What is this thing?

5491 readers
1 users here now

Let us help you identify that mysterious object you’ve found.

Currently in CHALLENGE mode: If you've got something obscure knocking about, post a picture, and let's see how we do. Please prefix such posts with "CHALLENGE:" so we know we've got a fighting chance.

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
1
50
submitted 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
 
 

Recently got a Sonnet xMac Pro Server case to put my MacPro6,1 into my rack. I'm getting things fitted into the Thunderbolt expansion housing and noticed this board with a socket on it. The board has power wired from the PSU, but there's nothing in the manual/product details (even though it's in the illustrations) that indicate what this connector is or what its intended purpose is. Can anyone enlighten me?

Edit: I just looked up a video of a version of this module with an outer case, for desktop use. Otherwise looks the same inside. It looks like this might provide power to 2 top-rear mounted fans. https://youtu.be/zG4I8q5JbyY?t=285&si=43mA0xhR-7ETQgPd

2
 
 

Any idea what would cause this?

3
 
 
4
 
 

I captured these from a video. It’s a person that I know did not have these on earlier videos. What’s this from?

5
 
 

Edit: Answer - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allium_tuberosum

I've been letting this grassy plant slowly take over my yard and I haven't been able to actually identify it. It has white flowers in late summer that bumble bees absolutely love. It smells like onions when you cut it and it tastes like onion as well except maybe slightly more mild.

Location: SE Minnesota

Not flowering:

Seeding out:

6
 
 

Found this broken piece in the creek bank. Southwest Pennsylvania. Farmhouse was built in 1922. Coalmining country.

Would have been about 18" in diameter. There is a rough coating in the glaze on the inside and outside of the bowl section. Abrasive enough that I figure it served a mechanical purpose. There are three grooves on the rim that aren't symmetrical to each other.

There might be a makers mark in the center of the glaze inside but I can't make it out. There is also a light blue/green stain on the bottom that might be a mark.

Any ideas?

7
 
 

Any ideas?

8
 
 
9
 
 

They started installing poles along a main road near where we live and I’m not sure what the white antennas on them are for. Some of the poles have traffic cameras like the one in the picture but others don’t. They are spaced every half to one mile and have antennas on opposite sides, with what looks like a radio cabinet near the base. The antennas are all aligned along the road, pointing parallel to traffic. This is in southwest Pennsylvania.

10
 
 

It appeared in my discord server. It's not Japan by the way. No one in server has answered it yet.

11
 
 

I love this kind of community in theory, because I love learning about how things work, but I don't love the posts asking for creature identification. Those are less how things work and more "I need an expert on this geologic region's fauna" so they seem like completely different topics to me.

I don't want to see spiders in my feed, but I'm happy to see curious objects. If I block the community due to the spiders, I miss out on the curious objects.

12
 
 

I'm installing a stereo head unit and don't have sound. This blue wire comes from the included harness and is the amp control wire. The control wire on the other connector at the unit also says amp control and isn't connected to anything. I'm assuming I have to connect the two wires and this thing (plus heat shrink wrap...?) will help. I'm unsure if I should use this or cut and strip the wires and find some wire nuts. How do I use this connector, (if it even is one)?

13
52
submitted 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
 
 

So, I found this stone mantel behind the garage of the 100 year old house we just bought. It was mostly buried in the dirt. Fits our mantel perfect. Some sort of green stone. Was painted black at some point. I'm trying to strip the paint and want to refinish the stone. Area is southeast of Pittsburgh. Father of the man who built the house was an Italian stonemason that immigrated.

Don't think it's slate, has a tight grain and rings when you knock on it.

What kind of stone is this?

14
 
 

Fiber Internet and cable are included in mandatory HOA fees (yay HOAs) so this seems weird. No other homes in the area have anything like this. Also, I’m 99% sure this unit is a full time Airbnb if that might matter (and why I can’t just ask my neighbor wtf is on their roof). Did some reverse image searches and didn’t find a match, that 5G seemed closest to my untrained eye. I don’t like tech shit that I don’t know what the hell it is. Particularly when it’s aimed close to my house. TIA!

15
43
submitted 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
 
 

I have a project I'm doing where a small hobby board has connectors for different things, including LEDs. I don't want to use the original LED strip, and would like to make a single LED that plugs into the board instead, but I don't know how to identify/find this connector. Can anyone help?

16
 
 

Any idea what animal this is? Or extraterrestrial?

17
 
 
18
 
 

These are spread all over the place, approximately every 5 m.

19
 
 
20
 
 

At first, I thought it might be some kind of water treatment plant. But it's too small to be that from what I know about those systems. (Could be wrong.) Then I thought it might be someone's house. But I'm not sure and it's a mystery.

21
108
submitted 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
 
 

This awful creature was, according to my partner, found under or black walnut tree, attached to or emerging from the neck of a very-recently killed bunny that the dog had (killed within the last ~15m). Any idea what it is? More pics available.

It's not smooth like a slug/leech, but has a textured surface. It looks like a grub, but what would a grub be doing attached to a bunny? It has an obvious mouth and anus. She described the mouth part as "hexagonal", which she saw open while it was alive, coming off of or out of the Bunny's neck (it was in or by by a wound it didn't necessarily inflict).

I think it's probably just congealed evil and should be thrown into a fire, along with everything it touched except the puppy, and that's how it's going to get me.

My opinion is obviously tongue-in-cheek, but what is this really?

22
51
submitted 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
 
 

Clearly it ain't scissors, but what actually is it?

Edit: Found!

Miniature Faux Clamps Pretend Play Medical Doctor Play Toy

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1741522236/miniature-faux-clamps-pretend-play

23
 
 

These are spaced about every 300 meters next to the trail in Memorial Park in Houston, TX, but they aren't only along the trail. They are throughout the park. Does anyone have an idea what they might be? Thanks!

24
 
 

Oh, and it's LARGE. That's my range it's sitting on, and it covers about 2/3 of it.

25
63
submitted 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
 
 

A friend of mine just sent me this picture and said someone they knew just got a capybara. I informed them that that definitely isn't a capybara. Now neither of us know what it is. It kinda looks like it's in the uncanny valley of the rabbit species. Is it just a fucked up looking rabbit?

view more: next ›