I've never ever seen the Northerm Lights
Today, I think, is a good day for natural Science!
So I'm sure most of you know, but I am compelled to report such news. The first live giant squid has been caught on film! Wooo! It was off the coast of Japan and there are some amazing photos. One of the squid's tentacles got stuck on the line holding the camera and broke off in the squid's escape. They hauled that baby aboard and I'm sure there were a few very excited nerds on that boat cause that's the closest people have come to a live giant squid... unless you count any victims there may have been in the past. There is rarely anyone left after a giant squid attack to make a report though. If I were a giant squid, I would totally go around crushing things.
I seriously urge everyone to read that National Geographic article, its full of awesome information. My favorite is "After all, it's not an endangered species, not even all that rare, and it's one of the largest of all invertebrates." They're not even endangered! They're barely rare!! Its only cause they live in a place that light never gets to, not even the middle of the day, that they are hidden from us. What else is down there...?
What's funny is, in my mind the giant squid is a monster. A sea serpent with many heads painted on an ancient map with the words "Here be dragons" written below it. They live in a place that humans can't easily access and so are afforded protection from us. But not any longer! We have found ways to intrude upon its environment and observe its life. Imagine if this was another monster. Let's say... oh, I dunno... a dragon. I'm picturing scientists armed with flame retardant gear sending a robot or even just a pole with a camera into a cave located high enough to deter most people from going. They just kinda poke the dragon to see what it will do and get it on tape and that's all the contact we have with them. It just amazes me that we are beginning to uncover clues to mysteries with science that are borderline mythological. What else is out there, beside Komodo Dragons and Giant Squids and even evolutionary marvels like the Giraffe and Elephant. Did you know that at one point people found elephant skulls and held them as proof that cyclopses existed. The hole for the trunk looked like a giant eye in the middle of the face. It was certainly large enough to be a giant's skull and tusks made it look monstrous. Who knows what we don't know? I love it.
And speaking of not knowing, I didn't know there was such a thing as a Colossal Squid! I really need to start reading National Geo again.
Also, I tend to be the one who finds these kinds of stories and passes them out to a vaguely interested group of people. This time however, about 8 of you contacted me to make sure I saw this. Thanks :) Much appreciated! As a reward, here is an article on giant squid sex that I stole from Dinosaur Comics. Woo! Bonus material!
And in all of this squid nonsense I must remind you to watch Lost!
-D
Today I am happy my sister values my advice.
Today I learned about Orcas, without really learning what I was trying to learn.
So I'm sure most of you know, but I am compelled to report such news. The first live giant squid has been caught on film! Wooo! It was off the coast of Japan and there are some amazing photos. One of the squid's tentacles got stuck on the line holding the camera and broke off in the squid's escape. They hauled that baby aboard and I'm sure there were a few very excited nerds on that boat cause that's the closest people have come to a live giant squid... unless you count any victims there may have been in the past. There is rarely anyone left after a giant squid attack to make a report though. If I were a giant squid, I would totally go around crushing things.
I seriously urge everyone to read that National Geographic article, its full of awesome information. My favorite is "After all, it's not an endangered species, not even all that rare, and it's one of the largest of all invertebrates." They're not even endangered! They're barely rare!! Its only cause they live in a place that light never gets to, not even the middle of the day, that they are hidden from us. What else is down there...?
What's funny is, in my mind the giant squid is a monster. A sea serpent with many heads painted on an ancient map with the words "Here be dragons" written below it. They live in a place that humans can't easily access and so are afforded protection from us. But not any longer! We have found ways to intrude upon its environment and observe its life. Imagine if this was another monster. Let's say... oh, I dunno... a dragon. I'm picturing scientists armed with flame retardant gear sending a robot or even just a pole with a camera into a cave located high enough to deter most people from going. They just kinda poke the dragon to see what it will do and get it on tape and that's all the contact we have with them. It just amazes me that we are beginning to uncover clues to mysteries with science that are borderline mythological. What else is out there, beside Komodo Dragons and Giant Squids and even evolutionary marvels like the Giraffe and Elephant. Did you know that at one point people found elephant skulls and held them as proof that cyclopses existed. The hole for the trunk looked like a giant eye in the middle of the face. It was certainly large enough to be a giant's skull and tusks made it look monstrous. Who knows what we don't know? I love it.
And speaking of not knowing, I didn't know there was such a thing as a Colossal Squid! I really need to start reading National Geo again.
Also, I tend to be the one who finds these kinds of stories and passes them out to a vaguely interested group of people. This time however, about 8 of you contacted me to make sure I saw this. Thanks :) Much appreciated! As a reward, here is an article on giant squid sex that I stole from Dinosaur Comics. Woo! Bonus material!
And in all of this squid nonsense I must remind you to watch Lost!
-D
Today I am happy my sister values my advice.
Today I learned about Orcas, without really learning what I was trying to learn.