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Deep-Sea Creatures Captured Alive And Studied

Posted by timothy on from the ripe-for-a-horror-movie dept.

techmaven writes: "A recent article on the NewsFactor network, 'Scientists Bring 'Em Back Alive from Ocean Depths,' reports that scientists at the University of California, Santa Barbara were able to capture and bring back alive from the bottom of the ocean, several deep-sea creatures rarely seen by humans, much less studied. The creatures may provide answers to how animals can survive in a cold, dark, gaseous environment."

10 of 29 comments (clear)

  1. Very expensive fish tank? by Atrahasis · · Score: 4, Interesting
    May provide answers to how creatures can survive at high temp and pressure? May?
    They are the answer to how they can survive. The interesting thing will be whether they are a different evolutionary track, the origin of the evolutionary track we're on, or a different branch of the evolutionary track.
    Its pretty cool to see a type of life that doesn't depend on sunlight for its energy source, though. Or entropy buffer.

    Another point as well - will they make their mind up about USB or UCSB? Two different abbrev. in one article isn't clever.

    --

    Games Workshop Petition

    1. Re:Very expensive fish tank? by meiocyte · · Score: 2, Informative

      >The interesting thing will be whether they are a different evolutionary track, the origin of the evolutionary track we're on, or a different branch of the evolutionary track.

      They (if by they you refer to the crabs, mussels, and worms) are merely species of crabs, mussels, and worms that at some time in the past became adapted to living in a different environment. They're no different in this respect from any other species.

      The article was a little unclear:
      ;"Now that we have them here, we are studying their rate of primary production (the rate of
      ;carbon fixation) in that environment, where there is no sunlight and they survive by
      ;chemosynthesis," Childress told NewsFactor."

      Actually the crabs, mussels, and worms do not directly get their energy from the hydrogen sulfide. That's the job of chemoautotrophic bacteria, who are the real freaks. These bacteria use the H2S as their energy source (this is where the 'primary production' happens); they are in turn the base of the 'food chain' in the vent communities. See a NASA page or a page from U of Georgia for more.

      --
      The thing in the box has no place in the language-game at all; not even as a something; for the box might even be empty.
  2. Re:I'm still amazed by b_pretender · · Score: 5, Funny
    It would be really cool if they could bring back some giant squid while they were at it.

    Come on. Wouldn't bringing back giant squid be enough? Do the squid actually have to be copulating in order to be really cool?

  3. Gaseous environment... by stefanlasiewski · · Score: 2, Funny

    The creatures may provide answers to how animals can survive in a cold, dark, gaseous environment.

    Or even more amazingly, a liquid environment.... :P

    --
    "Can of worms? The can is open... the worms are everywhere."
    1. Re:Gaseous environment... by Mignon · · Score: 3, Funny
      The creatures may provide answers to how animals can survive in a cold, dark, gaseous environment.

      So might a visit to a Scottish pub on bubble-and-squeak night in winter.

  4. Free Them! by Perdo · · Score: 5, Funny

    Wouldn't you love to see PETA try to release them?

    "We are keeping them in a 20-foot shipping container that has eight different pressure systems that provide 3,000 pounds of pressure per square inch,"

    PETA #1:Quik, Open that pressure door.

    PETA #2:Are you sure? The sign says !DANGER!

    PETA #1:Those stupid scientists are just trying to fool us into not freeing gia's little creatures!

    PETA #2:Oh, alrighty the.... ***BOOM***

    --

    If voting were effective, it would be illegal by now.

  5. Eating pieces of squid? by rtaylor · · Score: 2

    To me the description about their survival sounds a little like they're all nervous.

    Pacing back and forth. Attached to inanimate objects -- but fussy about them and quickly discarded. Lastly, they're nibbling on any food in their path.

    Yup, those scientists picked a real winning group. Best find the 'marine shrink' soon.

    --
    Rod Taylor
  6. how? by Snafoo · · Score: 2

    ...may provide answers to how animals can survive in a cold, dark, gaseous environment."
    And *how*, exactly, are they going to smuggle them into the Senate?

    --
    - undoware.ca
  7. What luxury by markj02 · · Score: 2
    "These animals live in the dark, in highly variable temperatures, where hot springs are surrounded by cold water. The warm water has no oxygen, so they have to have access to both cold and warm water," he explained

    Wow, running hot and cold water. They need to work on lighting, though.

  8. Re:I'm still amazed by Graspee_Leemoor · · Score: 2, Funny

    "Unusual creatures rock my boat. "

    When unusual creatures rock your boat, it's time to break out the harpoon guns and Hollywood cliches...

    graspee