Mysterious, sticky, smelly balls
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — The Soapbox
CrystalRaindrops — 1 year ago(November 16, 2024 08:27 PM)
The composition of the mysterious balls that washed up on the shores of Australia last month has been revealed — and scientists say the truth is "much more disgusting" than they initially thought.
Starting mid-October, thousands of sticky blobs the size of golf balls were discovered on Sydney's Bondi Beach and other shores, NBC News reported. As a result, eight beaches were closed for several days as authorities cleaned up, according to the BBC.
Originally, authorities said that preliminary test results indicated that the mysterious blobs were tar balls, which form when oil comes into contact with debris and water, but as it turns out, that's not quite what happened.
“What we found is much more — this is not going to sound very scientific — but much more disgusting than we previously thought," research team member William Alexander Donald told NBC News.
According to an analysis released by the New South Wales Environment Protection Authority on Wednesday, Nov. 6, the debris comprised "fatty acids, petroleum hydrocarbons, and other organic and inorganic materials."
"The investigation has revealed that the balls contain hundreds to thousands of different materials, including human hair and various fibres," officials wrote, noting that the mixture also included "cooking oils, soaps, and skincare items."
But that's not everything. The BBC reported that blood pressure medication and pesticides were found in the balls as well, while Donald told NBC News they also contained trace amounts of recreational drugs and birth control.
If that sounds bad, officials say they smell even worse.
“They smell absolutely disgusting, they smell worse than anything you’ve ever smelt,” lead investigator Jon Beves told Australian outlet 9News.
As for how the balls ended up in the water, well, authorities haven't figured that out quite yet.
"Authorities have considered several possible causes, such as a shipping spill or wastewater outflow," the EPA wrote. "However, due to the complex composition of the balls and the time they have spent in the water, testing has not been able to confirm their exact origin."
https://people.com/scientists-reveal-disgusting-truth-behind-mysterious-balls-that-shut-down-beaches-australia-8742110
