–The fleshy crests on the heads of duck-billed dinosaurs are now thought to have formed part of a resonating chamber that enabled them to make bellowing sounds. As they matured, the bellowing sounds may have gotten lower. The crests may also have served a purpose in temperature regulation…
Archive for the ‘science’ category
Duck-Billed Dinos Headgear
October 20, 2008Longest Insect!
October 17, 2008
–In the rainforest canopy of Borneo has been found Phobaeticus chani, the world’s longest living insect! This sucker, a stick insect, measures 22.3 inches with his legs fully extended, more than a centimeter longer than the previous record holder, another stick insect from Malaysia. The previous record holders have both been known for over 100 years, so its cool that something bigger has just been found. The eggs of this insect actually have tiny wings so they can glide from one tree to another!
Wouldn’t this be just the thing to put down the back of an obnoxious brother, sister, or parent?
Dire Wolf — Largest Canid
October 12, 2008
—Larger than the gray wolf with which it existed for over 100,000 years, the Dire Wolf (Canis dirus) was the largest canid to have ever existed, weighing up to 175 lbs. and averaging five feet in length. It was one of the megafauna that existed during the Pleistocene era. The dire wolf had a larger head than similarly-sized gray wolves, and teeth that were quite massive. Numerous dire wolf specimens have been discovered, thousands alone from the La Brea Tar Pits in California. Sadly, the dire wolf became extinct about 10,000 years ago, while some maintain that cryptid canines (the Waheela, for example) may represent strains of dire wolves.
In storytelling, dire wolves tend to represent the darkest side of fallen human nature, clawing its way to the surface when we come to the end of our own strength…something dark, instinctual, and powerful…<sigh!>
Extinction…
October 10, 2008
—Extinction didn’t end with the dinosaurs. The World Conservation Congress presented on Monday a comprehensive global survey that indicated that a quarter of the world’s wild mammal species are at risk for extinction. Mammals are declining, with the driving factors being habitat destruction and over-harvesting.
Land and marine mammals face different threats, with large mammals more vulnerable than small ones. For land species, habitat loss and hunting represent the greatest danger, while marine mammals are more threatened by unintentional killing by pollution, ship strikes, and being caught in fishing nets.
Primates face some of the most intense pressures; according to the survey, 79% of primates in South and Southeast Asia are facing extinction…this is a bleak picture!
“Sanctuary” Shows Promise
October 5, 2008
–The show Sanctuary debuted on October 3rd on the SciFi channel. Previously seen only in “webisodes,” the show centers on 157-year-old psychiatrist Dr. Helen Magnus (Amanda Tapping), who seeks to track down, study, and protect the strange and often terrifying creatures that secretly populate our world and live among us. One of them is, yes, Bigfoot; there is also a young boy with a kind of tentacle attached to his chest.
Elements of this theme have been seen before in such shows, comics, and movies as The X-Files, Men in Black, HellBoy, X-Men, and others. Reviews have been mixed and are frequently negative, but the show seems to show promise; you may either love it or hate it.
Dr. Magnus is on a mission to finish the work of her father and unlock the secrets behind human evolution using a unique combination of science, medicine, and her own knowledge of the supernatural. If you enjoy such things and similar considerations often raised in this blog, Sanctuary may be worth a look. Airing regularly on Fridays on SciFi at 9:00 or 10:00 pm…
Walk This Way…
September 30, 2008
–Heh, did you know that cats, camels, and giraffes are the only animals who walk by moving both right legs together and both left legs together?
Cats can also hear ultrasonic frequencies, although they’re lousy at describing them…
Giant Bears
September 30, 2008
–Giant bears certainly existed in prehistoric times, weighing up to a ton or more and standing twelve feet high. Such bears became extinct about 10,000 years ago, although speculation exists that through hybridization, bears may be getting larger and more aggressive. A genetic cross between a grizzly and a polar bear is known to have existed. MonsterQuest has hosted a show on this possibility, and some photos of really big ursine specimens have circulated around the internet…
The Wildman of China
September 24, 2008
–The Wildman of China or Yeren is a legendary creature said to be an as yet undiscovered hominid residing in the mountainous forested regions of China’s remote Hubei province. The name translates as “Man Bear” or “Man-Monkey.” The creatures are reported by witnesses to be covered in reddish-brown hair, although some white specimens have also been reported. Their height is estimated to be in the five to seven foot range, with some ten foot specimens also reported.
Regional officials have reported nearly four hundred Yeren sightings since the 1920’s. Since the 1980’s, local and national Chinese government has had a keen interest in the Yeren, supporting scientists who have elected to study it. The Yeren may be linked to the extinct hominid Gigantopithecus, which formerly inhabited the region.
The Yeren made a brief appearance in John Carpenter’s offbeat but very cool movie, Big Trouble In Little China, and was the subject of a recent MonsterQuest episode.
Goliath Spider
September 23, 2008
–The Goliath spider resides primarily in the coastal forests of South America, and has a diameter of 11-12 inches; enough to cover a dinner plate! A subspecies of tarantula, they are also know as birdeating spider as explorers first reported them in Victorian times eating a hummingbird…eew!
But not to worry. The Goliath Spider is not considered dangerous to humans, and its bite would not likely be lethal to you. This doesn’t mean that you wouldn’t be freaked out by one!
Cuero “Chupacabra” Identified As Coyote
September 19, 2008
–Well, the DNA test results are in…and the Cuero, Texas presumed chupacabra creature has been identified as a coyote. DNA strands were virtually identical.
DNA testing could not answer questions as to why the beast looked as he did…bluish, almost hairless, etc. And he was one ugly son of a *****.
Another bubble burst…sigh!!! At least the Texan woman who had the head got it out of her freezer!
FOXSYLVANIA 
You must be logged in to post a comment.