The Brief: Randonauting is a newly popular activity where people visit locations based on randomized coordinates. The hobby has a strong online community which has grown as more people turn to it as a quarantine activity.
DEEP DIVE
What Is Randonauting?
Randonauting is the practice of visiting randomly generated coordinates in one’s general vicinity. People get coordinates from an app that provides them with a random location nearby. The details of what to do are up to individual Randonauts, but the app and online communities encourage people to set intentions before their trips and to open themselves up to possibility and adventure.
A Randonauting trip made headlines after a group of teenagers discovered human remains in a suitcase in Seattle while making a Randonautica TikTok video.
How To
Anyone can participate in Randonauting starting at any location. Coordinates can be found on the Randonautica app. Users can choose between locations that are called Voids, Attractors, or Anomalies. According to the app, “Attractors are dense clusters of random points,” “Voids are the opposite,” and Anomalies are “the strongest out of Attractors and Voids.” Randonauts are prompted to set an intention for their journey before their coordinates are selected. Users give their current location, select what kind of location they’re looking for, and choose an “entropy source.” Then, they’re given coordinates from a quantum number generator and can connect to a map app for directions.
#Randonauts On Social Media
Randonautica is rooted in online communities where people share their experiences. The subreddit r/randonauts has over 100,000 members and provides a space for people around the world to discuss Randonautica and post stories and photos from their trips. The Twitter account @TheRandonauts has over 20,000 followers. On TikTok, the hashtags #Randonauting, #Randonautica, and #Randonaut have over 678 million combined views. The web series “Ready Or Randonaut” is a reality web series that follows people while they’re Randonauting.
@sluglexa RANDONAUTICA WORKS OK #fyp #randonauting #randonautica #randonaut #dog #nature #fun #foryou #foryoupage #manifestation #mojavedesert #night #explore
Randonauting surged in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic as it’s an activity that can be done easily nearby one’s home while social distancing. While people typically only go Randonauting alone or in small groups, they can connect with larger Randonautica communities online.
Randonautica + The Supernatural
Many people have reported supernatural activity while Randonauting. This could be due to how the experience of Randonauting allows people to change their perspectives on ordinary things, visiting new places with specific intentions. This could make them more open to observing extraordinary things and noticing coincidences. Some videos online may be embellished or sensationalized, but many Randonauts agree that the process can be eye-opening, refreshing, spooky, and/or otherworldly.
@gothboithrift y’all ain’t ready … #randonaut part 2?#TossYourCap TikTokGraduation
@marlenasanchezz This was hella creepy not gonna lie 😩 #fyp #scary #randonauting #randonautica #randonaut #creepy #trippy #illusion #4u #simulation #conspiracy #ah