Strange black substance on Maine beaches turns out to be millions of dead bugs | Boing Boing

Over the last few days, beachgoers in Wells, Maine were surprised to find their feet stained black after walking in the sand, and scientists at the Department of Environmental Protection were baffled. One thing they determined was that it didn't appear to be petroleum-based, according to News Center Maine (video above).

Then, according to AP, a local marine geologist and two oceanographers did the obvious: took samples from the beach and looked at them through a microscope. Turns out the black substance is millions of dead bugs.

"It was clearly little bugs," one of the oceanographers, Linda Stathoplos, said.

"This is the first time I've seen or heard of this in my 35 years," marine geologist Steve Dickson added.

The scientists are still trying to figure out what kind of bugs they are, and why they appeared on the beach.