The world is changing rapidly, bringing society new challenges that not everyone is prepared for. It is difficult to keep up with the development of technology and AI, especially for older people who grew up without the internet and technological gadgets. Many of them may even ask the question, “What is it used for?” when they see your new tech gadget.
Our everyday life is therefore completely different from that of previous generations. The items we use every day did not exist a decade ago, replacing other devices and equipment. Outdated items end up in museums and attics. Guessing their purpose can be quite a challenge. Can you do it? Find out!
Discover other quizzes on our website, because we have plenty of them! For example, Zoo Animal Test – can you recognize different species?
Just a few decades or even a few years ago, many items were absolutely essential, but they have now fallen completely out of use. Today, they are relics of bygone eras and pose quite a puzzle for new generations. See what items are no longer used and prepare yourself for the quiz!
To observe the changes, it is best to look at electronic equipment. Technology is probably the fastest growing field. New phones, gadgets, and devices are constantly being developed, replacing the old ones. Not to mention those from twenty years ago—almost no one uses them anymore!
New generations don’t know what cassette tapes or even CDs are! Today, everything is stored in the cloud or on portable device drives. Music is digital, available instantly, and mechanical alarm clocks have given way to alarms on phones. Not to mention how different modern screens are from the first televisions.
We can also see huge changes in the kitchen. In the past, the cooking equipment used to prepare meals was much simpler. Most things were done by hand, for example, beating with a whisk instead of a mixer. Stoves were not gas or electric, but coal-fired.
Back then, preparing a meal could be quite time-consuming and required greater skill and sometimes strength. Our grandmothers must have been very sturdy!
Can you recognize old kitchen appliances in the What Is It Used For Quiz? Test yourself today!
Some items are so outdated that it no longer makes sense to use them today. Paper maps, for example. It is obvious that navigating using GPS is much easier. Practically everyone has it on their smartphones, and thanks to the fact that it is an updating application, any changes on the roads are taken into account on an ongoing basis.
Old maps, on the other hand, may no longer reflect current roads as well, as much has changed since then. And it’s better not to get lost!
Other paper items that are falling out of use include encyclopedias and dictionaries, as well as newspapers and magazines. Today, we can simply find all the information we need on the internet. Whether we are looking for answers to a challenging question or simply want to check a grammatical error. People who know how to do research and find good sources will get the answer to everything!
Magazines and newspapers are also being replaced by the internet. If something important happens in the world, we don’t have to wait all day for the newspapers to be printed to find out about it. We find out immediately, so we can always stay up to date. And instead of magazines, we now browse websites, blogs, vlogs, and social media for entertainment.
Do you need a dictionary? Test your vocabulary in our Synonym Quiz!
In addition to old items, there are also those that are still in use, but not on a daily basis, so guessing their purpose can be a challenge for many people. These may be, for example, specialized tools that are exclusive to certain professions. In such cases, only the employees know their secret!
You may have learned about it in school, but would you be able to recognize a barometer? This device looks like a watch or a compass – it is round with a pointer pointing to a specific number.
What is it used for? This unusual gadget measures atmospheric pressure, which is primarily useful for weather forecasting, but can also be used for navigation and altitude determination by sailors, pilots, and mountaineers.
Another similar example is the sextant. What is it used for? This device, whose name some people joke about, is used in maritime navigation. It helps determine the position of a ship based on observations of the stars, and although in the age of GPS it seems completely unnecessary, this is not the case.
Sometimes, during adverse weather conditions, such as storms, or as a result of various failures, electronic navigation devices can fail. Knowing the position of a ship is very important and can even save lives, as in case of problems, rescue assistance can be called from land. However, searching for ships without navigation at sea is like looking for a needle in a haystack.
For this reason, also mechanical compasses are still used on ships, as they do not require batteries, electricity, or satellite signals to function properly.
You may have seen this device before, but didn’t know its strange name. So remember that this thing that looks like a tripod with a telescope used by surveyors on roads is called a theodolite.
What is it used for? Some people confuse it also with a camera, but this device is not used for taking pictures, but for measuring precise angles in the field, which is important when determining land boundaries. It is therefore essential for analysis in the construction of roads and bridges, so that everything is calculated precisely.
People have invented many useful devices to measure practically everything, even sound, which is invisible to the eye. One such device is the sound level meter, which allows you to accurately determine the intensity of noise. Sound levels are measured in decibels and reflect how loud it is in a given environment.
What is it used for? It therefore helps when preparing for a concert, but also for measuring noise at work to determine whether conditions are safe and whether employees need noise-canceling headphones.
The device resembles a remote control or electronic thermometer, but can be recognized by its round foam head, similar to that found on many microphones.
Changes in the items we use are a natural part of progress and development. Some things fade into oblivion, while others, though little known, remain indispensable in specialized fields. Today, we will focus on such items. Can you recognize what old or little-known devices are used for? Take our quiz and find out! Maybe you’re an expert on everything!
And also, take this! – Can You Guess The Country of This Landmark?
