The Dorchester County Historical Society in Maryland has finally solved a 100-year-old mystery surrounding an unusual machine. The "Neild Museum gadget" had been stored in their archives for nearly three decades, and despite its unclear purpose, it was still functional. After seeking public input, historians determined that the device is actually a mechanical beaten biscuit maker. This discovery sheds light on the origins of Maryland beaten biscuits, which were likely developed as a workaround for the lack of leavening agents in the region.

Source: https://www.popsci.com/technology/biscuit-machine-mystery/