At the risk of dispelling the magic, it was very likely just cheap asphalt around Caracas. Over time or under specific conditions, the asphalt separates or undergoes a chemical transformation, and now the road’s covered in slime.
They repaved the roads and the problem disappeared.
Alright smart guy, now explain the Catatumbo lightning
Believe it or not, cheap asphalt.
This is just another fascinating thing about earth I never knew about, thank you for sharing. That’s pretty cool, I like lightning, incredible to watch
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Not sure who pissed in your cereal, but I linked a source when I posted, which included interviews with two people involved with the problem in the 90s.
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Ignoring the fact that you’ve moved the goalposts:
- A local PhD petroleum engineering lecturer who was involved with the issue directly has a working theory.
- A Texas PhD chemical and petroleum engineering professor agrees it’s likely.
- It’s further supported by the fact that resurfacing work removed the issue.
Cherry-picking the words “I speculate” out of the entire article to suggest they’re unfamiliar with the phenomenon and just
pontificatingconjecturing is deliberately misleading and I suggest you take your own advice.No one likes a pedant.
Technically untrue 👀
I like one pedant.
hashtag Accidental Non Irony ✌️ or is it that only folks with institutional credentials can draw conclusions
One report stated that it “was a mixture of used engine oil and highly corrosive brake fluid” but was not able to ascertain its origin.[4] The most accepted theory is that La Mancha Negra is the result of countless leaky, old cars spraying their fluids over the roadway.[2][5]
“Swamp gas.”
—Scully, probably
Beware of timefall.
Maybe oil?
Considering Venezuela sits atop large reserves of low grade oil I would not surprise me it’s some sort of seepage.
Somehow the oil only seeps from road asphalt, and not from the surrounding porous ground…?
But the asphalt has been placed on some excavation and experiences constant compressions?
That’s not how compression works. At any reasonable depth below ground level the force would have been dissipated. For what you’re suggesting, the entire country would have to be living in a literal oil bog.
Don’t know. Oil is known to seep out of the ground and perhaps the only place it is noticed is road since that’s where people actually transit. A few cracks on the aging asphalt and a semi truck pressing down on or underneath while driving on top could easily force it out the cracks.
Dude. Instead of wildly speculating, maybe just read the article? They’ve spent millions doing lab analysis. If it were crude oil they’d have figured it out and be drilling.
Well, no one wants their oil. It’s very low grade and the only country really equipped to refine the stuff is the US, which is not really interested in trading with them.
Almost as bad as the Mancha Negra in my chones
