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The danger behind the mysterious black spot: Why can this substance cause fatal car accidents?
Since it first appeared in Caracas, Venezuela in 1986, the mysterious black substance called "La Mancha Negra" (the Black Spot) has caused countless car accidents and deaths in the area. Despite nearly two decades of research, there is still no clear explanation for the origin of this substance. These chaotic situations make people wonder what this black substance is and what kind of danger is hidden behind it?
History
La Mancha Negra first appeared in 1986, when workers repairing a road from Caracas to the airport stumbled upon a 50-meter-long black stain. Initially, little attention was paid to the stain, but it soon spread over 13 kilometers of highway, scaling with the weather in an incredible way.
The mysterious substance grows in hot, humid weather but shrinks in cold, dry weather, and particularly likes to appear in tunnels and ramps outside airports.
The sticky black substance made the roads extremely dangerous, causing countless vehicles to crash or run off the roads. By 1992, 1,800 people had died in La Mancha Negra-related accidents, prompting authorities to intervene and invest "millions of dollars" in an investigation. Even after seeking help from experts in the United States, Canada and Europe, the root of the problem remained elusive.
Analysis of La Mancha NegraComposition
La Mancha Negra is characterized by greasy black lumps about an inch thick that locals describe as "smooth as ice." Some experts believe it is composed of dust, oil, and various organic and synthetic materials.
"After 14 years of research, no one knows what this stuff is, where it comes from, or how to get rid of it."
Cause Analysis
There are many theories about the origin of La Mancha Negra, but its exact nature has not been determined. Some initially thought it was a chemical reaction caused by raw sewage from nearby slums, but Venezuelan engineer Fernando Martinez Móttola believed that La Mancha Negra and its surrounding residents should be cleaned up as they were causing the leaks.
"Many people believe that black spots are oil seeping from low-quality asphalt, which theoretically would leak oil at high temperatures."
However, the Department of Transport said the composition of asphalt did not lead to the formation of the substance. The most widely accepted theory is that La Mancha Negra is the accumulation of countless old cars and their fluids on the road. Professor Giannetto believes that La Mancha Negra is a paste formed by a mixture of dust and oil released by cars.
Political factors involvedDuring a period of social unrest during the administration of President Carlos Andrés Pérez in 1992, there were allegations that his political opponents had poured oil on roads in an effort to damage his leadership. In 2001, with Hugo Chavez's Bolivarian Revolution, the substance was exploited again, with Chavez Mayor Freddy Bernal accusing the opposition of hiring homeless people to distract black people at night.
For many years, the existence of La Mancha Negra has not only been the source of traffic accidents, but also a reflection of policy and social problems. However, despite countless efforts to explain this phenomenon, the truth still evades everyone's pursuit, which reflects the limitations of our understanding of technological, environmental and social issues. Will we ever be able to uncover the mystery of La Mancha Negra, or will we just be lost in this dark chase?
