In something that looks like a scene straight out of a sci-fi flick, a bizarre and slimy orange blob has been discovered in a canal in Utrecht, Holland.
Just in time for the spooky season!
The discovery was made by vigilant volunteers who spotted the grotesque blob clinging to a floating island within the canal.
An image was later shared to an Instagram page dedicated to the ecological nature along the canal. "What!? This was hanging at the bottom of a floating island," the caption read (translated).
And although this seemingly glowing dinosaur egg looks like a prop you'd find on the set of Jurassic Park or Stranger Things, the truth behind it is actually a lot more interesting.
As reported by the New York Post, the discovery is actually a living, breathing colony of Bryozoans — a group of slimy hermaphroditic creatures that band together to form what appears as otherworldly pods.
Local ecologist Anne Nijs shed some light on this eerie occurrence, which is unusual for The Netherlands. According to Nijs, these Bryozoans typically cluster into colonies, and it's not uncommon for these colonies to merge into massive conglomerates.
"At a certain point they form a colony, and different colonies can then stick together again," Nijs explained to AD. The result? A colossal gelatinous bag that can reach up to two meters in diameter, attaching itself to any sturdy fixture in the water.
These colonies can appear as large pods like the one above, or fans, bushes, and sheets.
Despite its size and strange appearance, Nijs reassured that these aquatic oddities are completely harmless to humans and to the surrounding environment (but they can cause a foul smell once they die off).
However, local experts have been left baffled, as the odd water creatures are not originally native to the Netherlands, per The Sun.
Originally from the East Coast of the United States, these microscopic marvels were documented as far back as 1883 in Germany, and have since been making appearances across Western Europe. "Since 1990 the species has appeared all over Western Europe and is spreading rapidly," said Nijs.
Even Oklahoma reported a cluster last spring, sparking wild theories about "alien egg pods".
What makes Bryozoans particularly fascinating is their reproductive ability. Being zooids with both female and male sex organs, they can clone themselves, contributing to their rapid spread across continents. With nearly 6,000 recorded species, these obscure beings could be lurking in waters near you.
"Wow, what a bizarre and oh so wonderfully beautiful natural phenomenon," one Instagram user commented (translated).
Another cautiously asked (translated): "Have they been put back underwater?"
As Halloween approaches, this find in the Utrecht canal is just a little spookier that the hidden biodiversity of our planet is often scarier than any fiction out there.
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