a cemetery? I'd be afraid of, well, THIS happening

0points

Antonio Gregovich 3 years ago

Oh! Is that just me or do I see blood...

0points

Antonio Gregovich 3 years ago

RUN RUN RUN away as far as possible, and never return

0points

Pearl Of the SeaWing RainWings 3 years ago

Kill it. With Everblaze.

0points

Sasha Kuleshov 3 years ago

Holy f*ck! :O

0points

haha laser go brrr 3 years ago

Geocaching!

0points

eezycheezes101 3 years ago

Boi. Boi. WHY THE F**K-

0points

eezycheezes101 3 years ago

This comment has been deleted.

0points

joriolel 3 years ago

if this was a horror movie, he would have been dead when he just touches the doll

0points

AnInrovert 3 years ago

what sort of map were using for said geocatching? Also, you might be haunted

0points

El Dee 3 years ago

A 'poppet'

0points

Candy Rae 3 years ago

I wouldnt touch that!

0points

Catherine Richardson 3 years ago

😬

0points

coo coo cachoo 3 years ago

ya thats creepy

0points

Exotic Panda 3 years ago

what did the paper say?

0points

Bengü Taşkesen 3 years ago

You shouldn't handle everything you see.

0points

Arctic Fox Lover 3 years ago

Burn it and bury the ashes somewhere very, very far away.

0points

Purr·maid 3 years ago

What have you done!!?? We are all doomed!!

0points

Person 3 years ago

I WANT ONE! I NEED IT!

0points

Maria Rodriguez 3 years ago

Make your own

-1point

Little Zoologist 3 years ago (edited)

Oh no...

0points

Katie Dollar 3 years ago

leave it tf alone. or burn it

0points

Eva Schmutz 3 years ago

what does a voodoo doll do?

0points

Lauren Potts 3 years ago

Attic fox lover is right, but to add more detail (I learned most of this from Indiana Jones lol) a voodoo doll is made to resemble a certain person and through 'magic' Whatever happens to the doll happens to the person it resembles (mostly harmful). For instance, if someone was to stab the doll in its side, then the person who it is supposed to look like would feel a stabbing pain in their side. So like a curse. (Just to clarify I don't believe this or am involved in it or anything- I swear I'm not a psychopath! Just trying to share my knowledge)

2points

Kimberly Reetz 3 years ago

Tape Biden’s face to it

-1point

Steve Cruz 3 years ago

So sorry you found it and handled it. Hope your affairs are in order.

-1point

Adriana Coppage 3 years ago

does it bear any resemblance to then? oh god i hope not thats sooooooo creepy O.O

-1point

MusicalCatTroll 3 years ago (edited)

Honestly if I sees a doll like this near a CEMETERY I would have been running for my life.

-1point

April X 3 years ago

Or bury it and say a prayer of peace for both parties

-1point

April X 3 years ago

Say a prayer for both the deceased and voodoo person that they both find peace god says to love each other and not to do magic

-1point

Kristin Ingersoll 3 years ago

WHO OPENS THAT??????? MY EYES!!!

-1point

April X 3 years ago

Burn it

-2points

#38

Iron, Both Found In The East Midlands UK

Answer: iron age cloak pin

Final score:

221points

POST

#39

Purple Packets Found On Rural Property In Victoria, Australia

Answer: Dye powder packets tied to the under side of rams to mark which sheep have been inseminated.

Bbqsaucebottle Report

Final score:

213points

POST

#40

Tunnel In Basement Of Pennsylvania Rowhouse

Answer: Coal delivery.

Bll9tu Report

Final score:

211points

POST

#41

On The Second Stair Of A 100-Year-Old Bungalow. The Tube Opens To The Basement.

Answer: Wood-fired furnace heat shaft

Final score:

210points

POST

#42

What Is This On A Pillow At A Hotel Im Staying At?

Answer: With our patented Zip-N-Click™ closure system, CleanBrands provides added security by ensuring that dust mites and bed bugs cannot enter or escape the encasement at its most vulnerable point: the zipper. Independently tested and verified, the Zip-N-Click™ is designed with advanced durable materials and is fully machine washable.

coolusername21s Report

Final score:

207points

POST

#43

Thing With Wheels I Found In The Woods

Answer: Its what's left of a Volkswagen beetle.

pancawind Report

Final score:

206points

POST

#44

Fell Out Of One Of My Dad's Record Sleeves... Dangerous Roach Clip Or Dated 70s Hair Accessory?

Answer: Curtain hook. It slides into a pleated curtain.

Final score:

206points

POST

#45

Near The Side Of The Road In West Virginia, Three Sides Of It Have Those Room Things

Answer: west virginia iron furnaces

Final score:

191points

POST

#46

Strange Ceramic Jar, What Is This? Only Has Side Opening

Answer: it is a stoneware bed warmer. Put some hot water in and pop it under your sheets.

AbsidalComb Report

Final score:

186points

POST

#47

I Found In The Garage, A Tube With Notches Made Of Brass, The Rest Of The Cover On Top. Copper Rod With Wooden Handle

Answer: Hair curler

Bigovereasy Report

Final score:

183points

POST

#48

On It's Own In A British Park, Tall As A Person And Hollow Inside. Made Of Metal And Looks Like Something Used To Be Below Each Of The Four "Exits"

Answer: Look up funnel ball. Popular in the 90s as a basketball game. Someone tosses into the top hole and the ball comes out one of the other holes. I never played with any real rules, just schoolyard fun. Prob could do it like 2 on 2 basketball where you aim to get more balls in the top hole than the other team, or something.

Final score:

174points

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platypus_drumstick Report

#49

Found In A Bag Of Prawn Crackers. Very Hard And Translucent

Answer: that's what prawn crackers look like before you deep fry them.

Final score:

150points

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#50

What Is This Thing? I Found It In A Frozen Meal. It’s Sharp And Hard, Spiky, And Brown-Ish Coloured

Answer: Alamy Toothed medick

A prickly seed pod of a lawn weed.. Called burrs in Australia.

Your seed looks well soaked

Final score:

139points

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#51

My Dad Found This In His House When He Got Back From Holiday. No Idea How It Got There But That's A Different Mystery Altogether. Looks Like A Syringe But The Middle (Green) Bit Has No Hole At The End And Moves Up And Down Into The Clear Claws At The End

My Dad Found This In His House When He Got Back From Holiday. No Idea How It Got There But That's A Different Mystery Altogether. Looks Like A Syringe But The Middle (Green) Bit Has No Hole At The End And Moves Up And Down Into The Clear Claws At The End

Answer: : Its a pill dispenser for pets, the pill goes in to the claws and you use the plunger to shoot the pill to the back of the throat

Final score:

60points

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#52

Flat-Backed Plate That Resembles A Music Box Wheel. Number Search Turned Up Nothing. Found In Late Father In Law’s Toolbox

Answer: Looks like an IBM punch card for use in Punched Card Typography in the 60s/70s— Its basically computer code.

Final score:

56points

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#53

Strange Metal Rose. About 3 Or 4 Inches Long, Embedded In Concrete In Front Of A Pub. I Have No Idea What It's Supposed To Represent, Hoped Someone Here Might!

Answer: Boot scraper. The pub is called the Wild Roses

Final score:

56points

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#54

Hello, What Is This Tool Called?

Answer: It's a box tool. Originally designed for opening and closing crates, this is a crudely made tool, yet ideal for rough work.

Owasha Report

Final score:

54points

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#55

Key In The Ceiling At School

Answer: test duct detectors in a fire alarm system. Duct detectors will shut off the air conditioning unit if it senses smoke to prevent it from circulating the air.

cman334 Report

Final score:

48points

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#56

Witt: Found This Crater/Hole While Randomly Scrolling Around Google Maps. Located In Mali, Africa. Any Ideas?

Answer: It's a geological high point in the desert, the middles raised not depressed so not a crater, it's a weathered mountain with the old center of the mountain still visible. To be fair it could even be an old magmachamber. Either way its not a crater.

BlameSociety1 Report

Final score:

47points

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#57

It Was My New-Age Moms In The 80's

Answer: this is "The Interro biocommunication device". It vaguely measures skin conductivity for the purpose of looking all high tech so a Holistic doctor can appear to have their stuff together.

Destinmwest Report

Final score:

47points

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#58

What Are These Weird Weights That Showed Up In My Hotel Room While I Was Out?

Answer: They are fishing weights for deep sea fishing. I have a box full of them in the garage. Why they are in a hotel is beyond me maybe they use them for something else.

inkysquares Report

Final score:

47points

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#59

Found Underground In Edmonton, Alberta. Made Of Metal Bits Encased In An Acrylic Like Substance. Smooth Flat Bottom.

Answer: that's orgonite, a pseudoscience energy thing. The basic structure is alternating layers of organic and inorganic materials within polyester resin. The inorganic is the metal and some crystals, but metal is very important as it is the metal which most strongly activates the cleansing matrix by both attracting and repelling energy. The organic materials simply attract the energy, so without the metals, you have an ineffective and inert piece of resin art.

AlbertaGirl4ever Report

Final score:

46points

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#60

Found Among My Dad's Things. Interesting Velvet Box With Black Object Inside

Answer: It's a pocket handwarmer...an old one too.

Final score:

46points

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#61

What Is This Brown Bumpy Thing On My Pringle??

Answer: The previous Pringle that didn't completely make it out of the rolling mold. Pringles aren't sliced potatoes, they are mashed potatoes pressed flat and cut like cookies. That's a stuck previous Pringle.

Final score:

46points

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#62

I 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 A Brother Out?

Answer: it'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.

SunRat_ Report

Final score:

45points

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#63

Found These Tiny Metallic (I Think) Balls In A Pile At A Truck Stop. They’re All Perfectly Spherical, Can’t Be Crushed Or Melted. It Feels Like Metal Sand

Answer: They’re balancing beads. Pour them inside a tire to balance it instead of putting it on a machine. Cheaper for drivers and faster for technicians

L2Crusader Report

Final score:

45points

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#64

What Is This? I Found It In A Vintage Shop In The Kitchen Area. Somebody Told Me It's For Cheese

Answer: Feuerzange which holds the sugar cone used in making Feuerzangenbowle

Final score:

44points

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#65

This Was Moving Like A Slow Boat And Had A Guy’s Head Poking Out On Top. Is It A Custom Raft? Commercially Available? What Is This

Answer: Bubbleboat

Final score:

44points

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#66

A Friend Of Mine Bought A Refrigerator And This Came On It. The Handbook Didn't Mention It. Is It An Egg Holder?

Answer: its to separate the vegetables in the draw

Final score:

42points

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#67

This Weird Tweezers. Probably A Kitchen Tool.

Answer: its for squeezing lemon pieces to catch seeds

Final score:

42points

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#68

Found These In My Grandma's Old Jewellery Box. Tried Googling W.s.p. Co. But No Link To Whatever These Are. They're Pretty Solid, And Somewhat Heavy

Answer: Those are screw machine cold heading punches. I still use them daily. Wsp is from wrentham tool

Shoot_Faster Report

Final score:

41points

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#69

I Know This Is A Drill Bit, What Are The Hoops On The Sides For? Google Has Failed Me, So I Humbly Ask You All!

Answer: It's actually for making sprial cut fruits and veggies.

Final score:

41points

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#70

Strange Pipe. What Is The Orange Sludge?

Answer: Iron bacteria. I know because i have this problem in my basement. It isnt fun and it isnt pretty. It is harmless, just icky and a pain in the neck.

tremellas Report

Final score:

41points

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#71

Purchased In San Diego - Approx 5 Feet Long Harness Quality Leather With Signs Of Sweat Marks From Animal Use. Horse Family Does Not Recognize It As Horse Tack.

Answer: Rare vintage Austrian draft horse brass

Final score:

41points

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#72

Cups On Lanyard Found On Lake Mi Beach (Glasses For Scale - Didn't Have A Banana)

Answer: Kayak plugs. Keeps water from entering holes intentionally built within the boat

Final score:

40points

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#73

Found Next To A Cliff In The UK, Has Chains In It. Any Ideas What This Thing Is?

Answer: It is line workers hut, used to store equipment and bits and pieces. With the casualisation of the workforce these huts have gone out of use.

BennyP_97 Report

Final score:

39points

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#74

I Think We Found A Military Helmet While Digging Up A Stump In Our Yard. Maybe Ww1? And Another Rusted Part That Looks Like A Gear Shift.

Answer: It's an M1917 Civil Defense Helmet. Manufactured 1917 to 1942.

junefrisbee Report

Final score:

39points

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#75

Found In An Unfinished Basement Of An Old Home. Looks Like A Coin But It's Hollow And Opens Up

Answer: a coin lighter but now its missing some parts

NeverBenFamous Report

Final score:

39points

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#76

Hole In The Bathroom Wall On The Door Side? Our Apartment Was Built In The 1930s

Answer: There was a wood stove or something there. It’s for a chimney.

xandraw Report

Final score:

38points

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#77

Found This Buried In My Front Yard Years Ago

Answer: a push dagger or push knife

Final score:

38points

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#78

Found In An Old Leather (Possibly Medical) Suitcase. 12cm Long, Pincers Open When Red Top Is Pushed Down. '02406chr' Printed On Back Of Old Card Container

Answer: : Olive Pickle Grabber Tongs Red Bakelite

Final score:

38points

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#79

Old Mechanical Device Found In A Dumpster. Extreme Heavy. Cash Register? Mechanical Calculator?

Answer: a Odhner mechanical calculator

Final score:

38points

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#80

I Found These In My Grandmothers House (Germany), They Are Made Of Thin Glass. Unfortunately There Is No Box Cover Explaining What They Are

Answer: They are for flower decoration. One singular flower goes in the tube. There is probably a stand for them somewhere around, but some people like to stick them in foam together with other decorations, or in pieces of driftwood with holes drilled into them, or even into other flowerpots.

I saw very similar ones in the Bodenmais Glasmanufaktur.

Final score:

37points

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#81

Mounds Outside Of Hotel Near Seoul

Answer: Korean burial mound

Final score:

35points

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#82

"Assembly Tape" On My Pop-Tart This Morning. It's Also On The Inside Of The Wrapper.

Answer: splice from film change on flow wrapper during processing. When one roll of "wrapper" is exhausted the next roll is taped to the tag end to run it through the equipment. High visibility tape typically ensures it is removed downstream in the production process.

_my_cell_account_ Report

Final score:

34points

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#83

What Is This Keyhole In The Wall Next To An Outer Door?

Answer: It’s probably for the fire department. We have a key hole just like it next to our parking lot gate. This way they can open it in case of an emergency

Final score:

34points

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#84

Found Slung Over My Son's Headstone.

Answer: It's a rifle sling. A sling is simply a strap that lets you carry a rifle around.

lucina20 Report

Final score:

33points

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#85

What Are These Fiberous Tabs In A Sealed Package?

Answer: anti-fog inserts for Go Pro waterproof housing

Final score:

33points

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#86

Found This Odd Steel Tool After A Break-In

Answer: It’s pull arm for a soft serve ice cream machine

Final score:

33points

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#87

This Thing Is Above My Hospital Bed... None Of The Nurses Know What It Is/Is For

Answer: Battery powered emergency light. The red light shows it has power and the battery is charging. When the power fails that light comes on automatically to light your escape

Final score:

32points

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#88

I Found This Strange Thing Behind An Abandoned House In Mid-Michigan. It's A Weird Cone-Shaped Metal Structure With An Open Inside.

Answer: a charcoal kiln

Final score:

32points

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#89

Found In A Coinstar Return Slot. Looks Like Some Type Of Key In The Shape Of A Gun.

Answer: it's a keychain gun. It's for a steering wheel lock, I've got a couple of those exact same keys for mine.

crustybuttons Report

Final score:

31points

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#90

Found This Building While I Was Hiking In West Kerry, Ireland.

Answer: It's a water tower, formerly used to refill steam engine tanks or tenders. There used to be a railway there from 1891 to 1953.

pungaly Report

Final score:

31points

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#91

What Is This Hook Thing In The Kitchen Cabinet?

Answer: It's a mug rack.

Final score:

31points

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#92

Wall Dongus In Our New Apartment. It Is Loose And Pulling It Out Of The Wall Shows That It's Attached To A Cable. The Little Rondell On The Front Is A Butto

Answer: An emergency alert button for an in-building nurse. The apartment building may have once been an assisted living facility.

Final score:

30points

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#93

Buried Structure In The Woods Near Suwanee River State Park Not Certain On Depth Maybe 15ft Deep And Bowls Out Very Wide. Witt

Answer: it is a water cistern

bigblue_inabox Report

Final score:

29points

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#94

Witt: Its Made Of Really Heavy Hardwood. Unsure Of The Age Unfortunately. Given By Family Friend. Thanks

Answer: Its half a Viking chair.

Final score:

29points

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#95

These Have Been In Our Kitchen Drawer For Ages, But We Havent Figured Out What They Are Used For. Any Ideas?

Answer: Green one opens bananas, the blue one to Peel oranges

Final score:

29points

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#96

Drawing Found In My Father In Law’s Effects

Answer: That is an old school photo copy of a patent drawing . Looks like some kind of trocar.

zmanl Report

Final score:

28points

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#97

Found In The Attic Of An Old Country House In Czech Ia. Top Part Is An Open Container That Rolls On The Round Sticks Under It. Bottom Is Likely Just A Stand With Storage (Has Little Doors From The Other Side)

Found In The Attic Of An Old Country House In Czech Ia. Top Part Is An Open Container That Rolls On The Round Sticks Under It. Bottom Is Likely Just A Stand With Storage (Has Little Doors From The Other Side)

Answer: a mangle, possibly mangel. Used to press linens, sheets, tablecloths.

Final score:

28points

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#98

Black Square Thing On The Door With White In The Middle And What Seems To Be Data Chips On The Top On The Door? Dont Recall This Being There Yesterday. Any Ideas?

Answer: Mounting plate for a Ring camera or a knockoff

TwoDimensionalSphere Report

Final score:

27points

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#99

Found By An Old Lakehouse, 5 Gallon Bucket For Scale. Lid Is Stuck In This Position, Only Text To Be Found Is Pictured On The Lid. Reads No 7 194 C.

Answer: an old underwater pump housing/filtration system

Final score:

27points

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#100

What Is This Thing? Found It As A Kid And Have Never Known What It Is. Slightly Heavier Than It Looks. Says Us 4 Inch On One Side That Also Has An "L" In A Diamond, The Other Side Has Some Mark I Can't Make Out. The Triangle Is 4 Inches From Base To Tip.

What Is This Thing? Found It As A Kid And Have Never Known What It Is. Slightly Heavier Than It Looks. Says Us 4 Inch On One Side That Also Has An "L" In A Diamond, The Other Side Has Some Mark I Can't Make Out. The Triangle Is 4 Inches From Base To Tip.

Answer: I believe this is an “earth anchor” sometimes called an “arrow head anchor”. The part that sticks up opposite the point fits into a shaft and it gets driven into the ground. There’s usually a steel cable that gets routed through the holes.

Final score:

26points

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#101

Two Plugs On This Outlet, Not Sure What Either Of Them Are For! Found In Master Bedroom Of A House Built In Late 1970s

Answer: Old TV antenna. The kind you could remotely rotate to get better reception.

Final score:

25points

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#102

Found In A Storage Cupboard At Work. The Black Bits Come Out. The Number Order Is ... Weird?

Answer: These are button samples or templates for cutting the button holes in an old push button train control panel. I caught up with an old timer that remembers them from the 80’s

Final score:

25points

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Vintagepruckfinder Report

#103

Bought A Load Of Old Surgeons Tools And Need Help Identifying What They Are

Answer: The big thing is a RIB cage/sternum scissors. The three in the top lefthand corner are parts to a vaginal speculum. Three things to the right of these are clips for holding sets of instruments, eg.scissors, and to the right again a trephine. The one below the trephine looks like a molt gag retractor.

Final score:

24points

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#104

This Device In A Nursing Home That Appears To Be Halfway Between A Sink And A Toilet

Answer: Clinical sink

Final score:

24points

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#105

Tiny Glass Cylinder With Magnetic Balls And Dark Liquid Inside. Found Magnet Fishing In Se United States.

Answer: The rattle out of a fishing lure

Final score:

24points

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#106

Removed A Wall Plate And Found This Mirrored Contraption Fitting In Some Sort Of Electrical Junction Box. Any Idea What It Is?

Answer: It’s an old alarm motion sensor. Break the beam, set off the alarm. Look at the perpendicular wall for its other half. Could just be a small mirror or reflector as well on the other wall to bounce the beam back.

Kurteg0013 Report

Final score:

24points

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#107

Strange Object From Tiffany's Mysteriously Given To My Wife By Her Grandmother While Refusing To Say What It Was. Probably Bought In The 1930s Or 1940s. About 10cm/4" Long. All She'd Say Was "She Used It As A Young Woman But Didn't Have Much Use For It Nowadays". Any Ideas?

Strange Object From Tiffany's Mysteriously Given To My Wife By Her Grandmother While Refusing To Say What It Was. Probably Bought In The 1930s Or 1940s. About 10cm/4" Long. All She'd Say Was "She Used It As A Young Woman But Didn't Have Much Use For It Nowadays". Any Ideas?

Answer: Tree Branch Muddler

Final score:

23points

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#108

These Rings Frozen Into The Reservoir At Changdeokgung Palace In Seoul. Details In Captions And Comments

Answer: That’s a RA2 Diffused Aeration System the rings are from where the bubbles go and as it was freezing it has trapped air in the ice making it white kind of like a snow cone turns white

wildtaylorberry Report

Final score:

23points

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#109

Found This Tool In My Grandma's Basement

Answer: A clarinet stand, or some similar musical instrument.

Asfalots Report

Final score:

22points

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#110

It's Kind Of Rubbery But Hard. Banana For Scale

Answer: Bump stop off of a Peugeot car of some sort. Keeps the springs from bottoming out

danklytoo Report

Final score:

20points

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#111

What Is This Drill Hammer Thing

Answer: Glass tool.

sealpupster Report

Final score:

20points

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#112

Silver Drum/Disks, 1 In 40 Had This Inside, The Rest Were Empty

Answer: It looks a lot like the optical element of a ring laser gyroscope.

DITButt Report

Final score:

20points

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#113

What Is This Vent That Comes Out Of My Neighbors House And Smells Like Natural Gas?

Answer: Left is a concentric vent, it's used for high efficiency furnaces instead of the standard "two pipe" intake and exhaust setup. Right seems to be another vent, whether it's still used or not is a guess, it may have been replaced by the one on the left. The one on the right might also be a dryer vent, hard to tell from this angle.

Final score:

19points

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#114

Small Plastic Cylinder On Side Of Gas Pump Card Reader (Cut Open, Nothing Inside)

Answer: The only function I could see it fulfilling is preventing somebody from attaching one of those skimmers that slides over the entire mechanism, or to act as a quick visual check that a skimmer hasn't been attached.

Spacemandan01 Report

Final score:

18points

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#115

My Neighbor (Who Has Recently Installed An Amazon Doorbell Camera, Which Is Weird For The Netherlands) Has Just Put This On His Roof. It Seems To Be Aimed Directly At My Female Housemate’s Bedroom Window And She Is Concerned It’s Another Camera

My Neighbor (Who Has Recently Installed An Amazon Doorbell Camera, Which Is Weird For The Netherlands) Has Just Put This On His Roof. It Seems To Be Aimed Directly At My Female Housemate’s Bedroom Window And She Is Concerned It’s Another Camera

Answer: Integrated GNSS System

Final score:

15points

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