"Found this structure behind a Petsmart and it seems to have been here longer than any of the buildings in the area."
A: "Those are I-beams. This thing was built stronger than a house, so there’s no way it was a simple greenhouse. The pulley and second story make me think something like a barn loft was up there."
"Was driving through Erie, PA when we saw this weird circle in the sky. Lots of folks pulled over to take pics of it. What is this?"
A: "It’s a blown transformer smoke ring. A smoke ring is a visible vortex ring formed by smoke in a clear atmosphere."
"A bench-like structure seen near the River Brue in the county of Somerset, England"
A: "These are bird watching points."
"Heavy metal cubes on the end of a chain with different shapes on each side of the cubes"
A: "It’s Han Solo’s lucky dice."
"These are a bunch of wooden spikes with no numbers or words on them."
A: "They’re splicing fids for splicing ropes together."
"These vice/clamp thingies. Made by Garrett Wade, any ideas what they are and what they’re for?"
A: "These are vice “stops” they clamp on the back jaw of vice jaws to position work pieces."
"Two spherical objects with a door, one on the ground and one on a roof. Plus, that idontknowhowtocallit not-satellite dish."
A: "They are observatory spheres."
"Looks like numbered nails on the sides of my house, all in the same row of shakes, about 5 feet up from the ground."
A: "The house was a kit house from Sears. They labeled the nails to make it easier to follow the instructions."
"Are my parents neighbours engaging in psychological warfare? This is attached to a dolly pointed in their yard and sounds a very loud alarm twice a day for 10 minutes. What is it?"
A: "Looks to be a vibrating horn (maybe 874 series) made by Edwards signaling. Data sheet states an output of 103dB. These type of horns are usually used in an individual setting where ambient noise is high."
"Small gadget found on the ground. It has a micro-usb port and when plugged in, with the lid open, a red LED turns on. When the kid is closed, the LED begins glowing blue, and after a little while it changes to purple. Also, the device has a battery in it that charges."
A: "It’s a UV toothbrush sterilizer."
"See this growth in my cacti soil? What is it? Each one is about a centimeter tall but they don’t have deep roots and they’re conical in shape at the top."
A: "They’re called Cup Fungi: The Pezizaceae (commonly referred to as cup fungi) and they’re a family of fungi in the Ascomycota which produce mushrooms that tend to grow in the shape of a ‘cup.’ Spores are formed on the inner surface of the fruit body (mushroom). The cup shape typically serves as a way to form raindrops into splashing spores out of the cup."
"Got this as a prize in a Christmas cracker with no instructions, just a few sharp hooks."
A: "It’s a needle threader."
"Found this while cleaning out my grandpa’s house. The only discernible marking is that star on it. What is it?"
A: "It’s a beam scale"
"These came with a pool table I bought from someone, he said it was some kind of game (unrelated to pool in pretty sure) but had no idea how to play or what it was called, anyone have any ideas?"
A: "Kelly pool. Everyone takes a number and if your numbered ball gets sunk, you’re out. Last person standing wins."
"Found this thing on the beach. It’s solid and smells like seaweed. What is it?"
A: "Codium bursa is a green marine algae of medium size."
"Found on the wall of new flat. Turning the key does nothing noticeable, the red thing at the top can be pushed down and then back up by turning of key. Landlord did not know what it was either"
A: "Panic alarm button. They typically connect to a subscription service hence no response when you press it."
"What is this stabby thing on wheels that arrived in the mail by mistake from Jamaica, NY?"
A: "It’s for weeding cracks and crevices."
"There’s a switch on the back of an old clock that reads, ‘miracle eye.’ What is this?"
A: "It’s a light sensor that can be turned on and off. When on, the clock won’t make chiming noises unless it senses light. This way, at night, it doesn’t wake people up."
"I found this metal object, no text or numbers to be found. It can retract to be the size of a bracelet."
A: "It’s the top (closure part) of a purse or small handbag. Vintage."
"2 small rings held together by a thin chain or wire. Found this while camping in the mountains."
A: "It’s a wire saw."
"What are these wooden structures I stumbled upon in a state forest?"
A: "It’s a blast wall. It’s protecting the bunker below. They’re generally full of large rocks and packed dirt"
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