The composition of the mysterious balls that washed up on the shores of Australia last month has been revealed — and scientists say the truth is "much more disgusting" than they initially thought.

Scientists have solved the mystery of sticky black balls that began washing on beaches in Sydney, Australia last month. Thousands of the strange balls first began appearing in mid-October, including at the city's famous Bondi Beach,

On Oct. 15 strange debris shaped like black balls began appearing on Coogee beach in Sydney, Australia. The black balls were initially not identified, and the local city council initially believed that the balls were the result of an oil spill or seepage.