Rat-eating Plant Discovered in Australia

Megaport writes "Finally, the news that every slashdot-meme poster have been waiting for. A rat-eating vine called "Tenax" has been discovered in the rainforests of the Cape York region in Queensland, Australia"

Too Bad.

[airencracken]

I figured it'd be more useful in the fire swamps.

Die, Turtles!

[MarkRose]

I, for one, welcome our Splinter eating overloads!

revolution

[Arellias]

the citizens of new york can now take back their subways from their vermin overlords.

Re:Meme?

[Hawkeye05]

All Our Base Are Belong to Them?

Cool

[WindBourne]

Now, how can I get my Ex to be around it?

Mass Production for Export

[tcolberg]

New York desperately needs them, especially that KFC-Taco Bell from a year ago (http://www.ksdk.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=113755 [ksdk.com]). Then again, maybe Washington needs them more for the big ones they have there.

Re:Which meme now?

[pesho]

You must be new here. You should have used "Imagine a Beowulf cluster out of those!" in this case.

Re:Meme?

[bhtooefr]

I just have one question for the moderators...

Because Slashdot memes were mentioned in the story, are Slashdot memes exactly off-topic?

Re:Go ahead, say something retarded

[Anonymous Coward]

That's pretty neat, you managed to fit two memes in one line bashing memes.

You did intend to do that... no? Well, at least it managed to be self descriptive.

The horror

[the_fat_kid]

dear lord, not Washington. They would go all kudzu crazy.
Think Day Of The Triffids vs. Mr. Smith Goes To Washington.

Re:Too Bad.

[Guppy]

I figured it'd be more useful in the fire swamps.

Unlikely. Rat-eating vines of Unusual Size? I don't think they exis

Re:Meme?

[y86]

No.. in Soviet Russia, post questions YOU!

Re:Mass Production for Export

[nEoN nOoDlE]

Then again, maybe Washington needs them more for the big ones they have there.

Tenax for President in '08! He'll clean up Washington!

Re:Which meme now?

[techno-vampire]

Wrong meme. Here in America, rats eat plants, but in Soviet Australia, plants eat rats!

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Doesn't surprise me

[Cathoderoytube]

Given that pretty much absolutely everything else in Australia is poisonous or capable of eating a full grown human being it doesn't surprise me that plants thewould start making things worse for other creatures as well.

Re:Too Bad.

[Anonymous Coward]

No, even vines have their standards.

Peculiar Name

[jessiej]

Hmm, is there any coincidence that the name of new the species resembles "Texan"?

If you can use a banana to prove god exists...

[deft]

why dont you ever hear of these things.... which are WAY more seemingly complicated and amazing and "improbable", as the proof that god exists?

oh yeah, that would be horrific.

Re:Doesn't surprise me

[Nefarious Wheel]

Given that pretty much absolutely everything else in Australia is poisonous or capable of eating a full grown human being...

That's not entirely true. There's one snake (Pailsus pailsei) here that isn't poisonous. Mind you, it survives by imitating a Brown Snake, which is.

Ode to Carnivorous Plants

[tubapro12]

Ode to Carnivorous Plants

Your nutrients are derived
From those so kin to me
Yesterday, Mus musculus frolicked by you
Today, the sweet smell of you absorbing his tiny brain

Your large pitcher, an inviting opening
But oh, the Musmanity!
For it is full of your digestive fluids
But wait, rain approaches

Your operculum must spring forth, like an umbrella
But all is fell, your pseudo-stomach is full
Enjoy the rain, my sweet
For one can only hope, you avoid your own pitfall.

Re:Too Bad.

[montyzooooma]

I figured it'd be more useful in the fire swamps.

Unlikely. Rat-eating vines of Unusual Size? I don't think they exis

The very idea is inconceivable.

Re:Kinda small for a pitcher plant

[TranscendentalAnarch]

And a 6 inch pitcher is not all that big.

You know... they've got pills for that.

Re:Too Bad.

[ti1ion]

I do not think that word means what you think it means.

Re:Bogus story headline - not a rat-eating plant

[Darundal]

So he should get a job reporting for the Fox News Channel?

Re:Too Bad.

[Bandman]

But wouldn't a vine that could eat an RUS be of unusual size itself? I would think it would have to scale up to meet the larger size requirements.

Fire plating would also help.

Re:If you can use a banana to prove god exists...

[jollyreaper]

why dont you ever hear of these things.... which are WAY more seemingly complicated and amazing and "improbable", as the proof that god exists?

oh yeah, that would be horrific.

I would love to see a Satainst make the religious argument for intelligent design. Parasites! Holy crap, there's some material. "Ok, here's the penis fish. You piss in the Amazon, this little sucker will follow the ammonia right up to your pee hole and dig in. It has barbs. And if that doesn't get you, let's talk about fresh water amoeba that will get in your brain and drive you mad! And let's not forget venereal diseases, genetic diseases, mosquito-born diseases. All of this created by God! He's got a thousand species of carnivorous mold, each species perfectly adapted to attacking a given species of ant! All of this playing out below typical human notice, below human care! How about the mud-dauber wasp, kidnapping poor defenseless caterpillars to paralyze them and leave them as a live meal for their eggs, to hatch and feast upon them? Yum yum! That is one sick motherfucker right there, folks. Now let me tell you about my guy..."

Re:dude, Mozilla 1.7.13 is so like 2006

[aztektum]

I'm guessing Tenax ate his mouse, making it difficult to click on the "Update Now" button