Today in TechMysterious gelatinous spheres rain down in England
The discovery of mysterious, blue, gelatinous spheres in an English backyard has captivated the imagination of scientists and the public alike. What the heck are the spheres? And where did they come from?
The unscented, water-insoluble spheres were first found in the yard of former aerospace engineer Steve Hornsby. Since the discovery was made immediately following an ususual hail storm, the spheres were first assumed to have come from the sky. However, according to the Met Office, the U.K.'s national weather service, the spheres are "not meteorological."
There's no consensus as of yet regarding the source of the gelatinous balls. One research assistant believes the spheres could be eggs from marine invertebrates that hitched a ride on birds' feet; another believes the gel could be a type of underwater bacteria colony. Yet another theory says the balls are made of hydrogel, a planting material used to regulate soil moisture, but Hornsby says he's never used the product.
It appears that the mystery may soon be solved. Hornsby saved a few spheres in his refrigerator, which Bournemouth University have accepted for analysis.
[Image source: Baok]
This article was written by Fox Van Allen and originally appeared on Tecca
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