An overturned truck on the highway is never good news. It’s even worse when the truck is carrying 7,500 pounds of hagfish, eel-like primitive fish that produce slime, especially when they’re stressed. Turns out getting dumped into the middle of a highway produces plenty of stress.
The “slime eels” spilled onto U.S. 101 in Oregon on Thursday and lived up to their nickname by covering everything in their path with goo.
What to tell the #drycleaner? pic.twitter.com/2QyxSriiGq
— Oregon State Police (@ORStatePolice) July 13, 2017
Thanks @OregonDOT pic.twitter.com/SmwHtWLeQ3
— Depoe Bay Fire Dist. (@DepoeBayFire) July 13, 2017
Operation eel cleanup with @OregonDOT 2 lanes now open pic.twitter.com/Lj2oIAzsFf
— Depoe Bay Fire Dist. (@DepoeBayFire) July 13, 2017
HWY 101 mp 131 just got slimed. Fortunately no injuries. pic.twitter.com/jyBoZovzaz
— Depoe Bay Fire Dist. (@DepoeBayFire) July 13, 2017
In this heat… what is this going to start smelling like in the next few days?😳 pic.twitter.com/3FqSwXeSMP
— Oregon State Police (@ORStatePolice) July 13, 2017
Fortunately, no humans were injured in the five-car crash. I can’t say the same about the hagfish, who cannot survive out of salt water. But they were on their way to becoming a Korean delicacy, so maybe this is a better way to go out.
But now we all know what slime eels are. And sure, they’re gross. But they also do some pretty cool things.
Like how their slime may be strong enough to create bulletproof vests! And they haven’t changed much in the last 300 million years, possibly because that slime is such a good defense mechanism.
Godspeed, slimy little fellas.
