# Explanation for an object moving for no reason? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 23, 2009, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explanation-for-an-object-moving-for-no-reason/514800 "2009-10-23T00:16:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Blut\_Aus\_Nord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Blut\_Aus\_Nord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blut_Aus_Nord)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explanation-for-an-object-moving-for-no-reason/514800/1 "2009-10-23T00:16:01Z")
Story time. In my bathroom is the sink built into a counter, and I have a pretty solid plastic toothbrush holder in the upper left corner of the counter. Last night, after I finished brushing my teeth, I was washing my hands, when the toothbrush holder started to move. It startled me and I shut off the water, and it continued to almost hover around an area of about six inches for a good five seconds. It scared me to death at the time, so I became fully attentive and can say for sure I picked up on every detail. There was no water under or around the holder. The toothbrushes remained still in the holder, and were all essentially dry. No electrical devices were around, there was no wind, no vibrations, there was no animal or insect, and that was the only thing that moved. I have no idea what could have caused it to move, as the only thing that really could have caused that kind of smooth sliding would be if I pushed it myself, which I didn’t. Ask any questions that may be relevant, I’m curious as to what conclusions can be drawn aside from Patrick Swayze visiting me. ---
**Author:** ![aawilson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e495f1/32.png) [@aawilson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aawilson)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explanation-for-an-object-moving-for-no-reason/514800/2 "2009-10-23T00:24:01Z")
Is the counter top or whatever porcelain? Tile? Laminate? And the holder? Ceramic? Glass? Plastic? I’ll see what I can find but it seems to with the right materials even a drop of water you didn’t see, on the bottom, the lip or whatever of the toothbrush receptacle, might cause such and effect? ---
**Author:** ![Blut\_Aus\_Nord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Blut\_Aus\_Nord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blut_Aus_Nord)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explanation-for-an-object-moving-for-no-reason/514800/3 "2009-10-23T00:30:26Z")
Edit: The counter is formica laminate. It’s matte but sort of slippery. The toothbrush holder is plastic, and is rather heavy, so a little drop of water is not likely to cause much dancing. I checked thoroughly, and both the counter and holder were dry, but maybe water evaporated. ---
**Author:** ![Dickerman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8baadc/32.png) [@Dickerman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dickerman)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explanation-for-an-object-moving-for-no-reason/514800/4 "2009-10-23T00:53:18Z")
Try getting something like a marble or ball bearing, place it at the starting position of your toothbrush holder, and see if it rolls in a similar direction. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explanation-for-an-object-moving-for-no-reason/514800/5 "2009-10-23T01:34:15Z")
There will have been some low-frequency vibrations coming from somewhere; could have been water-hammer, trucks on a nearby road, someone walking in a nearby room, even an earth tremor … any number of things. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explanation-for-an-object-moving-for-no-reason/514800/6 "2009-10-23T03:52:33Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > There will have been some low-frequency vibrations coming from somewhere; could have been water-hammer, trucks on a nearby road, someone walking in a nearby room, even an earth tremor … any number of things. My guess too. I have a shelf directly on top of a TV and see things on top moving around in response to the sound… but there’s not enough vibration for me to feel if I put my hand on it. A subsonic sound wouldn’t be audible either. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explanation-for-an-object-moving-for-no-reason/514800/7 "2009-10-23T04:45:41Z")
Vibration from the running water at a frequency you couldn’t hear but affected either the counter or the toothbrush holder. If you were older you remember a kids football game that operated on a vibrating motor that made the players move on the game board. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explanation-for-an-object-moving-for-no-reason/514800/8 "2009-10-23T05:04:44Z")
Almost hover? Can you be more descriptive? I really don’t know what that means. ---
**Author:** ![Qwakkeddup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/90ced4/32.png) [@Qwakkeddup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwakkeddup)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explanation-for-an-object-moving-for-no-reason/514800/9 "2009-10-23T06:13:31Z")
Too heavy has nothing to do with it, I have had a large pot slide off of a slightly slanted counter top because of the thin bead of water under it. I have seen glass and plastic glasses sitting next to the kitchen sink start traveling across the counter because I turned the water on. Even though I know what it is, It still freaks me out every time I witness it. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explanation-for-an-object-moving-for-no-reason/514800/10 "2009-10-23T16:01:00Z")
I calculate the odds at about 50/50 that either there was a low-level vibration you were unaware of, or that an evil god has awakened and chosen your toothbrush holder as the vessel for his terrible wrath. Good luck with that. ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explanation-for-an-object-moving-for-no-reason/514800/11 "2009-10-23T16:16:51Z")
Was there music playing in your abode? If you live near others, do they play music? Do they play musical instruments. Fact: nothing moves without having been subjected to force. As suggested, gravity may be one of those forces, and a very slightly tipped sink counter, coupled with a very low coefficient of friction - as provided by a thin layer of water underneath - can be all you need. Add the impetus of some very low vibrations and you get your surprise motion. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explanation-for-an-object-moving-for-no-reason/514800/12 "2009-10-23T16:25:57Z")
> [@Qwakkeddup](#): > > Too heavy has nothing to do with it, I have had a large pot slide off of a slightly slanted counter top because of the thin bead of water under it. I have seen glass and plastic glasses sitting next to the kitchen sink start traveling across the counter because I turned the water on. > Even though I know what it is, It still freaks me out every time I witness it. Yep. Seen this kind of stuff and something just like the OP’s case many times. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explanation-for-an-object-moving-for-no-reason/514800/13 "2009-10-23T18:05:27Z")
Can you take a picture of it? ---
**Author:** ![flyboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/4da419/32.png) [@flyboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flyboy)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2009, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explanation-for-an-object-moving-for-no-reason/514800/14 "2009-10-23T21:50:27Z")
There are two simple explanations. 1) You hallucinated the event. 2) You just joined the board a couple days ago and are… let’s just say testing the waters of the board. I’m going with the simplest of explanations here.