# What is this thing? \[Strange grid ball\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 12, 2013, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-strange-grid-ball/646989 "2013-01-12T20:37:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-strange-grid-ball/646989/101 "2013-01-14T21:24:31Z")
Apparently we are all in this deep [Melancholic](http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/pd/a/albrecht_d%C3%BCrer,_melancholia.aspx) state, examining this damned thing. Click on inset image for larger version. It’s worth the click. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-strange-grid-ball/646989/102 "2013-01-14T21:30:43Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Yeah, or hamsters. I dunno. This one is a puzzle. > > Also: why is there snow on the ground, but not on the sphere? The heat of re-entry. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-strange-grid-ball/646989/103 "2013-01-14T23:20:43Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I just noticed that around the center, there’s a row of bolts facing inward. Something is or was bolted to the inside. The go up towards the edges as well. You mean, _whatever was kept locked up inside has escaped??!_ ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-strange-grid-ball/646989/104 "2013-01-14T23:26:48Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > The heat of re-entry. [nitpick] entry [/nitpick] ---
**Author:** ![Asympotically\_fat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@Asympotically\_fat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asympotically_fat)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-strange-grid-ball/646989/105 "2013-01-14T23:40:47Z")
Could the outside just be a housing for something on the inside? The pipes and portholes look pretty robust. Maybe the housing holds insulation or something on to a more robust inner sphere? ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-strange-grid-ball/646989/106 "2013-01-14T23:55:28Z")
Could it hold a sphere of Longellos? More importantly, could it destroy a sphere of Longellos? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-strange-grid-ball/646989/107 "2013-01-15T00:20:40Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > The heat of re-entry. > [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > [nitpick] > entry > [/nitpick] Maybe this isn’t it’s first visit. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-strange-grid-ball/646989/108 "2013-01-15T00:43:41Z")
come for the probing stay for the food. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-strange-grid-ball/646989/109 "2013-01-15T00:44:58Z")
Oh I forgot to say it looks uncorroded for something outside for so long, maybe it’s not made of iron? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-strange-grid-ball/646989/110 "2013-01-15T00:55:49Z")
> [@AaronX](#): > > Oh I forgot to say it looks uncorroded for something outside for so long, maybe it’s not made of iron? Way ahead of 'ya - _[post #27.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=15892655&postcount=27)_ ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-strange-grid-ball/646989/111 "2013-01-15T01:24:41Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Yeah, or hamsters. I dunno. This one is a puzzle. > > Also: why is there snow on the ground, but not on the sphere? That’s pretty common. The ground is a much larger heat sink. It doesn’t take much sunshine to melt snow from cars, roofs, experimental fusion globes, etc. ---
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-strange-grid-ball/646989/112 "2013-01-15T01:36:57Z")
After thorough investigation I have found the answer: It is a critical component of the airport runway treadmill. If I told you what purpose it served in the treadmill I would have to kill you. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-strange-grid-ball/646989/113 "2013-01-15T02:23:48Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > I’m thinking an experimental form of [targeting chamber](https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&client=ubuntu&hs=YTR&tbo=d&channel=fs&biw=1360&bih=552&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=target+chamber+design&oq=target+chamber+design&gs_l=img.3...83941.85291.0.86037.7.7.0.0.0.0.339.970.4j0j2j1.7.0...0.0...1c.1.A4yAY9M7XPg) for laser fusion experiments, similar to the National Ignition Facility. [Here’s the target chamber for the National Ignition Facility](http://blog.sub-studio.com/2010/07/national-ignition-facility/). There is some visual similarity, but I don’t really see a functional or structural similarity here. For one thing, the target chamber (like all vacuum chambers I’ve worked with) is a welded steel construction. If this mystery object is really made up of segments bolted together, I don’t see how it can hold vacuum or pressure. It would be very difficult to make those seams airtight. I suppose it’s possible that it’s not actually bolted together. It could be a solid sphere that’s been lightweighted by making those square holes. But then, what are those “bolts” on the ribs? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-strange-grid-ball/646989/114 "2013-01-15T02:30:51Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > [nitpick] > entry > [/nitpick] Do not taut… Ahem. Do not quibble with our Hamster Overlords. ---
**Author:** ![whc.03grady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a6a055/32.png) [@whc.03grady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whc.03grady)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-strange-grid-ball/646989/115 "2013-01-15T03:18:20Z")
There’s no way it’s part of something like a neutron detector or plasmatotron or whatever other insanely expensive pieces of equipment have been mentioned; it wouldn’t’ve been discarded so casually like that. I’m going with abandoned art project. I like that [this](http://cfile228.uf.daum.net/image/18310C214BB54E427DFB4D) is a “visually similar image”, according to Google’s image search. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-strange-grid-ball/646989/116 "2013-01-15T03:27:20Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Way ahead of 'ya - _[post #27.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=15892655&postcount=27)_ Could also be galvanized. Finding out what it’s made of would go a long way. ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-strange-grid-ball/646989/117 "2013-01-15T03:52:02Z")
Have we _definitively_ ruled out the possibility of it being an ocarina of some sort? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-strange-grid-ball/646989/118 "2013-01-15T03:53:14Z")
Welding professionals: Are there any metals that simply cannot be welded, hence the sophisticated arrangement on this sphere? And if there are such metals, perhaps that could narrow the scope? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-strange-grid-ball/646989/119 "2013-01-15T04:01:48Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Welding professionals: Are there any metals that simply cannot be welded, hence the sophisticated arrangement on this sphere? And if there are such metals, perhaps that could narrow the scope? Cast iron (it’s not strictly impossible, but it’s so difficult that nobody does it). But, it’s not cast iron. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-strange-grid-ball/646989/120 "2013-01-15T04:36:53Z")
I had a thought: it’s an “inner mold,” a form around which some material is poured, providing a 3-D stamp for the inside of some object. I’m thinking something like a lost-wax process. In which case this inner mold form should have been melted out. Or else molecularly rearranged when it’s job was done. But if they could do that, they wouldn’t need a mold. Maybe. So: the structure (whose external shape we do not know) for which it was used is out there or has been destroyed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-strange-grid-ball/646989.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-thing-strange-grid-ball/646989.md?page=7)