Scientists have finally solved the mystery of the sticky black balls that washed up on a beach in Sydney, Australia, back in October, and the findings are pretty gross.
The balls, originally thought to be the result of an oil spill, were actually fat, oil and grease (FOG) deposits commonly found in sewer systems, according to 9News.
Other substances, like human fecal waste and recreational drugs, including THC and methamphetamine, were also found.
“They smell absolutely disgusting, they smell worse than anything you’ve ever smelt,” lead investigator Jon Beves told the outlet.
“We had a lot of fun analyzing these mystery blobs, using deductive reasoning to trace the likely source to human waste,” adds analytical chemist and professor William Alexander Donald.
Where the balls came from and how they ended up on Sydney’s shores is still unknown, scientists said.