2 Finds Add To Giant Earthworm Science In Northwest

2 Finds Add To Giant Earthworm Science In Northwest 39

Posted by timothy on Sunday May 04, 2008 @09:47PM from the shai-hulud dept.

According to an article at Science Daily, "Native, possibly giant, earthworm science in the Pacific Northwest is advancing with the discovery of two new specimens from opposite sides of the interior Columbia River basin. University of Idaho soil scientist Jodi Johnson-Maynard, an associate professor in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, said an earthworm that was most likely a giant Palouse earthworm was found in early March near Moscow [Idaho]." I have trouble with the idea that worms of merely a foot long have trouble meeting the designation "giant" outside of Tremors or Arrakis. Update: 05/06 17:44 GMT by T : Correction: That's Moscow, Idaho, rather than Washington. Thanks to the alert reader who spotted this.

2 Finds Add To Giant Earthworm Science In Northwest

This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.

Load All Comments

Search 39 Comments Log In/Create an Account

Comments Filter:

Yeah, that is a big one... (Score:1, Funny)

by wildgnat ( 1233138 ) writes:

If my earth worm were a foot long I would call it a giant, too. In fact I call it a giant anyway.
"Do we have wormsign?" (Score:5, Funny)

by leftie ( 667677 ) writes: on Sunday May 04, 2008 @10:25PM (#23296540)

"We have wormsign the likes of which even God has never seen."

- Re: (Score:3, Funny)
  
  by grayshirtninja ( 1242690 ) writes:
  
  If they're not big enough to ride, then they're not giant worms.
  - Re: (Score:2)
    
    by j-pimp ( 177072 ) writes:
    
    The spice must flow.
- Wrong Story/Movie (Score:2)
  
  by sconeu ( 64226 ) writes:
  
  Call Kevin Bacon... it's TREMORS!!!!!
Global worming! (Score:5, Funny)

by EmbeddedJanitor ( 597831 ) writes: on Sunday May 04, 2008 @10:27PM (#23296546)

That's causing it!

- Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
  
  by Duradin ( 1261418 ) writes:
  
  Global worming wouldn't be a bad thing.
  
  Vermiculture has a lot of potential. And not just in the current global-warming-will-kill-us-all-we-must-think-of-the-children way you might be thinking.
  
  Of course inexpensive, self replicating solutions don't have a big enough profit margin and as far as I know there's no big vermi-lobby group out there (though a lot of lobbyists are pretty close to worms) nor any big subsidies.
  - Vermiculture is great (Score:2)
    
    by EmbeddedJanitor ( 597831 ) writes:
    
    Worms are great soil reconditioners and recyclers. They breed well too: can achieve in excess of x1000 biomass increase in less than a year if kept in the correct conditions.
    Worms condition the soil by reducing compaction and improving the water holding ability of the soil. Unfortunately a lot of human agricultural methods (insecticides and fertilisers) can harm them or kill them.
    Apart from their natural soil conditioning function, they can also be harvested for use as high protein animal feed.
    - Re: (Score:2)
      
      by DarkKnightRadick ( 268025 ) writes:
      
      You forgot fish bait.
- Re: (Score:2)
  
  by Muad'Dave ( 255648 ) writes:
  
  The in-ground radiation from Hanford [wikipedia.org] is causing it!!!! Soon We'll have to call Gamera and Godzilla to protect us from the giant nuclear worms and mutant, radiation-resistant bacteria [nwsource.com].
  There's a rumor floating around that they just left a Naval reactor core lying on the surface because the dirt they were going to bury it in was already hotter than the core!
Bait (Score:5, Funny)

by Sooner Boomer ( 96864 ) writes: <sooner.boomr@gmail.cTIGERom minus cat> on Sunday May 04, 2008 @10:32PM (#23296582) Journal

Maybe we can use one of these on a treble hook to catch giant squid.

- - - Re: (Score:1)
      
      by temojen ( 678985 ) writes:
      
      Not to people who speak english.
      - Re: (Score:2)
        
        by FiloEleven ( 602040 ) writes:
        
        O RLY? [wikipedia.org]
Giant earthworms... (Score:2)

by dal20402 ( 895630 ) * writes:

...are much smarter than the only other thing in the Palouse: Washington State Cougars.
- Re: (Score:2)
  
  by gardyloo ( 512791 ) writes:
  
  You must be one of those mouth-breathing Huskies :)
How much of the worm do you need? (Score:2)

by TubeSteak ( 669689 ) writes:

With damaged or incomplete specimens, as frequently happens with soft-bodied organisms like worms, it is often only possible to determine the genus because additional structures and details are required to identify the species.
I thought if you had ~50% of a worm, it'll basically regrow the rest.

Why is that not the case here?
- Re:How much of the worm do you need? (Score:5, Informative)
  
  by vajaradakini ( 1209944 ) writes: on Sunday May 04, 2008 @11:57PM (#23297084)
  
  Usually you just need the head end and the worm will regrow (but I think this depends on the specific worm). If the 50% is the tail end then it doesn't regrow and if it's just random part in the middle (i.e. if they're taking a core sample and get a 3 inch section from the middle of a 1m long worm) then you're not really going to have much at all to go on.
  
  I don't know if you've ever dissected a worm in high school biology class, but they've pretty much got organs in the front and intestines and nerves through the rest and then a place to poop at the end and that's about it (simplifying).
  
  But yeah... worms = uber creepy.
  
moscow, id not wa (Score:3, Informative)

by adpowers ( 153922 ) writes: on Sunday May 04, 2008 @11:22PM (#23296852)

a giant Palouse earthworm was found in early March near Moscow [Washington]."
That is Moscow, Idaho [google.com], not Washington.

Giant? (Score:2)

by iCEBaLM ( 34905 ) writes:

Looks about the same size of worms we have here in Ontario.
- Re:Giant? (Score:4, Interesting)
  
  by pla ( 258480 ) writes: on Monday May 05, 2008 @10:31AM (#23300436) Journal
  
  Looks about the same size of worms we have here in Ontario.
  
  No kidding... I suspect these things just hide fairly well.
  
  In Northern New England, I've personally seen worms stretching all the way across my front walkway (over two feet) during light evening rain - And judging by the speed with which it snapped back into its hole when I poked at it, I'd say it had more than half its body still underground at the time.
  
  "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy". Just because we haven't caught and dissected one yet, doesn't mean they don't exist.
  
That's not a worm... (Score:5, Interesting)

by BoogieChile ( 517082 ) writes: on Sunday May 04, 2008 @11:41PM (#23296968)

- I have trouble with the idea that worms of merely a foot long have trouble meeting the designation "giant" outside of Tremors or Arrakis.

Try this one on for size...

http://museumvictoria.com.au/DiscoveryCentre/Infosheets/Giant-Gippsland-Earthworm [museumvictoria.com.au]

Sandtrout (Score:3, Informative)

by MadUndergrad ( 950779 ) writes: on Monday May 05, 2008 @12:08AM (#23297152)

So when are they going to find sandtrout? You need those before the truly large worms make their appearance.

- Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
  
  by Bender0x7D1 ( 536254 ) writes:
  
  The sandtrout come from the worms themselves. They are the next stage in the life cycle. The real question is how did we get the giant worms without the sandtrout and without a large amount of spice as a catalyst.
  - Re: (Score:2)
    
    by rockhome ( 97505 ) writes:
    
    Actually, the sandtrout may have come to Arrakis from an extra-terrestrial origin.
    If you pay really, really, really close attentionto Children of Dune, you'll find that mentioned.
    
    So the worms came from aliens. Just like the Mayan temples.
Yes, but... (Score:2)

by joetheappleguy ( 865543 ) writes:

...Do they poop out the Spice Melange?
- Re: (Score:1)
  
  by illumastorm ( 172101 ) writes:
  
  The worms are the spice!
A question for anyone who RTFA (Score:1)

by edittard ( 805475 ) writes:

What's giant here, the science - giant (earthworm science) or the worms - (giant earthworm) science?
- Re: (Score:2)
  
  by Discoflamingo13 ( 90009 ) writes:
  
  I think the short answer is "YES".
This explains the Nevada tremblors also! (Score:1)

by apl73 ( 306355 ) writes:

Nevada's been undergoing a series of micro quakes of increasing magnitude. Three possible explanations:

1/ serious work activity
2/ Buckaroo Banzai's prototype earth borer is fully
operational
3/ The chinese are beating us to the punch and digging thru before we can....
Gaaaaah-Rooooooovy!! (Score:2, Informative)

by Hellpop ( 451893 ) writes:

Sorry, couldn't resist!
Let's just hope one of them finds that super-suit.
Did they use maker hooks? (Score:2)

by rockhome ( 97505 ) writes:

Did they use maker hooks to capture the worms?

Are these just little makers?
- Re: (Score:1)
  
  by AgentSmith ( 69695 ) writes:
  
  Emperor Al Gore: I have ridden the mighty moon worm!
  
  Fry: Good for him!
  
  Naw. They're just little makers. They're cute until you pop 'em in water.
  Then it gets nasty.

There may be more comments in this discussion. Without JavaScript enabled, you might want to turn on Classic Discussion System in your preferences instead.

2 Finds Add To Giant Earthworm Science In Northwest 39

2 Finds Add To Giant Earthworm Science In Northwest More Login

2 Finds Add To Giant Earthworm Science In Northwest

Yeah, that is a big one... (Score:1, Funny)

"Do we have wormsign?" (Score:5, Funny)

Re: (Score:3, Funny)

Re: (Score:2)

Wrong Story/Movie (Score:2)

Global worming! (Score:5, Funny)

Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

Vermiculture is great (Score:2)

Re: (Score:2)

Re: (Score:2)

Bait (Score:5, Funny)

Re: (Score:1)

Re: (Score:2)

Giant earthworms... (Score:2)

Re: (Score:2)

How much of the worm do you need? (Score:2)

Re:How much of the worm do you need? (Score:5, Informative)

moscow, id not wa (Score:3, Informative)

Giant? (Score:2)

Re:Giant? (Score:4, Interesting)

That's not a worm... (Score:5, Interesting)

Sandtrout (Score:3, Informative)

Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

Re: (Score:2)

Yes, but... (Score:2)

Re: (Score:1)

A question for anyone who RTFA (Score:1)

Re: (Score:2)

This explains the Nevada tremblors also! (Score:1)

Gaaaaah-Rooooooovy!! (Score:2, Informative)

Did they use maker hooks? (Score:2)

Re: (Score:1)

Related Links Top of the: day, week, month.

Slashdot Top Deals

Slashdot