Oobleck takes its name from Bartholomew and the Oobleck, the 1949 Dr. Seuss book about a strange sticky substance falling from the sky. The real version is usually made from cornstarch and water and is known as a non-Newtonian fluid, firm under pressure and runny when left alone. Teachers, science channels and ASMR creators popularised it online through squeezing, walking and slow-motion experiments. Recordings of its squelches became a reusable goo sound because the texture is instantly recognisable, even without seeing the mixture itself.