In the middle of October, astonishing finds were made on seven different beaches in the Sydney area: thousands of small, black balls of unknown origin scattered in the sand.
Now, a research team at the University of New South Wales has determined what the balls consisted of – and it's not tar or oil, as initially suspected by experts.
Instead, the "fat lumps" consisted of a disgusting mixture of ingredients: human feces, methamphetamine, human hair, fatty acids, medication, and food waste, among hundreds of substances in total.
They smell absolutely disgusting. They smell worse than anything you've ever smelled, says Professor Jon Beaves to Australian 9 News.
Several beaches, including the well-known Bondi Beach, were closed, and extensive cleaning efforts were initiated after the balls were found. Residents were advised to avoid swimming and not to touch the black objects.
I wouldn't want to swim with them, says researcher William Alexander Donald now to 9 News.
Where the balls came from, however, remains a mystery, according to CNN.
