Black Ship Goo Found On Minnesota Research Boat Contains New Form Of Life

A scientific breakthrough has occurred in our Great Lakes. The University of Minnesota Duluth research vessel R/V Blue Heron was undergoing routine ship repairs when workers found something strange.

R/V Blue Heron Operated By UMD

The R/V Blue Heron is a research vessel that was purchased by the University of Minnesota Duluth back in 1997. The former fishing vessel was converted to study the Great Lakes. It takes samples and studies the water, sediment on the floor, and all the creatures in the water. They just discovered a new creature.

The research vessel was undergoing maintenance at a dry dock in Cleveland, Ohio, last fall. The crew had noticed a noisy propeller sound, so workers were looking into the problem. That's why they found a sludge oozing out of the rudder shaft. It was like a black goo, and that name stuck.

Ship Goo Testing

Of course, because it's a research vessel, they had to research what the black goo was. What they found was a new microbial species. The thick sludge contained never-seen-before microorganisms, according to WDIO. They used DNA testing to confirm it's never been encountered before.

That's pretty neat, right? The scientists say that the ship's rudder shaft creates its own unique oxygen-free ecosystem where this black goo flourishes.

So there you have it, this research ship made a breakthrough discovery while not even in the water. That's pretty remarkable.

Check out a behind-the-scenes tour of the Blue Heron.