Mysterious Things With a Purpose That’s Not Even Remotely Obvious (Luckily, the Internet Has the Answers)
Every day, people stumble upon unusual items tucked away in drawers, left behind in old houses, or discovered in secondhand stores. These objects often look strangely specific — clearly designed for a purpose — yet completely impossible to identify at first glance.
And that’s when the internet steps in.
Online communities have become the world’s unofficial identification service, where engineers, collectors, hobbyists, and everyday users pool their knowledge to solve mysteries one odd object at a time. Whether it’s something made decades ago or an item from a specialized hobby, someone out there usually recognizes it.
Below is one such case — and the fascinating world of “mystery object solving” that it opened the door to.
The Curious Object Found by a Child
A widely shared post showed an unusual small rubber item discovered by a child. The object had a thick circular loop attached to a short, rounded vertical piece, all made of a single molded material. A coin was placed next to it to show scale.
The family who found it had no idea what it was. The father posted the photo along with the humorous caption that even his wife “had no clue.” The item didn’t resemble anything common in modern homes — no brand name, no markings, no clear function.
And that confusion is exactly why people love these online puzzles.
Within minutes, thousands of internet users began proposing ideas:
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A component from a children’s toy?
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Part of a craft kit?
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A handle grip from a tool?
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A protective cap or cover?
While the appearances were distinctive, it came from a category of objects that tends to be highly specialized. Eventually, someone recognized it as a type of silicone attachment used for grip training or equipment stabilization — the kind of accessory sold with certain hobby or exercise gear.
The unusual shape made sense once the original purpose was known: the loop acts as a stabilizer, and the upright piece serves as a handle, mount, or pressure point depending on how it’s used. Without context, however, it looked like nothing most people would encounter in daily life.
This is exactly the charm of such internet investigations: ordinary people solving extraordinary household mysteries.
Why So Many Everyday Objects Become Mysteries
At first thought, it may seem strange that so many people don’t recognize the objects they find. But there are good reasons:
1. Objects Outlive Their Original Products
Often, accessories from old tools or appliances continue clinging to life long after the main item is gone. A piece that once belonged to a sewing machine, camera, or kitchen tool ends up becoming unidentifiable once divorced from its original purpose.
2. Specialized Tools Look Strange to Outsiders
People who don’t sew, garden, weld, dive, or woodwork simply haven’t seen the niche tools these hobbies use. A sewing machine bobbin case, a leather-working awl, or a pool-cleaning weight might look alien to someone outside that field.
3. Designs Change Over Time
Many objects from the mid-20th century were built to be durable, decorative, or mechanically clever — often in ways modern items no longer resemble. When someone finds an item from the 1950s, it can look more like art than a practical household tool.
4. Minimalist Modern Design Removed Labels
Manufacturers today often avoid printing instructions directly onto products, leading to situations where items that appear simple are actually multi-purpose or configurable in ways that aren’t obvious.
The Internet as a Global Museum of Forgotten Knowledge
Communities like r/Whatisthisthing have become digital museums. People upload photos, experts chime in, and a collective memory forms around everything from woodworking clamps to 19th-century kitchen tools.
Here are a few examples of how online crowds have solved fascinating object mysteries over the years:
A chain of heavy glass spheres
Many users thought it was garden décor. It turned out to be a rain chain, a beautiful architectural element that guides water down from a roof.
A bowl with a hole in the base
This wasn’t broken pottery — it was a flower bulb forcer, designed to grow hyacinths indoors.
A tiny metal tool with red glass tips
Not a child’s toy, not tweezers — but an early blade sharpener for old-fashioned razors.
A brick pillar found deep in the woods
Not a marker for utilities — it was once the mount for an old estate sign, long since removed.
A narrow wall alcove in a college dorm
Students thought it was a quirky architectural flaw. Older alumni knew immediately: it was a mini phone booth from the 1960s, when one hallway phone served an entire floor.
Each solved mystery becomes a story about how people lived, how tools evolved, and how design changed across decades.
Why People Love Solving These Puzzles
There is something deeply satisfying about solving an everyday mystery. It feels like archaeology — but instead of ancient ruins, the treasures are ordinary items forgotten by time.
Shared Curiosity
One person’s confusion becomes a collective challenge. People bond over the guessing process.
Generational Knowledge
Older users often recognize tools younger people have never seen. It creates cross-generational conversations rarely found elsewhere.
The Thrill of Revelation
There’s a genuine “aha!” moment when someone finally identifies a baffling item.
The Preservation of Practical History
Many of the objects solved through these communities would otherwise be discarded. By identifying them, people preserve small but meaningful pieces of everyday culture.
The Object You Find Today Might Be Tomorrow’s Mystery
The story of the small silicone tool found by a child is just one example among thousands. As fast as modern life moves, objects often slip from collective memory more quickly than expected. A tool used widely in the 1980s can become unknown by 2025. A kitchen gadget from one country may seem unusual in another.
That’s why the internet has become essential in documenting and identifying such items. Every post adds to a growing, living archive of human innovation — from the practical to the quirky.
So the next time you come across an odd gadget buried in a drawer or tucked away in an attic, don’t rush to throw it out. Take a picture. Ask the internet.
Somewhere, someone knows exactly what it is — and the story behind it might be more interesting than you expect.