(updates appended below; most recent update: Sep.25.10 – Please see disclaimers at the end of the article before commenting)

Today, big things happened. The Box was opened. (ongoing updates appended)

The viral nature of this production certainly did its job. The original video on youtube had a description which was consistently updated every few days. But the description was a countdown. It now reads:

000000000000000000
000000000000000000
0000…………………..0000
0000……OPEN……0000
0000……..THE…….0000
0000……..BOX…….0000
0000…………………..0000
0000…………………..0000
www.whatsinthebox.nl
000000000000000000

So what happened? We still don’t know… but something. All content indicates that events are taking (have taken?) place in the year 2018, August 6th. Supposedly this is when the events of the video take/took place.

Read on to find out all that’s been discovered, and dig in to the story…

A key point to remember: As with the initial ads spotted in various places for “What’s in the box?”, there are many, many references to J.J. Abrams’ Lost universe, and the ARGs used to promote the tv series. At this point, there’s no connection that this officially has anything to do with Lost or its promotional campaigns. So the following outline only focuses on WITB-related content.

Visit http://whatsinthebox.nl

Hover over the ring and you see the following hex quickly display:

00FFCF FF00D0 8E01FF DAFF00 FF0101 01D4FF 000BFF 42FF00

Now click on the upper quadrant of the ring, and you’ll be forwarded to a high quality presentation of the original video. (note that the “character audio track” is no longer missing as it was in the original viral video)

Click on the lower quadrant of the ring, and an input box appears. Various keywords will provide responses, but of most interest is:

• help which then displays “high contrast“

Others keywords include:

• (anything incorrect) “uh uh uh, you didn’t say the magic word“
• please = “who are you, Dennis Nedry?” (a reference to the character from Jurassic Park who secured his computer with the message above, and ‘please’ wasn’t the answer)
• whatsinthebox = “soon the world will find out“
• thebox = “what’s in it“
• tenacious d “simply the greatest band on earth“
• babel “why are you giving me the directions, if you are the one who needs them“
• babelresearch “babel re-search“
• saga “noevilsagasliveon“
• hanso “4 8 15 16 23 42“
• 4 8 15 16 23 42 “SYSTEM FAILURE“
• pandora “Copay Pales” (apocalypse?)
• date “06-08-2018“

Given the help response, boost contrast, capture the full page image of the ring and boost the contrast, and you see the text appear in the lower left:

+HS PQY-4FLI

Now view the source of the WITB page, and you’ll find commented HTML with the text: /snd/jables.mp3 (listen)

In reverse, this becomes a voice saying:

“local protection team report back“

Also in the source is an HTML comment at the very end containing:

“WASITACATISAW“

This is a palidrome (like “Tim Smit”, reads the same forwards and backwards)

Finally, also visible in the sourse:

www.babel-research.eu
some things will only be revealed through mirrors and light
Unmask the URL

Visit Babel Research

Now view the source of the website, and you’ll find commented HTML with the text:

/snd/hidden.mp3 (listen)

In reverse, this becomes a voice saying:

“yankee november“

Also in the source, a number of coloured dot images are labeled with hex colour values. Scattered throughout the page HTML are “key” attributes with the same hex values.

Locate these “key” attributes in the correct order:

00ffcf ff00d0 8e01ff daff00 ff0101 01d4ff 000bff 42ff00 fea702

Now click on the dots in the same order:

5 1 2 7 9 4 3 6 8

When done, this image (army_evac.jpg) appears:

Visit the ABOUT page, then view the source and you’ll find commented HTML with the text:

/snd/ragekage.mp3 (listen)

In reverse, this becomes a voice saying:

“we have a 14-juno situation“

If you recall in the video, a number is entered into the first cell phone, the Samsung A500. In the login entry field at the top right of Babel Research, enter the number:

59462

The page refreshes an this message appears:

As of 6th of august all remote systemchecks have come to a halt. Please contact local authorities or use remote any remote accesspoint.

Watch closely at the bottom of the website, to the left of the corporate logos. Occasionally, a small image of the schrodinger cat will appear.

When it appears, click it quickly, and you can download the audio file discedoMalum.mp3
(listen)

In reverse, this becomes a voice saying:

“found. project attainable has failed“

There’s another clickable object, found in the source, labeled “little secret”. In Firefox, this object is located just to the right of center below the page header (eg, between the “Y” of “Research and Technology” and the “e” of “achieving the impossible” on the BSC page). This method doesn’t work in IE. You can download the audio file uec.mp3
(listen)

This is a male voice which says:

“operation2347“

What’s in the box?

Return to whatsinthebox.nl and open the input box, then enter operation2347 and you’ll be forwarded to a new location…

United European Corps

Once on this site, view the source, and you’ll find commented HTML with the text:

/snd/mc2.mp3 (listen)

In reverse, this becomes a voice saying:

“located within quarantine zone“

This clip is also revealed in the high quality video stream page source.

The image displayed in the center of this page is located here:
http://babel-research.eu/witb/images/UE_join.jpg

The U.E.C. has open positions, and is allowing people to join!
“Join Now” the flyer says, “and find out what’s in the box!” Note: The European Union flag itself has 12 stars. The central circle in this ad contains 13 stars.

We still don’t know what’s in the box.

Available positions:

• Medical Officer
• Signal Specialist
• Infantry Runner
• System Expert

But if you’d like to join the U.E.C., stay tuned. Certainly the “how” will come to light very shortly. Peace Through Power!

Of course, don’t forget the fine print:

UEC is always looking for volunteers in their campaign for peace.

Come and join the discussion over at Unfiction! Or take this mystery to another community you frequent. Hopefully soon the world will in fact find out what on earth is in the box!

UPDATE!

More discoveries… Much like anti.gif located on whatsinthebox.nl, there is also an anti.jpg located on bable-research.eu:

This image contains a number of formulas and scans from textbooks. In the header is the Hilbert Matrix. I’ve attempted to separate some of the overlays for easier visualization:

Also missed in the outline above, when viewing the Whatsinthebox ring:

Clicking the left quadrant of the ring displays a video of a “TST” news broadcast taking place during the primary event from the ‘test reel’. A number of audio languages are overlaid, but there is certainly much to take in.

About two thirds through the broadcast, a single frame flashes containing the UEC logo:

At the end of the news broadcast there is a segment of reversed audio.
(listen)

“62-long. / Primary object not f–“

Clicking the right quadrant of the ring scatters a number of newspaper clippings around the ring.

Some of the heading letters are clickable, removing the articles, but leaving only the letters that would spell:

EXPOSED

Exposed

Visit babel-research.eu/witb/exposed and you’ll be presented with another, very faint, image. Adjusted, it appears to be a an overlaid eye on the Babel Research website.

UPDATE!

The notification image (warning.jpg) on Babel-Research.eu also contains a cryptic hidden message. The adjusted image reveals another mathematical formula – Planck Time.

UPDATE!

The header image (title_nar.jpg) from the website also contains a hint to try checking for the ‘anti‘ image:

UPDATE!

The Army_evac popup image flyer noted above also contains a hidden message.

UPDATE!

Headway has been made with the “+HS PQY-4FLI” string back at the main site. The hidden HTML clue: “some things will only be revealed through mirrors and light” indicates how to find the string, and what to do with it. Place a mirror along the center line (or just photoshop it) and you find this:

Now visit the Babel Research site and enter “hell” in the login field, and you can download the audio file X.mp3 (listen)

The request for the audio file is actually a javascript redirect, which includes the comment:

NOEVILSAGASLIVEON

In reverse, this becomes a few voices saying:

“Brout has been secured. / Roger that. / Tango“

“Brout” is referenced in the original video at approx. 4:18, once the 59462 code is entered in the cell phone: “The Brout”, “The Higgs”, and “The Englert”. Another key reference is the Brout-Englert-Higgs mechanism (wikipedia).

UPDATE!

It appears the audio clips can be placed together sequentially. I’ve speculated a possible order of clips, listed below.

[News // discedoMalum // X // hidden // mc2 // ragekage // jables]

(listen)
(female) …62 long.
(dig.male) Primary object not f//ound. Project Attainable has failed. // Brout has been secured.
(sqawk) Roger that.
(dig.fem) Tango // Yankee November located within quarantine zone. // We have a 14-Juno situation. // Local protection team report back.

UPDATE!

The header bar located at babel-research.eu/images/bar.gif contains the same text that scrolls through the CBI marquee in the original video. Points to note:

• “Hundreds found in poor conditions during kennel raid” refers to a news report from October 2, 2008
• “U.S. Solder pleads guilty in Iraq killings” seems to refer to recent news report from October 2, 2008
• “Museum Ship Intrepid heads back to Mangattan pier” is also a news report dating October 2, 2008
• “AEX +0.7 NASDAQ -1.00” (stock values on October 2, 2008?)
• “S & P-1.00” “+0.5 DOW JONES” (remainder of CBI marquee, in the image above)

UPDATE!

Analyzing the army_evac.jpg image for more information, you’ll see in the upper right corner a small bar code. It matches the pattern of a U.P.C. code.

The numbers contained within the guard bars (double lines at the beginning, middle, and end) are

125002 741350

The UPC standard though states the last digit as a checkdigit. With these numbers, the check digit should be “2”, not “0”. Are the numbers important?
(for reference, the checkdigit is calculated, using the first 11 numbers: sum of odd positioned digits multiplied by 3, plus sum of even positioned digits; the remainder after dividing by 10, subtracted from 10 if more than 0. Thus, 10-(((1+5+0+7+1+5)*3+2+0+2+4+3+0) mod 10) = 2)

UPDATE!

A new video has appeared from timsmit, entitled “Cars (Second hidden)”, 01.15.10 14:47 (apparently first posted at boxblip.blip.tv, but available on babel-research.eu).

If you look closely at the very end of the film, you will notice below the flaming ring the letters “MMX”. Its meaning is uncertain, however MMX is the roman numerical value for 2010.

UPDATE!

A “new” (as of January 15) video by Timacious has been posted to youtube, call “Hey Girl” from Daybroke. While very abstract (and a catchy song), it specifically contains something relevant to WITB. At about 3:28, you will spot the brief appearance of a code that appears related to Babel Research.

babel-research.eu/{1/3}/{2/3}/{3/3}.html

Does this imply there are three words to look for that will lead to a hidden web page? Only time will tell.

Edited to add: The other recent video noted in the previous update “Cars” can be viewed on Babel-Research at http://babel-research.eu/129/222/315.html – might this be the URL being referenced in the music video? That would imply that the three ‘words’ are “129”, “222”, and “315”. It may be that the music video was the intended direction from which to lead people to the Cars video (which does bear an eerie similarity to the music video).

Also located in the source code for the Cars video web page following the 7 pipes (“|”) is the following comment:

The wait is not yet over

More info:

It is referring to the Cars video. I’ve taken screenshots of recurring elements in the music video, which is clearly instructions for producing the URL to the Cars video.

1) At 1:43 – 1:44, the WITB “?” appears with the timecode below
2) At 1:29, the WITB symbol appears with 1/3 and ??:?? where the timecode appeared as above
3) At 2:22, the WITB symbol appears with 2/3 and ??:?? where the timecode appeared as above
4) At 3:15, the WITB symbol appears with 3/3 and ??:?? where the timecode appeared as above

Based on the hint at 1:43-1:44, code 1 = 129, code 2 = 222, code 3 = 315, and that produces the final URL babel-research.eu/129/222/315.html which is the location of “Cars”.

UPDATE!

MovieViral.com managed to get an exclusive comment from Tim Smit regarding the continued production of this film as a feature. Tim had this to say:

“I can only say we are in full gear making this into a feature! Although the wait is not yet over!”

UPDATE!

On July 31, timacious commented in his own channel with the following message:

“There is much more to come. Things have been crazy. S.t.a.y. T.u.n.e.d.”

Speculation is that something new may happen on the (now infamous) August 6th date, the anniversary of the events from the first video which took place August 6th, 2018.

All we can say is – S.t.a.y. T.u.n.e.d.

UPDATE!

On September 24, timsmit uploaded a new Daybroke music video entitled “Sabotage”. As expected, the music video contains a number of hidden easter eggs, though as of this writing nothing that advances the “WITB” mystery.  Watch the video below:

Some hidden easter eggs…

1) At 0:42, the Drink box is labeled “Babel Products”, “110% sugar daddy”
2) At 1:10, the posted on the truck door reads “Truck No. 108”
3) At 1:14, the car’s license plate reads “THE D”
4) At 1:17-1:19, the windows contain letters that read “GOD” from inside. There’s also two green signs labeled C1 and C2 (unsure if they’re relevant however)
5) At 1:19, a TV inside the building is playing the boxblip “Cars” video previously discovered.
6) At 1:52, a guy is wearing a Tenacious D t-shirt
7) At 2:26, two trucks collide, one belonging to Babel Products, transporting Cola. (the blue truck looks like it’s labeled “Mintos”)
8) At 2:30, the hazard sign clearly reads, with the UEC logo:   RESTRICTED UEC Missile Site Under direct authority of [signature?] [last line illegible]

DISCLAIMERS

Comments below are moderated, to help sort signal from noise. Below are the guidelines to keep in mind if you wish to comment (and please do!).

1. To re-iterate (because this is such an enormously popular direction of investigation) – this article won’t be covering anything that’s contained in the old, completed Lost ARG, and that includes anything surrounding Hanso Foundation or Rachel Blake. There are references from WITB to Lost and Hanso – but exploring those leads will only take you to that ARG.

2. Babel-Research.com won’t be included here either, until there is an official, undeniable connection – not speculation, since the site blatantly says it’s not related to whatsinthebox.nl.

3. Regarding the Halflife/Portal connection – any info not connected back in some way to this project is also irrelevant here. It’s obvious that both Lost and Halflife have influence in this production, but let’s focus on what’s directly applicable to these events, in this universe. Consider those connections ‘easter egg’ until/unless it plays a role in this production.

TO CLARIFY: Yes, there is no debate – there are clearly many purposeful references and allusions to the Valve’s Halflife and Abrams’ Lost universes – but they are not officially connected. This was an independent creation. Discussing those universes’ influence on this production is ok, but I’ll moderate comments that continuously push this as advertising for some upcoming Halflife or Lost (or crossover) production – as long as there is no confirmed, official connection.

Tags: babel research, whatsinthebox

Categories: Grassroots, Viral General