Bubble tea (also known as pearl milk tea, bubble milk tea, or boba) is a tea-based drink that originated in Taiwan in the early 1980s. It most commonly consists of tea accompanied by chewy tapioca balls ("boba" or "pearls"), but it can be made with other toppings as well. There is a common misconception that the name "bubble tea" refers to the appearance of the pearls (or boba), but it originates from the appearance of bubbles in the milk and tea blend after it is removed from the shaking machine.