Mystery vials on lamp post.

March 27, 2009 8:24 AM

What are these odd little vials?

They're zip-tied fairly high up to a lamp post on a main road, appear to be glass, and are about the size of a finger. They have small labels on them that are mostly hidden by the black arms.
Oddly, they don't seem to have a bottom at all, although as I couldn't get a close look they might just have a very thin bottom. I realise now I should have taken a photo from directly beneath as well, but I couldn't see anything obvious inside.

They seem far too small to be a rainmeter, which was my first thought. Some kind of pollution test perhaps?

This is in Greater London.

Thanks!

posted by lucidium to Grab Bag (5 answers total)

Pollution test was also my first guess.
posted by InsanePenguin at 8:34 AM on March 27, 2009

Insect monitoring or control would also be a possibility.
posted by chairface at 10:51 AM on March 27, 2009

Best answer: They are indeed air quality testing units (scroll down for definitive pic). But by all means, play silly buggers by calling whatever you call the cops up and screaming about terrorism.
posted by nanojath at 11:41 AM on March 27, 2009 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thanks nanojath! That's really cool, I'll have to look again to see if I can find out how our local air rates.

Was there someone suggesting I report this?
posted by lucidium at 1:21 PM on March 27, 2009

No, no - I was just thinking about those posters. I phrased my "joke" weirdly.
posted by nanojath at 3:51 PM on March 27, 2009