Dagwood splits the atom!

http://johnkstuff.blogspot.com/2010/06/ren...st-dagwood.html

Two years ago. . .


With an ROV, The Gulf Serpent Project spots an enormous oarfish near an oil rig riser.

Da beeg feesh is prolly sucking oil, right about now.

Sometimes I feel like I'm the strange sea creature that washes up on the same shore, week-after-week.

http://nimoysunsetpie.tumblr.com/

Japanese fishing trawler sunk by giant jellyfish

A 10-ton fishing boat has been sunk by gigantic jellyfish off eastern Japan.

The trawler, the Diasan Shinsho-maru, capsized off Chiba`as its three-man crew was trying to haul in a net containing dozens of huge Nomura's jellyfish.

Each of the jellyfish can weigh up to 200 kg and waters around Japan have been inundated with the creatures this year. Experts believe weather and water conditions in the breeding grounds, off the coast of China, have been ideal for the jellyfish in recent months.

The crew of the fishing boat was thrown into the sea when the vessel capsized, but the three men were rescued by another trawler, according to the Mainichi newspaper. The local Coast Guard office reported that the weather was clear and the sea was calm at the time of the accident.

One of the largest jellyfish in the world, the species can grow up to 2 meters in diameter. The last time Japan was invaded on a similar scale, in the summer of 2005, the jellyfish damaged nets, rendered fish inedible with their toxic stings and even caused injuries to fishermen.

Relatively little is known about Nomura's jellyfish, such as why some years see thousands of the creatures floating across the Sea of Japan on the Tsushima Current, but last year there were virtually no sightings. In 2007, there were 15,500 reports of damage to fishing equipment caused by the creatures.

Experts believe that one contributing factor to the jellyfish becoming more frequent visitors to Japanese waters may be a decline in the number of predators, which include sea turtles and certain species of fish.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/6483758/J...-jellyfish.html

'Psychic' octopus predicts Germany victory over England

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/europe/10420131.stm

A "psychic" octopus is said by its aquarium owners to have predicted the country's football team will knock England out of the World Cup.

When consulted, Paul the octopus chose a mussel from a jar with the German flag on it ahead of one in a similar jar bearing the cross of St George.

The two-year-old cephalopod has a record of predicting past German results in this manner, his owners say.

Paul has so far correctly predicted all of Germany's results in South Africa.

His keepers say he correctly predicted 80% of Germany's results during the 2008 European Championship.

In that contest, Germany finished as runners-up in their qualifying group, having lost only once to Croatia.

They then progressed to the final, where they were beaten by Spain.

If keepers at the Oberhausen Sea Life Aquarium are right, he correctly predicted the outcome of four of the six games in that competition.
National celebrity

"Paul's prediction was phenomenal," said aquarium spokesman Tanja Munzig.

"He swam straight over to the German glass, climbed in and even put a lid on top once he was sitting inside."

The octopus, which was born in the UK and was moved to the German aquarium, has become a national celebrity after correctly predicting Germany would beat Australia in their opening match, then lose to Serbia, and then beat Ghana.

His latest prediction was flashed all over the German media.

The container that Paul opens first is said to be his pick for who will win the impending match, keepers say.

Germany finished the initial stage of the World Cup top of Group D, and face England, the runners-up from group C, in Bloemfontein on Sunday.