It's been a great year in pictures—some more identifiable than others. Here is a retrospective of 2009's best mystery shots. Care to take another guess?


Each image links back to the original post containing the answer.

Hint: Once you find out what it is everything makes sense. Don't over think it. [Click to see the answer]





Doc Brown's flux capacitor? A blinged-out religious relic from the future? A Tron 2.0 prop? [Click to see the answer]





Jellyfish attacking an undersea monster? That would be cool, but the reality is much simpler, and more beautiful. [Click to see the answer]





Ready for some mystery? The answer is... [Click to see the answer]





The engine room of the next Enterprise? A glimpse at the heart of some new particle accelerator? The lens of a new US military laser? [Click to see the answer]





While it may look a bit like Galactica's CIC it's probably older than you are. [Click to see the answer]





It looks like a gigantic bird hunting device but it will actually let you become one with nature rather than destroy it. [Click to see the answer]





Some kind of circuit board close up? No. A nuclear power plant's control panel full of gauges and labels? No, that's not it either. [Click to see the answer]





No, that's not the moon... [Click to see the answer]





A shot from the Iron Man sequel? A costume from a 22nd-century staging of Swan Lake ? My new back tat? [Click to see the answer]





They aren't shiny radio dishes or deadly antimatter arrays in Area 51. [Click to see the answer]





A huge version of Darth Vader's light saber? Close, but not quite close enough. [Click to see the answer]





Is this a cosmic dover over the skies of California? Maybe the aliens are telling us to chill out. Or perhaps the Holy Ghost went to grab some In-n-Out. [Click to see the answer]





Is this the entrence to Jason Chen's secret lair where the Gizmodo magic happens? Maybe a place to lock up anyone with the swine flu? What on Earth requires a HAL 9000 to keep guard? [Click to see the answer]





At first glance I thought this was a NASA image of some sort, maybe a solar flare. I even wondered if I could get a high-res version in turn into a poster. Then I found out what it actually is. [Click to see the answer]





Tattoo under a powerful microscope? One near some feminine naughty bits? No. [Click to see the answer]





This is a tricky one. What's the QR Code on that flag our little Android friend is waving? [Click to see the answer]






What Is This? Hint: Once you know it'll make sense, and no, it's not a trippy visualization for Burning Man. Read more

What Is This? Doc Brown's flux capacitor? A blinged-out religious relic from the future? A Tron 2.0 prop? Read more

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What Is This? Jelly fishes attacking an undersea monster? That would be cool, but the reality is much simpler,… Read more


What Is This? The engine room of the next Enterprise? A glimpse at the heart of some new particle accelerator?… Read more

What Is This? You'd be forgiven for thinking this is digital age command center, where generals direct scores of… Read more


What Is This? I thought this was some kind of bird hunting device sitting on top of a massive forest. In reality… Read more

What Is This? Some kind of circuit board close up? No. A nuclear power plant's control panel full of gauges and… Read more


What Is This? A shot from the Iron Man sequel? A costume from a 22nd-century staging of Swan Lake? My new back… Read more


What Is This? I thought they were some kind of radio dishes, until I noticed the shaeenee mirrors. Then I thought Read more

What Is This? Is this a huge version of Darth Vader's lightsaber, as someone said in the comments? It actually… Read more


What Is This? Is this a cosmic dove in the skies of California? Maybe the aliens are telling us to chill out. Or… Read more

What is This? Is this the entrance to Jason Chen's secret lair where the Gizmodo magic happens? Maybe a place to… Read more


What Is This? At first glance, I thought this is a NASA image of some sort, maybe a solar flare. I even wondered… Read more

What Is This? At first I thought this image was a tattoo under a powerful microscope. One near some feminine… Read more

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