Mysterious 'blobs' near Norway are full of squid mucus and embryos, study finds

.livescience.com ^ | By Brandon Specktor -

[BenLurkin]

Nearly 100 similar blob sightings have been reported around Norway and the Mediterranean Sea since 1985, but the mysterious gelatinous masses have always evaded classification. Now, thanks to a year-long citizen science campaign and a new DNA analysis, researchers have finally identified the blobs as the rarely-seen egg sacs of a common squid called Illex coindetii.

According to a new study, published March 30 in the journal Scientific Reports, each blob may contain hundreds of thousands of teensy squid eggs, encased in a bubble of slowly disintegrating mucus. Remarkably, while scientists have known about I. coindetii for more than 180 years and have observed the species widely around the Mediterranean and both sides of the Atlantic, this is the first time they have identified the squid's egg sacs in the wild, the researchers wrote.

[SunkenCiv]

[snip] if you knew sushi, like we know sushi...

[Slyfox]

Yes.

[zeestephen]

I was surfing near Cape Canaveral in the 1960s when one of my high school pals surfaced with a huge translucent blob of something stuck on his head.

I started shouting, "It's whale sperm, it's whale sperm."

My friend completely freaked out.

[Slyfox]

[SimpleJack]

So the guy responsible for unleashing the Kracken got his coordinates mixed up.
Never go with the lowest bidder.

[Bonemaker]

[Karliner]

Squids need the jab, clear that mucus right up

[EinNYC]

I’d say those blobs are market-ready. UCK.

[Bonemaker]

Yeah, they pretty much burned through the feed lot!

[subterfuge]

Yes! That show was creepy when you are 8.

[minnesota_bound]

Couldn’t you scoop this gelatinous blob of squid eggs up and then make calamari soup?....

[Eagles6]

You, really, should have the eye bleach antidote ready, when you post something like that.

You could cause blindness, siezures or, in rare cases, arousal.😝