posted on Jun, 27 2004 @ 07:41 PM
The existence of monsters has always fascinated the human mind, during the course of history we learned that it's mostly our fantastic imagination
that makes them exist. This time it seems like we did it again, once again science had to censor our minds. The "Chilean Blob" or similar cases,
described by some as possible �monsters� of the sea, are actually the remains of whales, according to marine biologists research.
New Scientist - Beach blob mystery solved at last
In July 2003, a 13-tonne blob of amorphous tissue rolled ashore in Los Muermos, Chile. Local marine biologists could find no bones in it, prompting
speculation that it might be the body of a new species of giant octopus.
Even the discovery of the unique dermal glands of the sperm whale in the blob could not dampen this popular hope.
But Sidney Pierce of the University of Southern Florida in Tampa and his colleagues have put the blob through further tests. As they now report in The
Biological Bulletin (vol 206, p 125), electron microscopy has revealed a network of tough collagen fibres that are consistent with whale tissue. Also,
although no cells remain in the blob, fragments of its DNA match that of a sperm whale.
Please visit the link provided for the complete story.
CBC News - DNA tests solve mystery of Chilean sea 'blob'
"These results unequivocally demonstrate that the Chilean blob is the almost completely decomposed remains of the blubber layer of a sperm
whale," the team wrote in the June issue of The Biological Bulletin.
Please visit the link provided for the complete story.
Below are similar cases solved by the researchers during the investigation.
These were proven to be of whale origin by conducting similar tests.
- 1896 giant octopus of St Augustine
- 1960 the Tasmanian west coast monster
- 1990's two Bermuda blobs
- 1996 Nantucket blob
Related Articles:
BBC - Chilean blob could be octopus
[edit on 6-27-2004 by Valhall]