Modern Mysteries

'Alien goo' turns out to contain Magpie DNA

By T.K. Randall
January 23, 2014

Image: DNA Methylation
Credit: Christoph Bock, Max Planck Institute for Informatics / CC BY-SA 3.0 (adapted) The discovery of a strange translucent slime at an RSPB nature reserve in Somerset following an alleged UFO sighting in February last year prompted a spate of news reports at the time promoting the possibility that the mysterious goo could be extraterrestrial in origin.

The discovery of the substance mirrors several similar discoveries that have been made over the years of an unidentified slime-like substance, sometimes referred to as "star jelly", on the ground following meteorological events.Scientists at the Natural History Museum who have since studied the substance however have concluded that, far from coming from outer space, the peculiar slime appears to contain a combination of frog and magpie DNA.

"Now that could mean that it's a frog that's been ingested by a magpie and the indigestible parts have been coughed up in to the sticky gel," said Stuart Hine of the Identification and Advisory Service. "However, we've got to explore a bit further."

Source: IB Times

Tags: Star Jelly