Scientists Still Trying To Explain Hoboken 'Worm Tornadoes'

HOBOKEN, NJ — After Patch and other outlets reported on strange worm formations near the Hudson River in Hoboken last Thursday — following a night of rain — scientists said the "wormnadoes" were a rare sight, and some experts said they'd never seen such a thing. Others pointed to a 2015 video in a Texas park that showed worms herding in a parking lot. READ MORE: Hoboken 'Worm Tornadoes' Cause A Stir

After Patch's coverage, the story was picked up by the New York Post and others. And on Tuesday morning, a longform story was posted on Livescience.

The publication quoted Kyungsoo Yoo, a professor in the Department of Soil, Water, and Climate at the University of Minnesota, as saying, "This tornado shape is really interesting." The story noted, "Yoo studies how invasive earthworms transform forest ecosystems, and though worms are known for mass-emerging from soil after rain, he had never seen them form a spiral before."

An assistant professor at Georgia Tech opined that the shape may have occurred as the water was draining. "We've seen them follow trails of water and form all kinds of paths and aggregate structures," he said.

Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher, who originally posted her neighbors' photos on Facebook and Twitter last week, said she was surprised by the response from all over.

Fark brings the Jersey snark

The internet commenters were as surprised as the scientists, with many calling the worms "gross."

Several commenters on Fark responded to a thread called, "New Jersey: Come for the toxic waste sites, stay for the worm tornadoes," saying they'd avoid Hoboken or all of New Jersey because of the worms.

But a poster named JerseyTim wisely pointed out that Hoboken's sandwiches are freakin' amazing: "There's this deli called Fiore's that on Wednesdays and Saturdays has a special on a roast beef and mozzarella sandwich that is just incredible. Worth risking tornado worms for."

He also waxed nostalgic: "I saw the Worm Tornadoes open for the Replacements at Maxwell's back in '86."

Fear not, visitors to the mile-square city. There already have been two more rains in Hoboken, and no worms spotted in formation. We may never see them again — or will we?

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