15 Mysterious Items That Could Even Leave Sherlock Holmes Intrigued

The eagerness to solve a mystery taps into the human desire to unlock the secrets of the unknown, to piece together fragments of history, and to engage in an intellectual pursuit. While some may participate for the thrill of the hunt, others genuinely relish the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills to help a fellow digital explorer in need.

1. “Double-bowl sink with a hole connecting them. The tap does not reach the second bowl. What is it used for?”

• “It is for schools, you can put a sponge there.” Idualc_ / Reddit

2. “Small and hollow fabric cone that came for free when I bought this mattress for a deck chair.”

• “They’re meant to cover your drink outside to prevent insects getting in it. I have a cotton quilted one to put over my coffee mug to help keep it warm.” milliescatmom / Reddit

3. “What is this camera-looking device in my wife’s hospital room? Mounted on the ceiling, about 5cm wide, and the clear plastic case extends 1cm out. Green light flashes like a Wi-Fi modem.”

• “It’s part of a tracking system. These are placed all over the hospital and interface with tags on equipment and, in some cases, personnel. For example, if you want to know where a particular IV pump or other device is, you can log into a system and determine which receiver it’s closest to. They are also sometimes used to notify the nearest personnel if assistance is needed. For example, if a patient pushes the call button in their room, it will send a notification to the nearest person to that room so they can respond. It does not contain a camera.” somehugefrigginguy
   / Reddit

4. “Found two of these small, red, styrofoam-like balls in my cat’s food bag. What are they?”

• “Looks like a styrofoam ball from a plastic plant that has red ’berries.’” jackrats / Reddit

5. “Found this in the cup holder of a camp chair. Felt like hard rubber, looked like it was going to be papery or squishy. Was all connected and one solid piece.”

• “Kudos to wearing gloves.” kingofthenorthwpg / Reddit
• “It looks like a mud wasp nest.” whatmia / Reddit
  

6. “Projections on a gate along a wash.”

• “It’s to prevent people from forcing the gate open with a large truck.” Marmoticon / Reddit

7. “Spoon-type thing with a metal plate and hole?”

• “Is a soup spoon for mustachioed gentlemen.” TeeBeeDub / Reddit

8. “Found by the side of the road on Isle Of Skye. About 2 feet tall and filled in water on the ground within, no visible markings.”

• “It’s a well from a natural spring. It’s where people used to get their water from.” togtogtog / Reddit

9. “What is this small metal clamp with two balls.”

• “It’s a clip to keep a bag of something closed. Typically for bags of ground coffee or beans.” boltyjr / Reddit

10. “Green, translucent substance found on the beach, looks like glass but has gel or jello-like consistency.”

• “A day or two ago, a bunch of college kids filled up an inflatable pool on the beach with green jello. They do ‘jello wrestling’ every year. You were looking at a couple of hundred dollars of jello that they left on the beach after wrestling in it while a live band played. They chose green this year.” Dirtydan6*** / Reddit

11. “Barely visible filaments, white or transparent, spiky and pierce easily through fingers/clothes/feet. Very annoying.”

• “It’s a tree known as Lagunaria patersonia which seed pods dry and drops very similar spiky fibers, which are the absolute worst. My parents had a big one by their pool and, for years, had no clue what was causing these prickles to drop onto the chairs. Anytime you’d get out of the pool, you’d instantly be coating in the things.” forestycowboy / Reddit

12. “Small cylinder tightly wrapped tissue paper all different lengths and color.”

• “Paperoni! There was a plastic machine that cut different lengths, and you stick them together to make things.” MaryN6FBB110117 / Reddit

13. “What is this cylindrical shape about 10 meters high with some sort of filter on top?”

• “Giant air-vac. It allows air in and out in the event of vacuum or overpressure conditions inside a pipeline while keeping water from escaping the pipeline. It prevents pipeline rupture or collapse due to overpressure or over-vacuum condition.” Double-LR / Reddit

14. “8” long, white, and red, made of (solid?) wood, no moving parts. Found in the ocean closer to a harbor."

• “Did you smell it?” giant_lotus / Reddit
• “It’s a Fishing Float.” alphamagus / Reddit
  

15. “Glass cylinder, found in workshop of older house we moved into.”

• “These might be raw stock for a glass blower or a glazier. I think these would be heated and rolled out into window panes since they are apparently meticulously bubble and inclusion-free.” Franken***er / Reddit

Some Internet communities encapsulate the beauty of gathering collective intelligence in a world where information is at our fingertips. As each new post surfaces, it serves as a testament to the human appetite for discovery and the limitless potential of the online world to satiate that hunger.