A mysterious, pulsating, slimy mass found in the sewer below Cameron Village in Raleigh has become the talk of the Internet, thanks to a 2-minute video of the blobs taken in April and posted on YouTube a few weeks ago.

According to WRAL.com, a city environmental coordinator believes the mass is composed of worms, but a biology professor says it's a cluster of invertebrates:

Ed Buchan, an environmental coordinator with the city's Public Utilities Department, says the mass is believed to be tubifex worms, which form clusters or colonies of about a half-inch to 1-inch in diameter.

Also known as "sludge worms," they are normally found in sediment of ponds and are sold as fish food in both live and dried forms.

Thomas Kwak, a biology professor at North Carolina State University's Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, however, says the so-called monster is actually a cluster of invertebrates called byrozoan, which are commonly found in both the sea and fresh water environments.

It's unclear how they got into the sewer system, but Kwak said it isn't surprising. The byrozoan feed off bacteria and thrive in cold, dark environments. Those in the video are smaller than a fist, but could grow as large as a watermelon, he said. More information at WRAL.com >>