18 Bizarre Objects Whose Purpose Is So Mysterious Only Internet Detectives Could Solve It

Whether exploring vintage shops or stumbling upon hidden treasures in their own basements, people often encounter peculiar items with mysterious purposes. Fortunately, the internet is full of experts ready to help them solve these mysteries.

1. “Can anyone identify this object sitting on my uncle-in-law’s highchair in the early 1960s?”

Answer: “I might be wrong but to me that looks like a toy hammer with a fat handle.”

2. “Found at an estate sale, no one there knew anything about its origin. was thought it was made from baby teeth but had it inspected by a dentist, they are adult teeth. stored in it’s own small leatherette case.”

Answer: “These are 100% denture teeth, not real human teeth. They are imbedded in acrylic used for making dentures. Probably made by a bored dentist, lab technician, or student.”

3. “What is this orange thing with a red ball in my shower?”

Answer: “A vitamin C declorinator shower filter or something.”

4. “I have this strange artifact. It has one hole in the center and a smaller hole beneath that.”

Answer: “It’s an oil lamp. The big hole on the top is where the oil goes and the small hole at the end holds the wick.”

5. “White solid substance washed ashore on a northern German beach.”

Answer: “Paraffin wax from ships ending up on German beaches.”

6. "Clearing out things today and found this. Not sure what it is, wondering if anyone can help me out.

Answer: “Looks like a decanter bottle stopper.”

7. “Why does this newer public toilet have these ’fangs’?”

Answer: “They’re called bedpan lugs. This would be made for a hospital to hold a collection hat. Why it’s in a public bathroom may just be a mistake.”

8. “This thing is mounted on a wall at my work. At the bottom where the speaker is, there are a few buttons.”

Answer: “Looks like a Simon game. You start it, then you push the buttons following the sequence. As you progress you have to remember longer and longer sequences.”

9. “What is this chrome thing near the toilet and the TP holder?”

Answer: “Looks like a holder for magazines. ‘Literature’ is an important bathroom supply category — or at least used to be before smartphones, I guess.”

10. “Small plastic pouch with red gel and a metal disc inside.”

Answer: “Hand warmer. You can ‘click’ the metal piece, and it will start a chemical reaction and heat the pad.”

11. “Metal spring with plastic ends, 20cm long, no writings or markings.”

Answer: “Hair remover used for the little hairs on one’s face.”

12. “Anyone knows what species it is? It looks like an egg with a man’s butt.”

Answer: “Looks like a volvariella bombycina.”

13. “4-meter high funnel with 3 outlets near a playground and a garden in Germany.”

Answer: “Toss a ball in it and guess which hole it comes out. That’s what kids did for fun in the ’80s.”

14. “This is a steel wire frame with 2 glass marbles. The marbles can turn inside the frame.”

Answer: “It’s a razor blade sharpener.”

15. “What are these little knit tubes?”

Answer: “Not sure if that was the original idea for them, but they can be used to keep chairs from scratching your floors. So they are socks, but for chairs rather than humans.”

16. “Small metal clasping items found in an old nightstand.”

Answer: “Possibly skirt lifts if one arm is bent.”

17. “What are these tiny things? We found a bag of 10.”

Answer: “They are for an ear thermometer. For hygienic reasons.”

18. “My coworker saw this toilet in the women’s restroom at the Huntsville Space Center. Why is it shaped this way?”

Answer: “Prevents the hover maneuver on normal sit-down toilets, which tends to lead to pee everywhere.”

In today’s digital age, the internet serves as a helpful companion, aiding individuals in unraveling the mysteries of their discoveries. It transforms these intriguing encounters into exciting journeys of learning and exploration, making our quest for knowledge all the more captivating.