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Giant Squid Caught on Film

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the science-out-of-science-fiction dept.

caffeined writes "I think almost every geek's heart must skip a beat when they hear about giant squids (think "Jules Verne"). It appears the two Japanese researchers have managed (for the first time) to get actual footage of a live giant squid in action. It was "only" 26 feet long (a little more than 8m) which is big enough for me." Update: Pictures and no registration required at National Geographic.

74 of 551 comments (clear)

  1. I cant wait for the video release by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    This will user in a whole new era of porn
    http://www.cdnn.info/news/eco/e050925.html

  2. How long? by the-amazing-blob · · Score: 3, Interesting

    How long until we start catching them and getting them in aquariums?

    1. Re:How long? by mrchaotica · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Aren't giant squids one of those animals that lives so deep that it can't survive without really high pressure (too high for an aquarium)?

      --

      "[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz

    2. Re:How long? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      the hell with that....how long until we capture them and start putting lasers and darts on them??

    3. Re:How long? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Without lungs to collapse is the pressure really an issue?

      You mean like how humans would do just fine in outer space wearing nothing but a face mask?

      No. Pressure is always an issue.

    4. Re:How long? by mrchaotica · · Score: 3, Informative

      Well, yeah, anything's possible, but is it practical to build one big enough for a giant squid? Don't forget that the pressure vessel would have to be much stronger than a spacecraft -- a spacecraft only has to contain a pressure differential of one atmosphere, whereas this would have to contain a differential tens or hundreds of times that.

      --

      "[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz

    5. Re:How long? by modest+apricot · · Score: 3, Interesting

      According to Wikipedia, giant squids don't have swim bladders. Instead, they use ammonia in some way or another.

    6. Re:How long? by Newrad · · Score: 3, Insightful

      The animals cells are pressurized for a certain depth. If they come up too fast, the cells burst, and the animal bursts. But if the creature is brought up slowly, it will probably be able to equalize its pressure it be normal in an aquarium.

    7. Re:How long? by martyr69 · · Score: 5, Funny

      Our top priority should be hunting them down and defeating them. They're much too large to not be a danger to us: we might be looking at the new WHALES here people.

    8. Re:How long? by Cadallin · · Score: 5, Interesting
      Actually, yes, for awhile. The primary problem is that we have too many moist mucous membranes that will loose fluid. A face mask, covering ones nose and mouth would let one stay alive in space, even without a suit. However, one's eardrums would burst and one's eyes would boil away and probably burst as well. Add pain to the mixture as you think appropriate.

      Arguably, one could make a space suit that was simply a skin tight layer + helmet. The problem with that would be that it would have to be *perfectly* skin tight. I.e. Any gas between the suit and you, and you will be VERY uncomfortable, as the gas makes the suit expand like a balloon. Assuming that was worked out, it would have of number advantages over conventional space suits. The joints would be MUCH more flexible, and less complex, as they wouldn't require complicated pressure equalization systems to allow the joints to move.

      Hey, I just thought out how to get around the skintight issue. Cover the human in vaseline, or some other viscous nonvolatile (which means the vaseline wouldn't work very long, depending how much was evaporating through the suit) fluid, to fill in all the empty spaces left by the suit!

      So you get a system that is = person + skin tight body suit + nonvolatile fluid + bubble helmet + Air supply. I'm certain it would work, just not sure for how long. The limiting factor is how fast you lose volatiles, but it could easily be made to work as long as the longest spacewalks the US has ever attempted, and would be a hell of a lot lighter, simpler, and cheaper.

    9. Re:How long? by ScarKnee · · Score: 5, Funny
      "So you get a system that is = person + skin tight body suit + nonvolatile fluid + bubble helmet + Air supply "


      I guess if you got a couple of Slashdotters to try it out in space you'd have two less lonely people in the world.

      I dunno, it's entirely possible that Air Supply already has quite a bit of experience with vasoline, skin-tight body suits, etc... maybe they could go up and try it out.
    10. Re:How long? by Your+Pal+Dave · · Score: 3, Funny

      How Long?

      Cripes, doesn't anyone even read the summary anymore?

      26 feet.

      Jeez.

    11. Re:How long? by 10Ghz · · Score: 4, Funny
      Cover the human in vaseline


      I find your ideas intriguing, and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter....
      --
      Lesbian Nazi Hookers Abducted by UFOs and Forced Into Weight Loss Programs - -all next week on Town Talk.
    12. Re:How long? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      What if you fart?

    13. Re:How long? by mikeb · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Pressure is a BIG issue. Chemistry changes at pressure, reactions go differently.

      Divers going below about 90 feet (30 metres) breathing air suffer nitrogen narcosis as dissolved nitrogen in the nerves cause an effect akin to drunkenness or partial anaesthesia.

      Because the human breathing response is driven by the absolute partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the bloodstream, not its ratio to oxygen, deep diving means breathing much more air than is needed simply to flush out the apparent elevated level of co2 in the blood - the physiology is tricked by the pressure. Anyone practising emergency surfacing from a deep dive is astonished that they don't need to breath as they rise - you continuously exhale as the gas in the lungs expands (I was taught to sing on the way up) and the breathing response isn't triggered because the detected co2 level keeps falling.

      Now this may not affect squid much, it's hard to believe that there are no pressure effects on the chemistry underpinning their biology.

    14. Re:How long? by king-manic · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Actually, yes, for awhile. The primary problem is that we have too many moist mucous membranes that will loose fluid. A face mask, covering ones nose and mouth would let one stay alive in space, even without a suit. However, one's eardrums would burst and one's eyes would boil away and probably burst as well. Add pain to the mixture as you think appropriate.

      Arguably, one could make a space suit that was simply a skin tight layer + helmet. The problem with that would be that it would have to be *perfectly* skin tight. I.e. Any gas between the suit and you, and you will be VERY uncomfortable, as the gas makes the suit expand like a balloon. Assuming that was worked out, it would have of number advantages over conventional space suits. The joints would be MUCH more flexible, and less complex, as they wouldn't require complicated pressure equalization systems to allow the joints to move.

      Hey, I just thought out how to get around the skintight issue. Cover the human in vaseline, or some other viscous nonvolatile (which means the vaseline wouldn't work very long, depending how much was evaporating through the suit) fluid, to fill in all the empty spaces left by the suit!

      So you get a system that is = person + skin tight body suit + nonvolatile fluid + bubble helmet + Air supply. I'm certain it would work, just not sure for how long. The limiting factor is how fast you lose volatiles, but it could easily be made to work as long as the longest spacewalks the US has ever attempted, and would be a hell of a lot lighter, simpler, and cheaper.


      The fact that the average temperature of all space is 4' kelvin is also an issue. although it's vastly warmer near leo it's still cold enough to have the person get serious frost bite after 0.01 seconds and the limbs would start freezing soon after. This would be the dark side, the light side woudl experience the same or much warmer temperatures depending on the color of your suit.

      Also, radiation is an issue.

      Add to this fact that it's not so much space making you explode it's the air in your lungs pushing out and nothing pushing in. This makes breathing very very hard. You would have to have the air mask at enough pressure to inflate the lungs, but not too much to have them tear the lungs as nothign outside is pushing back.

      So what you actually need is:

      person + skin tight body suit + nonvolatile fluid + bubble helmet + Air supply + radiation shielding + rigid structure to allow bretahing + isulation and heating

      basically a space suit.

      --
      "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
    15. Re:How long? by Floody · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Actually, yes, for awhile. The primary problem is that we have too many moist mucous membranes that will loose fluid. A face mask, covering ones nose and mouth would let one stay alive in space, even without a suit. However, one's eardrums would burst and one's eyes would boil away and probably burst as well. Add pain to the mixture as you think appropriate.

      That's not the primary problem. The primary problem is that the human brain needs a minimum level of oxygen to operate; that oxygen can only be provided by the respitory system at a rate directly proportional to the o2 pressure in the respirated environment(or "partial pressure" in mixed gas environments, like earth at sealevel). If you decrease pressure, you must likewise increase o2 or risk cognitive failure and rapid blackout (with little-to-no warning either). Now, as with all biology, individuals differ widely, but .... even in a pure o2 environment (which certainly is already required for EVA), anything below about 3psi is dangerous. Lungs are a nice flexible organ, but they aren't capable of withstanding more than a very slight pressure differential without over-expansion and potential embolism occuring.

      That means that any environmental suit must maintain the same approximate force upon the wearer as exerted by the wearer's respiration gas pressure. Likewise, in order to prevent circulatory damage, the force needs to be exerted pretty evenly across the entire body. So, in effect, you're talking about a suit that can "squeeze" the wearer evenly at a minimum of three or so lbs/sq inch. Assuming such could be designed, how do you propose one would don such an outfit in a pressurised environment? I don't care how great your lubricant of choice is, I can't imagine someone getting into one of these things in the first place without great physical harm occuring.

    16. Re:How long? by Nicolas+MONNET · · Score: 4, Interesting

      "The fact that the average temperature of all space is 4' kelvin is also an issue. "

      Nope. In the void there is no convection -- and that's how you lose most heat. In space you only lose it through thermal radiation.

    17. Re:How long? by Inominate · · Score: 4, Informative

      http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/ask_astro/answer s/970603.html
      Exposure to vaccuum isn't the catastrophic event hollywood makes it out to be.

    18. Re:How long? by moonbender · · Score: 4, Informative

      Humans' lungs would implode underwater, and explode in space.

      That really depends on what's inside them. Divers survive because they fill their lungs with air at the same pressure as their surroundings. Thus the lungs don't collapse. Of course, if the air inside your lungs is at 1 bar while you're in the deep, bad things happen. But the far more common accident AFAIK is actually the converse: you resurface while your lungs still hold air pressurized for 5, 10, 20 metres. Your lungs get stretched (ie they "explode"), and you're in a world of pain.

      --
      Switch back to Slashdot's D1 system.
    19. Re:How long? by moonbender · · Score: 5, Interesting

      It doesn't sound like it's fun, though: "At NASA's Manned Spacecraft Center (now renamed Johnson Space Center) we had a test subject accidentally exposed to a near vacuum (less than 1 psi) in an incident involving a leaking space suit in a vacuum chamber back in '65. He remained conscious for about 14 seconds, which is about the time it takes for O2 deprived blood to go from the lungs to the brain. The suit probably did not reach a hard vacuum, and we began repressurizing the chamber within 15 seconds. The subject regained consciousness at around 15,000 feet equivalent altitude. The subject later reported that he could feel and hear the air leaking out, and his last conscious memory was of the water on his tongue beginning to boil."

      Thanks for the link.

      --
      Switch back to Slashdot's D1 system.
  3. where's the vid by b17bmbr · · Score: 4, Insightful

    there's no video link. i need to see that.

    --
    My problem? I was perfectly gruntled, until some numbnuts came by and dissed me.
    1. Re:where's the vid by Bananatree3 · · Score: 4, Informative

      I have been searching up and down google for a video, and I have yet to see even a reference to a site with it. According to this article, It is a 30 time-laps movie of 3 hours while the giant squid was tied up. If you find a link, please post.

  4. Skip a beat, eh? by Dachannien · · Score: 5, Funny

    I think almost every geek's heart must skip a beat when they hear about giant squids

    Mmmmm.... Tentacle hentai....

    1. Re:Skip a beat, eh? by Neo-Rio-101 · · Score: 5, Funny

      I can't believe some people get off on that stuff.

      My girlfriend knows such a Japanese lady who draws tentacle hentai and gets off on it. She's cute, but has many imaginary boyfriends apparently. We always joke that she has a octopus for a boyfriend. She thinks that men and women holding hands and kissing is disgusting though (?!) - which as you can imagine, tends to turn most guys off her, probably causing her to fantasize about poor octopi.

      On a seperate note, I think Freud would have had a field day over in Japan.

      --
      READY.
      PRINT ""+-0
    2. Re:Skip a beat, eh? by JanneM · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Also, Japan is just a veritable breeding ground for fetishes in general.

      Actually, living here I suspect that it's not that various fetishes are more common here than elsewhere. It's rather that it's much less of a social stigma, and so people are more open about it - which of course increases the available audience for material catering to it, which in turn greatly increases the visibility.

      Also, the concept of "fetish" is a rather slippery one (entendre intended). In psychological litterature, having a strong preference for red hair counts as a fetish, but not a similarily strong preference for blonde or black hair. Nothing is a fetish in itself; it's very dependent on the social context. Having a strong preference for tall, blonde women would make you a fetishist in Japan; in Sweden you'd just be seen as boring. If everybody would like tentacle sex, it would cease to be a fetish at all.

      --
      Trust the Computer. The Computer is your friend.
    3. Re:Skip a beat, eh? by Neo-Rio-101 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Although it looks like it on the outside, Japan is not open about sex at all. Otherwise all my Japanese colleagues would be having orgies every second week - but none of them can even get a date. In fact, it's not very open socially much at all. Non-comformity is flattened by society as it ignores anyone loud who dares stick out. Anyone trying to get attention is viewed as an attention whore and is summarily ignored. Anyone who truly NEEDS attention is ignored as well - which is the sad part.

      IMHO the whole sex perversion thing is basically due to hordes of men not being able to get laid. Pure and simple. That frustration has got to come out somewhere. The reason they can't get laid is that most of the men are unromantic, selfish, uncaring, and have no respect for women basically. The only reason why foreigners get laid is because they are the exact opposite of Japanese men, and have blonde hair.

      The whole octopus thing extends farther back than mere penis censoring. I have seen old Japanese art depicting Japanese women being mauled by octopus. Why octopus, you may ask? I don't know, but since the Japanese eat so much of it I figure "you are what you eat".

      --
      READY.
      PRINT ""+-0
    4. Re:Skip a beat, eh? by StrawberryFrog · · Score: 4, Informative

      . I have seen old Japanese art depicting Japanese women being mauled by octopus.

      Yup. The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife done in 1820.

      --

      My Karma: ran over your Dogma
      StrawberryFrog

  5. mmmmm ... calamari by Average_Joe_Sixpack · · Score: 5, Funny

    served with a little butter, garlic and wedge of lemon

    1. Re:mmmmm ... calamari by AcidDan · · Score: 5, Funny

      Must... Not... Give... In...
      Bah! Sod It:

      In depths of ocean, calamari eats you!

      -- Dan =)

  6. A buffet! by darkitecture · · Score: 4, Funny


    Calamari for EVERYONE!

  7. Pictures by youknowmewell · · Score: 5, Informative

    Pictures here.

    1. Re:Pictures by dummyname12 · · Score: 5, Funny

      More pictures here.

  8. Heart Skip by mrclark13 · · Score: 5, Funny

    I think gaint squid are interesting. That being said, I think maybe the submitter needs to get out more and enjoy some human companionship if his heart skips a beat at the thought of squid. Either that or his ex-girlfriends must have been really monstrous.

    --
    "As you say - certain behaviors minimize the HIV risk and writing Slashdot tripe on Friday night is by far the most secu
  9. Re:The Pictures by Average_Joe_Sixpack · · Score: 5, Funny

    Here you go giant squid

  10. Re:The Pictures by m0nk3ym1nd · · Score: 5, Informative

    Here's one at National Geographic

  11. Pictures by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/09/ph otogalleries/giant_squid/index.html

  12. I just hope.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    that she doesn't try to take my happycake oven. Seriously, 40 watt deliciousness.

  13. Giant Squid happy snaps by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Pictures here

    http://www.smh.com.au/media/2005/09/28/11278045094 63.html

  14. Fuck You Thomas Patterson! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Damn right. I remember that day back in 6th grade where we got into a huge fight over the existance of the giant squid.

    I had said that carcasses were found, and after making fun of me for using the word "carcass," you proceeded to articulate further on my sexuality (which, btw, you couldnt have been more wrong about.)

    Tom, you then declared, through some haphazard strange conglomeration of swears and 6th grade dialogue, that you would drink your own pee if it were real.

    Im going to find your number, and ask if you are going to do it. Just to fuck with you.

    (name changed)

  15. Worthless without pics by Wind_Walker · · Score: 4, Funny

    Researcher 1: OMFG! We just caught a Giant Squid on camera!
    Researcher 2: Quick, let's get an article up and not give them any pictures!
    Researcher 1: Perfect!

  16. Eh by phalse+phace · · Score: 4, Funny

    Eh. Nothing exciting here.

    Now, if it were giant squids with frickin' laser beams attached to their heads...

  17. I have some shocking news for you Mr. Geek by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    26 feet long (a little more than 8m)

    26 feet = 7.9248 meters

    1. Re:I have some shocking news for you Mr. Geek by mallocme · · Score: 5, Funny

      you're forgetting the latest exchange rate. The foot has really been taking a hit lately.

  18. will photos do? by weighn · · Score: 5, Informative

    National Geographic has some piccys
    here...

    --
    Mongrel News all the news that fits and froths
  19. Re:Pics here by MyLongNickName · · Score: 4, Funny

    You know what. I've seen goatse links before. They are grotesque. But this just crosses the line. Can we get the IP banned?

    --
    See my journal for slashdot ID's by year. Mine created in 2005. http://slashdot.org/journal/289875/slashdot-ids-by-year
  20. Titanic Struggle by Quirk · · Score: 5, Interesting
    My step Dad, a naval officer (pilot), now retired, saw a whale surface with a giant squid engulfing it's head. The whale breached a couple of times with the giant squid unrelentingly attached, attacking and maybe feeding.

    I've read that during WWII giant squid would attack red life boats filled with sailors from sunk ships. Apparently the red colour attracts them.

    By all accounts they are extremely aggresive, suggesting they don't see themselves as prey and know no predators.

    I think I'll keep my exposure to them second hand.

    --
    "Academicians are more likely to share each other's toothbrush than each other's nomenclature."
    Cohen
    1. Re:Titanic Struggle by Wazukkithemaster · · Score: 5, Interesting

      From my immense pool of knowledgem gathered mostly from years of watching the discovery channel, i have learned that giant squid would not be able to survive at the surface of the ocean. their blood is EXTREMELY thin and thus easily influenced by their surrounding environment. Furthermore, their blood temperature must stay around 10 degrees Celcius and too much variation would cause death. Also, The water pressure that they are used to be subject to is much greater in the depths of the ocean (obviously) than at its surface. That said, its unlikely the stories of giant squid feeding on red lifeboats filled with sailors (and what-not) are unlikely, as for the whale... i'm not sure

      --
      Live according to the Categorical Imperative. If the Categorical Imperative tells you not to live by it... ignore it
    2. Re:Titanic Struggle by Frogbert · · Score: 4, Funny
      By all accounts they are extremely aggresive, suggesting they don't see themselves as prey and know no predators.

      Vin Diesel could take one on... probably two on a good day.
    3. Re:Titanic Struggle by MalachiConstant · · Score: 3, Funny
      You're right, I was not thinking about their different body chemistry. I concede my first point, and thanks for the explanation of why only younger/smaller squids have been seen near the surface.

      And just because you exposed my stupidity I'll mention that you spelled "suffocate" wrong. ;)

  21. Tentacle? by tedrlord · · Score: 3, Insightful

    So, wait. These scientists worked so long to track down and photograph this rare creature in its natural habitat, then tore off one of its tentacles before it could get away? That can't end well for the creature.

    --
    [insert witty quote here]
    1. Re:Tentacle? by Mateito · · Score: 4, Funny

      All Japanese seafood research involves a hook. This is just an exension of their use of whales for scienfic purposes. mmmm... scientific purposes in garlic butter.

      --
      Norman Cook's Ode to Sl
  22. IT'S A TRAP! by SoundGuyNoise · · Score: 5, Funny

    That's what Calimari say when they get caught like that.

    --
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    @iyfwrestling
  23. Well if it becomes a threat by Solr_Flare · · Score: 5, Funny

    We can just send in a squad of Toxic Dart Dolphins.

    --
    You are who you are, let no one tell you different. But, never close your mind to a new point of view.
  24. What do they look like? Duh... by NewsWatcher · · Score: 5, Funny
    "Nobody knew what they looked like in the wild."

    Well, at a guess, just like a normal squid, only bigger.

    Thank god the hunt is over. That was obviously worth the effort.

    --
    If the pattern goes 9am, 10am, 11am, why isn't noon 12am?
  25. Now that you mention sperm whales.. by Spy+der+Mann · · Score: 5, Interesting

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sperm_Whale

    There was an episode on Discovery's Animal Face-off about a Giant Squid versus a Sperm Whale: The winner was the sperm whale, which stunned the squid with its sonic emitter, and then ate it whole. Of course, before this, the whale had to swim at a very high speed to get rid of the squid's clawed tentacles (this is why some sperm whales have scars on their heads, because you can't just take off a squid's tentacle, you have to rip it off - ouch).

    It was an exciting and interesting episode :)

  26. Re:Too bad by Otter · · Score: 4, Informative

    The NYT article makes it sound like the squid got accidentally entangled, but if you look at the diagram on the National Geogrpahic site, the scientists deliberately snagged it. The baits were rigged with what seem to be scaled-up versions of squid jigs.

    --
    What I'm listening to now on Pandora...
  27. Octopus attacking shark and other videos by brit74 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Quite a few people have commented on octopus being predators. Here's a video of an octopus attacking a shark:

    (Sorry, realplayer only.)
    (Low Bandwidth)
    http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/octopus/media_playe rs_blue/shark_lo.html
    (High Bandwidth)
    http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/octopus/media_playe rs_blue/shark_hi.html

    WMV of an octopus blending in with its surroundings (which is pretty amazing to watch). http://www.big-boys.com/articles/octopus1.html

  28. Re:pressure by cornface · · Score: 5, Funny

    so at the very least, they could put a giant squid inside a submarine.

    He could wear a little captain's hat and pretend to steer.

  29. Re:WOW. by Ironsides · · Score: 4, Interesting

    though I can't imagine there's too many predators that want to tangle with a 40 foot long tentacle monster.

    It only takes one, and the squid is dead. That one happens to be sperm whales, maybe other giant squid as well. Possibly even some other large predators we have never found as of yet (or think are extinct).

    --
    Fly me to the moon Let me sing among those stars Let me see what spring is like On jupiter and mars
  30. Re:Amazing.... Overlord Championships! by Ranger · · Score: 3, Funny

    Isn't it one of the signs of the coming Apocolypse that not one Overlords joke has been modded up in this story yet?

    It's worse than that. I was just complaining about having to welcome yet another overlord when they announced acetylene based life on Titan. Now we add the Giant Squid Overlords and the Poison Dart Dolphin Overlords into the mix. The field is just getting too crowded. Maybe the guy who replied to my comment is right. It's about having the Overlord Championships and the toy tie ins. He was right. It's all about the children.

    Get ready to RUMM-BOLLL!!!! I for one welcome the Overlord Championships. It is the only civilized way to find out who to be subservient and obsequious to.

    --
    "You'll get nothing, and you'll like it!"
  31. did you know... by Kadmos · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Given the ability of squid to join together with other "squids" the potential for the size of these groups (or "caches" as I prefer to call them) of squid is almost limitless! For maximum effeciancy in these groups the squid talk to each other and help each other out. The communication between each squid relies primarily on each squids role in the "cache" and can be anything from a "parent" or "child" squid to "siblings" (please note these relationships no not denote the lineage of family groups, but simply the authoritive role each squid plays). From what I have seen you could be quite close to one of these "caches" right now and not even be aware of it!

  32. Kraken by Ironsides · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I'm reminded of the old "tales" that seamen told when they came back from sea. Circa ~1400s, give or take a few centuries. There was a giant seamonst that looked a lot like a giant squid, except it had a beak below the eyes on the outside of it's head. Well, giant squid have a beak, it's just betweent he tentacles instead. Here's a picture of a Kraken. Look familiar?

    --
    Fly me to the moon Let me sing among those stars Let me see what spring is like On jupiter and mars
  33. Best laugh I've had all day! by Wabbit+Wabbit · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'd mod you up if I could. And you owe me a coke and a keyboard.

    --
    Nothing is inexplicable; only unexplained -Tom Baker, Doctor Who
  34. Is anyone going to use the adjective "Cthulhoid?" by Errandboy+of+Doom · · Score: 3, Funny

    Man, judging from those pictures, those giant squids must be 20,000 leagues long!

    This one is my favorite. The only thing more satisfying to my aquatic geekiness than a giant squid is a giant squid fighting a giant sperm whale.

    Oh come on, you know you've run that fight in d20, or will soon.

  35. An even bigger species than the Giant Squid... by DesScorp · · Score: 4, Interesting

    ...is the colossal squid, Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni. Where giant squid are thought to get up to 60 ft long, no one knows just how large the CS can get. Remains of the two species have been compared, and the CS is bigger in just about everything, including the beak. They live only in Antarctic waters (that we know), and the remains of one washed up in the Ross Sea in 2003.

    --
    Life is hard, and the world is cruel
  36. Ummm, no, not EVERY time... by DesScorp · · Score: 3, Interesting
    ...according to this:

    In 1965, a Soviet whaler watched a battle between a squid and a 40 ton sperm whale. In this case neither were victorious. The strangled whale was found floating in the sea with the squid's tentacles wrapped around the whale's throat. The squid's severed head was found in the whale's stomach.
    --
    Life is hard, and the world is cruel
    1. Re:Ummm, no, not EVERY time... by Keebler71 · · Score: 4, Funny

      I'm trying to picture where a whale's neck is...

      --
      "It takes considerable knowledge just to realize the extent of your own ignorance." - Thomas Sowell
  37. Re:pressure by imsabbel · · Score: 4, Informative

    ok, lets take your example:

    Submarines. You can build submarines capable of diving very deep. But those things are
    a) made from steel (many times stronger than _any_ glass
    b) self supporting (try cracking an egg by pressing on it from the outside, compare to pressure by chicken form inside)
    c) go nowhere near "deep water" besides very small ones (which would be a unsuitable size for an aquarium).

    Just imagine: a 1000m deep sea aquarium would have a pressure of 1000 metric tons per m^2 on every surface. Thats a stack of 15 fully supplied M1 tanks.
    And it scales _baddly_. if you have a cube, and double the side length, you get square the surface, and thus square the force pushing on one side. But the line of material holding the the face in at the edge is only doubling, so you have to double glass thickness, too...

    With those forces, you may build a pressure chamber (i.e. massivly externally supported structure with small volume) from glass (although i dont think it will work well), but an aquarium needs support (air/heating/cleaning), and any of those breaks would make the whole thing instable (remember, glass likes to crack).

    --
    HI O WISE PRINCE. WHT TOOK U SO DAM LONG?
  38. Re:WOW. by Bertie · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Sperm whales can't get enough of them, apparently. I once saw some utterly incredible TV footage where they'd stuck a camera to the back of a sperm whale in the hope of seeing a giant squid when it went hunting. The camera was designed to pop off once it reached a certain depth so that they could recover it. They didn't find any squid, but the whale behaviour was amazing. There was a whale on either side of the one carrying the camera as they went diving down, and all the way they were chattering away to each other. At one point, they stopped (the depth was displayed in the corner of the screen), had a bit of a discussion, then the whale on the right swam right up to the camera and the screen was filled with whale eye. A few seconds of staring later, they had another chat among themselves and carried on. It seemed pretty obvious to me that the camera-carrier had said "hey, there's something stuck to my back, would you check it out?" and the other whale had a look, said words to the effect of "move on, nothing to see here" and off they went...

  39. The BBC article on the subject has photos... by cbirkett · · Score: 3, Informative

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4288772. stm

    --
    "My fellow Americans, these are not the droids the nation is looking for."
  40. you wont get cold... silly, just hot. by cheekyboy · · Score: 5, Informative

    In cold space, there is barely any molocules to STEAL the heat from you.

    So how are you going to get cold? you wont.

    You actually will get HOTTER, because of the HEAT from the sun. You need to cool down, something to
    take the heat (kinetic energy) away, and there isnt enough medium to do that. Thats why in cold antarctica you
    get cold, because there is a LOT OF AIR that steals your heat. In space, what little atoms there are, - are not enough
    to take the heat out. We have had this posting before, a human can survive in space because their skin is strong enough
    to keep the inside preasure (just dont have cuts on you). Your eyeballs wont blow up though they
    might dry up real real fast - so goggles will be usefull. Dont open your mouth either.

    The bright side of you wont heat up that fast, it would be the same as you being on the beach or high altitude skiing. There is a maximum level of heat energy per second delivered, its not like your are at mercuries distance. As I said before , you will
    get hot because you wont loose heat thats why you get HOT. Even if you rotate slowly to even out exposure. So ironically, space may be -270c, but you will get damn hot because of the suns photons, so you need to cool yourself somehow using liquid nitro or something. Sure if you stayed in the dark you would slowly cool down, but not over 5minutes.

    I mean people dont blow up on mount everest do they, and thats pretty damn low PSI. Your inside PSI isnt that high either, not strong enough to burst you.

    --
    Liberty freedom are no1, not dicks in suits.
  41. Re:pressure by FuturePastNow · · Score: 3, Funny

    Sounds like we need some transparent aluminum. I heard there's this company in San Francisco....

    --
    Give a man fire, and you warm him for the night. Set a man on fire, and you warm him for the rest of his life.
  42. Mon Calamari by Winterblink · · Score: 3, Funny

    Thought the squid: "It's a trap!"

    --
    "I'm a leaf on the wind. Watch how I soar."
    -Hoban Washburn