ABOVE: Marine mucilage visible in the waters around Istanbul's historic Moda pier
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For months, the surface waters of Turkey’s Sea of Marmara have been full of a viscous substance colloquially referred to as “sea snot.” The cloudy muck, formally referred to as marine mucilage, has been clogging the nets of Turkish fishers, choking marine life, and generally grossing out tourists and coastal residents with its sliminess and stench.
It’s not the first time the foul slime has appeared along the Turkish coast, nor is the phenomenon unique to the area. But, according to the BBC, it’s believed to be the worst snot bloom in history. Local officials are attempting to clean up the mess by sucking up the slime with ship-based vacuums, The Washington Post reports, and Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed to prevent future blooms by designating the sea as a conservation area. But experts ...
