20 Mysterious Items Identified By Internet Users

There are a lot of items in the world that humans have created. Most of us will not know what even 20% of them actually are. However, satiating such a burning curiosity is easier than ever due to the internet. The subreddit “What is this thing?” (or WITT) is one of the best places to see the internet try its hand at identifying such mysterious items. Here are 20 such interesting attempts:

1. A Ball Of Feathers?

Question: My husband and I heard a big crash at 5 a.m., like something had fallen off the roof. He found this feathery mass on the ground just now.
Answer (by u/hsudude22): Ok, showed this to my wife (ornithologist and zookeeper of 15+ years). The inside vary likely has fly eggs on it and the feathers are likely from a duck (down in the cut away section gives it away). But she has never seen a feathered mass grown off of a bird like this. So possible tumor that got pinched off the main body?

2. A Cloth Case?

Question: What is this padded satin item with ribbon ties and a hole in the middle? Appears possibly handmade, like a case for a beauty item.
Answer (by u/HelenAngel): It looks like it might go on top of a hanger (which is why there’s a hole in the middle). This would turn something like a smooth wooden hanger into one of those hangers with a satin finish/top to prevent light items like slips or lingerie from slipping off the hanger. The ties would be to secure it to the hanger perhaps. Just a guess though!

3. Weird Spring

Question: Found this on the beach, it’s less than a foot long and seems to be a string with a bunch of little discs strung on it?
Answer (by u/Rexlove): Those are Whelk Egg Cases!

4. Dripping Roof Fluid

Question: Black liquid that appears to have dripped from ceiling, right underneath a light.
Answer (by u/Haunting_Ad_6021): Bad ballast, they are potted with that goo.

5. A Weird Turtle Shell?

Question: 20 years of research and reddit is my last hope!
Answer (by u/Mackin-n-Cheese): Looks a lot like this: http://www.fossil-treasures-of-florida.com/black-drum.html. Inside the mouth of a Freshwater Drum.

6. A Dried Bush?

Question: I got a bag containing 6 of these from China. I have no idea why! What are they?
Answer (by u/GatorInAVest): Rose of Jericho (Resurrection Plant, Dinosaur Plant, Jericho Rose)

7. Milk Carton Feature

Question: What is this big hole that is usually found on milk cartons?
Answer (by u/AtomixSpark): This is actually a measure to keep the milk contained if its suddenly dropped, or frozen. makes the cap pop out if so.

8. Unknown Kitchen Tool

Question: The hole gets smaller when I squeeze it. Found in the kitchen at my parents’ house. What do I use it for?
Answer (by u/More_BRAAAINS): It’s to strip corn on the cob.

Read: 13 Tweets Showing Just How Creative People Can Be

9. Dainty Little Glass Sculpture

Question: Hollow small glass object with weird opening. What is it?
Answer (by u/GrannyFantastic): Looks like a bud vase. One hole, yes? If so, not a smoking pipe of any sort. Seems like I had one similar, years ago that I got at a little flea market.

10. Ground Protrusion

Question: What is this bubbling out of the ground in my yard? Purplish metallic gooey inside. Keeps bubbling even if I dig a thin layer down with a shovel.
Answer (by u/connorddennis): Carpenter here, that looks all the world to me like expanding foam. The manufacters like to color them for brand recognition or purpose identification. All the signs are there. The even coloration, the outer skin that formed, and the farmiliar random expansion pattern. Because commercial construction crews can be sloppy, its not far fetched at all that a FrothPak or more likely a case of cans were buried and have had just enough time to rust open. The timing of the construction and its appearance in your yard almost confirms it.

11. Metal

Question: Found in a house we just bought. Made of metal and screwed into the wall, has a hole in the middle. Located in bathroom by shower. WITT?
Answer (by u/Argercy): It’s a toilet paper roll holder and it’s missing a part. I have the same one in my bathroom.

12. Radio Shack Circle

Question: Thin metal circle with Radio Shack branding, found with vinyl record player accessories. Says “Brilliance”
Answer (by u/diakked): It is the plate that went behind a knob on an old stereo or radio. You could turn up the “brilliance.” If I recall correctly, that was sort of like just increasing the treble.

13. Dull Pin

Question: Found in house during a remodel. It’s six inches long with a stone on the end. Google image search says it’s a pin but the end is dull. Any ideas?
Answer (by u/KevOSinKS): Looks like a pipe poker tool for a pipe bowl.

14. Plastic Bullet

Question: Found this in my car after I bought it, looks like a cartridge but with a red translucent bullet. If you put a light behind you can see a spring inside the bullet. I’m in Germany so it’s rare to find bullets here.
Answer (by u/Echopractic): They’re called snap caps. It’s for dry firing your gun to help protect the firing pin. Doesn’t shoot anything.

15. A Mace?

Question: What is this metal thing on a handle with a weight on a chain? It opens and has a long roll of paper with markings inside.
Answer (by u/Drewcifer88): I think it’s a type of “prayer wheel”.

16. A Beach Find

Question: Buoy like object with possibly sophisticated electronics found on random, not well frequented beach on small island in South Pacific.
Answer (u/abotoe): Remote Fish Aggregating Device buoy used for sonar detection of fish.

17. Electronic Device

Question: Small round electronic device fell out of clothing after a ballgame. It is about half of an inch around and has a red blinking light and is made out of plastic. Worried it may be a tracking device.
Answer (by u/Matticus_Bb): Could it be something like this? https://images.app.goo.gl/EV87pqdQ2KXXGHKi6. It’s a small LED light bulb.

18. A Metal Box In A Forest

Question: Green metallic box with hatches and doors and windows on the side.
Answer (by u/xHangfirex): It was a cab on a military vehicle that could have been a mobile office or command post or clinic or anything like that.

19. Merged Bullets

Question: Three bullets merged together – letters say ARS R 12.
Answer (by u/Mr_Mojo_Risin_83): seems like trench art. art created by soldiers with whatever they had on hand at the time. neat find.

20. Glass Vase

Question: Found at nan’s house – glass vase with metal grill inside.
Answer (by u/seekerscout and u/sjhill): Flower frog. It’s for arranging cut flowers (a rose bowl).

Keep Reading: Head Scratching: People Confused By These 10+ Odd Things They Found on the Internet.