10+ Unsolved Mystery Objects That Were Finally Cracked

Strange objects are not just for oddity museums. They’re all around us, hidden in dusty drawers, probably wondering why no one has laid a finger on them for years. Solving mysteries are fun for our brains, because of the Aha! moment that appears once we’ve figured it all out.

On this note, we gathered some items that racked people’s brains, so much so, that they’ve turned to online experts for some valuable help. We’re curious how many of these can you solve before checking out the answers.

“Asked my 78-year-old great-grandmother what this was, she said ’Oh, your aunt left that.’ What is this?”

Answer: “It’s actually a pool toy.”

“Bought a jean jacket, then felt a ball sewn into the lining; found this really lightweight, velvety softball that I couldn’t crush in my hand. What IS that?”

Answer: “These are sponge balls with a coating that helps them slide and grip fabric. They fit into a tool on the sewing machine table that pushes out corners and shapes when turning the garment right side out. They are firm but soft enough to not damage the fabric. They can come off easily if pulled too hard.”

“What is this black rubber thing attached to a bungee-type cord inside my new ski jacket?”

Answer: “It’s a phone holder.”

“4 inches, plastic, pointed on one side. Received as a Xmas gift. What is it?”

Answer: “Looks like a page spreader for reading. The pointed end goes into the spine and the thumb is in a hole, so you can one-hand books easily.”

“Fully wooden, too short to be a table, too wide to be a bench. Found at a farmers market, what could this thing be?”

Answer: “It’s an Indian elephant seat. It’s placed on top of an elephant to sit on.”

“Can you help me identify this mystery item found in my pub?”

Answer: “It’s a sailmakers palm; used by sailors who are sewing sails together and need to push the needle through the thick fabric.”

“Found this in an antique bin. Thought it might be a stand for a picture frame. Any ideas?”

Answer: “It’s a knife rest.”

“What are these smaller doors inside our hotel bathroom door?”

Answer: “We have friends in the French countryside with kids, pets, and no AC. They use their ‘Dutch’ doors to keep kids and pets out of/in specific rooms while still being able to hear them/communicate with/keep an eye on them, and for ventilation.”

“What is this object I found on a beach that has holes in and feels like a mix between stone and plastic?”

Answer: “It’s an old, Victorian toothbrush. The handle is made of animal bone and the holes are where the bristles (normally pig or horse hair) would go. Bristle toothbrushes like this were invented in the 1400s, but contrary to all that seems good and sane in this world, most Europeans weren’t all that into toothbrushes until the late 1700s/early 1800s.”

“Help! My aunt gave this to me thinking it was an Indian pipe of some sort. Any ideas?”

Answer: “It’s actually a German folk pipe.”

“What is this thing that looks like Superman’s pod? I saw while going for a walk in Burbank, CA.”

Answer: “It’s a prop from the television series Colony, more exactly a hibernation pod that’s used in the show.”

“This was left at my work in what we call ’lighting world’ basically where the lights are made pretty at concerts. No one knows what it is.”

Answer: “It’s a fake camel toe. Usually for drag queens, trans women etc.”

If you want and try to put your finger on some other items that intrigued online communities, don’t look further. We have way more where these came from. For instance, check this collection out where one user finally found the answer to a mystery that was unsolved for more than 20 years.