95M-Year-Old Octopus Fossils Discovered 290
mmmscience writes "A new study published in Paleontology is a truly terrific find. Not only did a group of European scientists find a fossilized octopus, they found five complete fossils that show all eight legs in great detail, including a ghost of the characteristic suckers. The discovery of the 95-million-year-old specimens was made in Lebanon. 'What is truly astonishing to the scientists is how similar these ancient creatures are to their modern-day counterparts. Dirk Fuchs, lead author on the study stated, "These things are 95 million years old, yet one of the fossils is almost indistinguishable from living species."'"
Dirk Fuchs? (Score:4, Funny)
Dirk Fuchs, lead author on the study stated
How to pronounce his name? Anyone?
Evolution (Score:4, Funny)
Retract the pods! Prepare to jump. (Score:5, Funny)
These things are 95 million years old, yet one of the fossils is almost indistinguishable from living species.
It doesn't evolve for 95 million years? It could have been a government octopus.
They are octopus fossils... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Retract the pods! Prepare to jump. (Score:5, Funny)
Which arm of government?
ok slashdot (Score:4, Funny)
i want 10 cthulhu jokes moderated +5 funny, now
i'll be back in 3 hours, don't let me down
Re:Retract the pods! Prepare to jump. (Score:4, Funny)
It doesn't evolve for 95 million years? It could have been a government octopus.
Naah. Not possible.
It's not over budget.
Re:ok slashdot (Score:3, Funny)
You must not have seen the researcher's name. You'd better make it four hours.
Re:Evolution (Score:5, Funny)
Oh yea?!
Well if their so great...
Just a second I've a knock at the door, well eight knocks to be precise...
Oh, hello, well no I-
Re:Retract the pods! Prepare to jump. (Score:4, Funny)
Maybe the budget was for six arms?
Re:ok slashdot (Score:3, Funny)
I knew it! I knew it! Cloning advocates are members of the Cult of Cthulhu! They are perfecting their methods so that they can clone The Great Old Ones from their "stone houses" (fossils) and bring us all to lamentation and ruin!
I never thought I'd side with the fundies, but it's become quite clear to me that the Clonist Cult of Cthulhu must be stopped. Cloning is an abomination that will drive us all to madness, when the stars and Earth are ready... and the pevalence of cloning research tells us that the time is nigh!
Re:Retract the pods! Prepare to jump. (Score:5, Funny)
They're all full of suckers.
Re:Retract the pods! Prepare to jump. (Score:2, Funny)
"It doesn't evolve for 95 million years?"
Easily and obviously explained due to the fact it is not a day past 6000-years old! And do I really need to explain why it was found in a desert?
Re:Creationism rules (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Dirk Fuchs? (Score:2, Funny)
Gaylord Focker
Re:Retract the pods! Prepare to jump. (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Creationism rules (Score:4, Funny)
Such early examples of perfect tastiness with pasta should be eaten with reverence for the wise benevolence of His Noodliness's early omnipotence. Rejoice in your Polpi e Calamari Fettucine, for it is given by the grace of He of the Tangled Forkful.
Ramen.
You guys are idiots (Score:1, Funny)
It's identical to a living octopus because that's how it was created!
Re:Retract the pods! Prepare to jump. (Score:1, Funny)
No, its only 6000 years old, and there is no such thing as evolution.
I mean, this octopus proves that evolution was a lie, and that all species you can find on earth today have been around since they were put here 6000 years ago.
German spelling and pronunciation . . . (Score:5, Funny)
is actually really easy and has only two really simple rules:
How can you beat that? If you can hear it, you can spell it, and if you can spell it you can speak it. I am fluent in German, although it is a foreign language for me. I never make a spelling mistake in German, but in English, my native language, I am error prone.
And folks wonder why they can build such great cars.
And you can build great sentences, with the same word six times in a row:
"Wenn hinter Fliegen Fliegen fleigen, Fliegen fliegen Fliegen nach." (When flies fly behind flies, flies fly after flies)
It's dead (Score:5, Funny)
These things are 95 million years old, yet one of the fossils is almost indistinguishable from living species.
Except, you know, for the fact that one is a rock and the other can only imitate the appearance of a rock.
Re:ok slashdot (Score:5, Funny)
So this cthulhu walks into a bar, right, and...
Hey, anyone remember how this one goes? Damn, this over-22 thing is a drag...
Re:German spelling and pronunciation . . . (Score:5, Funny)
Sure, and you can do that in english too:
Wouldn't the sentence "I want to put a hyphen between the words Fish and and and and and Chips in my 'Fish and Chips' sign" have been clearer if quotation marks had been placed before Fish, and between Fish and and, and and and and, and and and and, and and and and, and and and and, and and and Chips, as well as after Chips?
Re:Retract the pods! Prepare to jump. (Score:3, Funny)
Well there you go, monkeys aren't very good at maths. Literature is more their thing.
Re:Land vs. Sea evolution (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Phenotype!=genotype (Score:2, Funny)
End result? (Score:3, Funny)
Maybe Octopii are the apogee of biological advancement, and all species, despite genetic drift and mutation, all end up evolving into Octopii.
It will sure come in handy for multi-tasking (think circular desks!), but then again, all those Octopii species seem to have given up on technology.
Re:German spelling and pronunciation . . . (Score:5, Funny)