Modern Mysteries

Scientists solve mystery of black balls found washed up in Australia

By T.K. Randall
October 17, 2024 ·  16 comments

Coogee Beach, Sydney. Image Credit: CC BY-SA 4.0 Sardaka The maritime mystery, which saw the closure of Coogee Beach this week, made headline news in Australia as experts attempted to figure out what the peculiar black balls actually were.

The spheres, which were found washed up on the sand in their hundreds, perplexed beachgoers and raised concerns over whether or not they posed a health hazard to anyone who might come into contact with them.

Fortunately, however, the mystery of exactly what they were would go on to be solved when preliminary testing revealed that the balls were comprised of a hydrocarbon-based pollutant "consistent with the makeup of tar balls".

The area remained closed while workers attempted to collect up all the balls from the beach."Our priority as a local council is to keep people safe and protect as far as possible our coastal and marine environment," said local mayor Dylan Parker.

"We have engaged an expert occupational hygienist and a specialist waste removal contractor who are currently systematically removing the debris from the beaches in accordance with an agreed safe work method statement developed with the NSW EPA."

Investigations will likely continue for some time while experts attempt to determine the scale of the pollution as well as where exactly the tar balls originally came from.

The leading theory is that they are the result of an oil leak on a ship somewhere out at sea.

Keeping beachgoers safe, however, remains the top priority.


Source: News.com.au | Comments (16)

Tags: Australia