Mysterious Black Balls on Sydney Beaches (5 photos)
Australian scientists have solved a mystery that has troubled Sydney authorities for the past month. Several city beaches had to be closed in October due to "mysterious" black balls washed up on the shore. 
They were supposed to be made of oil. However, the balls turned out to be a mixture of human feces, vegetable oil and drugs, scientists have found. This was reported by ABC News, citing a study by the University of New South Wales (UNSW). 
It is not yet possible to say exactly why the balls ended up on the shores of Sydney, however, scientists said that sewage and other urban waste could have been their source.
"Our analysis showed that the material is not natural and cannot be associated solely with an oil spill. It most closely resembles human waste. <...> We found that the sticky spheres contain hundreds of different components, including molecules derived from cooking fat and soap waste. <...> Markers of human faecal waste were also found <...> and residues of recreational drugs such as THC (from marijuana) and methamphetamine," the scientists said in their study. 
Associate Professor John Beaves from the University of New South Wales said the balls "smell absolutely disgusting" - "the worst you've ever smelled".
The mysterious balls were spotted on Sydney beaches in mid-October. Authorities were concerned they could be dangerous, so they closed the beaches and collected samples for testing. 
Initially, it was believed that they could have formed when oil came into contact with garbage and water. There was also a version that these were resin balls. 
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