"What is this object roughly the size of a hand, around 700-800 grams, solid metal that is matte except for the round section."
Answer: "It’s an artificial hip replacement."
"I found this in my checked luggage after a flight. I have no idea what it is, and I’m assuming it was left in there by TSA."
Answer: "Used for wiping detection swabs over luggage or hands. Airport security puts a swab in the end, rub it over the luggage, and then scan it."
"I found this on the street. The top button makes a loud “click” when pressed in. The device seems to be mostly hollow. What is this thing?"
Answer: "It’s a dog “clicker” for training them."
"I found this in the belongings of an elderly relative. It’s a small, very sharp “needle” with an eyelet, made of bone/ivory."
Answer: "It’s a Victorian sewing awl: a small pointed tool used for piercing holes, especially in leather."
"What is this electrical science apparatus? It is a metal box. When plugged, the small motor inside rotates the rod emerging from the bottom, variable speed control on the front."
Answer: "It is a benchtop homogenizer. There would have been an attachment to the end for small samples. Many alternatives are used to agitate now."
"I found this in a 100-year-old house, and it looks to be pretty old itself. It is 1.4 m long with a hollow rubber tip at one end and a flat but hollow slotted tube at the other."
Answer: "It’s a fire poker. It is used to be plugged into a gas outlet for the purpose of lighting a coal stove."
"What would the small pocket on the bottom of this Lenovo laptop bag be used for? It’s not very big and cannot hold thicker objects."
Answer: "It’s for securing items like passports, medical cards, etc. Anything easily stolen by pickpockets."
"What is this grey/silver box in the back of every single taxi in Dubai?"
Answer: "It’s part of the computer system that monitors the taxi and talks to the base. There should be screens in the car, a little scanner, and a receipt printer. They plug into this box, which houses the main computer part."
"This has a long handle like a shovel, but on the end, it looks like a sort of basket/rake thing. What is it?"
Answer: "It’s an apple (or other fruit) picker."
"I found this metal jar lid with a pipe screwed on a pint jar. What is it?"
Answer: "It is a mason jar with a hose attachment that attaches to a vacuum cleaner used as an insecticide sprayer."
"I found this in our new rental. It’s about 20 cm tall, and the glassware is removable from the wooden backboard."
Answer: "It’s a barometer. The exposed end sees atmospheric pressure. The contained bulb is vacuum-sealed. The water level will change with pressure."
"Ball-bearing roller glove? It has spikes on the other side and is made from flexible plastic."
Answer: "It’s a massage glove."
“Wooden object, approximately 7 inches tall. Nothing is written on it. Nothing moves. It’s a solid piece of wood. What is it?”
Answer: "Jewelry holder — To stack rings on and put earrings in the bottom dish."
"What is this hippo-shaped hollow ceramic object I found in the street? It has a small slot at the front of the mouth and a stepped hole at the bottom."
Answer: "It is a clay hippo ocarina (hippo-shaped train whistle). Blow through the hole."
"Elastic with a clip in the back pocket of my toddler’s rain jacket. What is this for?"
Answer: "It’s to flip the entire jacket inside out through that pocket, then use the strap to wear it like a fanny pack."
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