Mystery blobs washing up on Newfoundland shores likely man-made, says scientist

So-called mystery blobs began washing up along Newfoundland beaches last month, sparking questions over what the substance actually is — and now, one scientist says she has a lead.

In early September, people began finding white, sponge-like substances on Placentia Bay beaches, which has made international headlines with articles in The New York Times, CBS News, and the BBC, among others.

Hilary Corlett, an assistant professor with Memorial University's earth sciences department, said she also became intrigued by the conundrum and decided to look into where the blobs could have originated from.

"I just thought it would be kind of neat to follow it up and see what the mystery was all about. And I agree, it's totally mysterious," Corlett told CBC News.

"I have some hunches, but I really don't know."

But her takeaway from her investigation is that the blobs are man-made, and were likely a liquid at some point.

Potential liquid origin

When Corlett first saw images of the blobs, she thought they might be sponges, and decided to go and find some samples.

"I went out to Arnold's Cove and I had a little walk along the beach there, and sure enough, there were several blobs. I think I counted just on my short walk about 15 or 20," she said.

Corlett collected samples to take back to her lab, adding that one of the larger blobs she found lying on top of a pile of algae had an irregular surface. When she flipped it over, she found impressions in the substance that resembled those left behind by pebbles, adding that two pebbles were still lodged in its surface.

Another sample had brown algae stuck on the bottom, she added.

"I tried to pull them loose and basically you couldn't. They were totally encased in the blob," she said.

Further reading helped her reach some theories about the blob's origins.

"I don't think that there's any way that you could have this perfect impression of these pebbles and the algae if it wasn't something that was liquid at first," she said.

Corlett said the blobs could be composed of a polymer because of how defined and immalleable the impressions are.

Corlett also believes it was likely that the liquid that came into contact with cold ocean water, solidifying it.

Moreover, while she was removing the blob from the bag, she accidentally brushed her arm against it and had an allergic reaction that she gets when in contact with certain types of latex.

"My arm started to feel itchy and that smell when I opened the bag it just hit me. It just smelled like something that I'd smelled before," Corlett said.

"I definitely smelled [something] sort of plasticky — definitely like a man-made product."

While Corlett's lab at MUN doesn't have the capabilities to analyze the samples, she said there are facilities on campus she could use.

"I am planning to get in touch with someone in the chemistry department who I think would have the tools to figure out if this is what it is — what my hypothesis is."

She also plans to place the blob in a hot water bath to see if it turns into a liquid.

"Again, I'm a geologist, so this is not my field of expertise, necessarily," said Corlett.

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