Hilary Corlett recently gathered blob samples from Arnold’s Cove and observed that the substance had impressions resembling pebbles. CBC
Last month, strange white, sponge-like blobs started washing up on the shores of Placentia Bay in Newfoundland, puzzling locals and attracting attention from around the world. Many were left wondering what these mysterious substances could be. Hilary Corlett, an assistant professor in the earth sciences department at Memorial University, decided to investigate the mystery after becoming intrigued by the unusual occurrences.
"I thought it would be interesting to figure out what these blobs really were," said Corlett. "It's still a mystery, but I have a few ideas."
Corlett's initial hunch was that the blobs might be natural sponges, so she headed to the beaches near Arnold’s Cove to gather samples. There, she discovered several of the mysterious blobs during a short walk, collecting them to take back to her lab for closer inspection. One blob had impressions left by pebbles on its surface, with two stones still embedded in it. Another had brown algae stuck to the bottom that couldn’t be removed, further piquing her curiosity.
After some investigation, Corlett theorized that the blobs are likely man-made, possibly some kind of liquid material that solidified after coming into contact with cold water. She suspected the blobs might be composed of a polymer, given how firm and detailed the impressions of the pebbles and algae were.
"I don't think you could get those perfect impressions unless it had been a liquid initially," Corlett explained.
One clue that led Corlett to believe the blobs were man-made was an allergic reaction she experienced while handling them. After brushing one blob against her arm, she felt an itch similar to the reaction she gets from certain types of latex. Additionally, the smell of the substance, when she opened the sample bag, struck her as familiar, giving off a plasticky odour she associated with synthetic materials.
"My arm started itching, and the smell reminded me of something man-made, like plastic," she recalled.
Although Corlett’s lab at Memorial University isn’t equipped to conduct the necessary tests to confirm her theory, she plans to collaborate with the university’s chemistry department to identify the substance. She also plans to put the blob in a hot water bath to see if it melts back into a liquid form.
While Corlett’s hypothesis remains unproven, she continues to investigate, eager to uncover the truth behind these strange blobs washing up on Newfoundland’s shores.
