Beginning in 2007, a striking cluster of detached human feet washed ashore around the Salish Sea, on coasts shared by British Columbia and Washington. Although earlier British Columbia cases in 1887 and 1914 showed some precedent, the modern series was far larger, with at least 20 feet found by 2018, including some matched pairs. Investigators concluded the discoveries did not stem from a single criminal cause: foul play was ruled out in previous British Columbia cases, and DNA helped identify most of the remains. Scientists pointed to natural decomposition in water and buoyant modern footwear, making the phenomenon unusual but not inexplicable.