Scientists Reveal ‘Disgusting’ Truth Behind Mysterious Balls That Shut Down Beaches in Australia
Mar. 15, 2025Workers in hazmat suits cleaning up mysterious tar balls found in Sydney, Australia beaches.Photo:Brook Mitchell/Getty
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Brook Mitchell/Getty
The composition of themysterious ballsthat 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 Newsreported. As a result, eight beaches were closed for several days as authorities cleaned up, according to theBBC.
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.
Mysterious beach blobs washed up on the beaches of Australia.UNSW Chemistry
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UNSW Chemistry
“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 outlet9News.
A worker in a hazmat suit cleans the beaches of Australia.Brook Mitchell/Getty
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As for how the balls ended up in the water, well, authorities haven’t figured that out quite yet.
According to the BBC, Sydney Water has said there are no known waste systems issues.
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And not knowing where they came from opens the door to it happening again.
source: people.com
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