This name refers to unidentifiable large masses of animal material that wash up on shore or in nets and puzzle local fishermen. Often described for the newspapers as sea monster remains, they appear like no known living animal. The reason for this is that they are severely decomposed remains of some large animal. Skin, features and appendages are missing. Rubbery muscle and connective tissue, which appears hairy or stringy, may be all that�s left. Bone structure is misleading due to missing pieces.
When no skeleton is found, the globster could be what remains of a large octopus or squid. Carcasses that have been pulled up by fishermen or washed on shore are most likely decomposing whales or sharks. Basking sharks, in particular, decay to look at casual glance like extinct sea reptiles (plesiosaurs). Laboratory tests or examinations can reliably identify these unknown remains found today if a sample is taken before the blobs are washed back out or dumped into the sea. But, investigators of historical globsters did not have these advantages. So, some stories of recovered sea monster corpses remain unexplained.
Sharon Hill (Scientist) |
Skeptic Bibliography: ��