Deep-Sea Creatures Captured Alive And Studied 29
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."
I'm still amazed (Score:1, Insightful)
Seems the deep has got a ton of stuff that we've barely scratched the surface of.
Ever stop to think how little we know about our own planet?
I am still amazed by the jellyfish-like squid they caught on tape a few months back.
It would be really cool if they could bring back some giant squid while they were at it.
So how long until we can take 'tours' of the deep without getting wet?
Re:I'm still amazed (Score:5, Funny)
Come on. Wouldn't bringing back giant squid be enough? Do the squid actually have to be copulating in order to be really cool?
Re:I'm still amazed (Score:1)
What they need to do is clear a path through the peat moss in Loch Ness and find those damned elusive Plesiosaurs who breed there. Or at least skeletons of them.
There's my wishful thinking for the day...
Re:I'm still amazed (Score:2, Funny)
When unusual creatures rock your boat, it's time to break out the harpoon guns and Hollywood cliches...
graspee
Very expensive fish tank? (Score:4, Interesting)
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.
Re:Very expensive fish tank? (Score:1)
Actually, high pressure isn't much of an issue for creatures without air pockets inside - liquids are comparatively incompressible so it isn't an issue.
On the other hand, they will still have dissolved gases in their "precious bodily fluids" (obscure reference alert!) so a fast decompression would still be bad...
Re:Very expensive fish tank? (Score:1)
Re:Very expensive fish tank? (Score:2, Informative)
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 [nasa.gov] or a page from U of Georgia [uga.edu] for more.
Wow (Score:1)
Gaseous environment... (Score:2, Funny)
Or even more amazingly, a liquid environment....
Re:Gaseous environment... (Score:3, Funny)
So might a visit to a Scottish pub on bubble-and-squeak night in winter.
Free Them! (Score:5, Funny)
"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***
Eating pieces of squid? (Score:2)
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.
That remind me.... (Score:1)
how? (Score:2)
And *how*, exactly, are they going to smuggle them into the Senate?
What luxury (Score:2)
Wow, running hot and cold water. They need to work on lighting, though.
Chthulhu? (Score:1)
MMMM tube worms (Score:1, Funny)
Does studying tube worms from hot volcanic vents mean that now Ballpark will have higher quality hot dogs?
Gaseous environment? (Score:1)
Sounds like the mens room here at work.
thriving... (Score:1)
graspee