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Giant Balls of 'Snot' Explain Ocean Mystery
LiveScience ^
| June 10, 2005
| Bjorn Carey
Posted on 06/10/2005 10:08:15 AM PDT by cogitator
click here to read article
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Science at its best. I recommend going to the article link for the three associated pictures, especially the first that shows a live larvacean inside its mucus "web".
1
posted on
06/10/2005 10:08:16 AM PDT
by
cogitator
To: cogitator
As Jim Carey would say, "...EEEEYYYYUMMMY..."
2
posted on
06/10/2005 10:11:23 AM PDT
by
Jim W N
To: cogitator
3
posted on
06/10/2005 10:12:14 AM PDT
by
RushCrush
(Never give in! Never, never, never, never! Never yield in any way great or small.)
To: cogitator
Well, that explains the Hillary/Dean mystery.
4
posted on
06/10/2005 10:12:22 AM PDT
by
bill1952
("All that we do is done with an eye towards something else.")
To: cogitator
Giant snot balls on ocean floor....
I guess Teddy Kennedy's been swimming nearby.
5
posted on
06/10/2005 10:12:37 AM PDT
by
Brilliant
To: cogitator
I always thought they were fish eggs or leftovers from same..........Messy in a net.........
6
posted on
06/10/2005 10:13:49 AM PDT
by
Red Badger
(It's not up to the gov't to give you an education. It's up to you to take it from them......)
To: cogitator
7
posted on
06/10/2005 10:14:22 AM PDT
by
Recovering Hermit
(Void where prohibited...but only if there is absolutely no toilet.)
To: bill1952
And what mystery would that be?..................
8
posted on
06/10/2005 10:14:32 AM PDT
by
Red Badger
(It's not up to the gov't to give you an education. It's up to you to take it from them......)
To: cogitator
Snot balls. The basis of life...
9
posted on
06/10/2005 10:16:20 AM PDT
by
GVnana
To: cogitator
10
posted on
06/10/2005 10:17:48 AM PDT
by
RockinRight
(Conservatism is common sense, liberalism is just senseless.)
To: cogitator
"I found a moon rock in my nose"
11
posted on
06/10/2005 10:19:41 AM PDT
by
Vaquero
(an armed society is a polite society (Heinlien).)
To: cogitator
12
posted on
06/10/2005 10:21:32 AM PDT
by
Gefreiter
("Are you drinking 1% because you think you're fat?")
To: GVgirl
"Snot balls. The basis of life..." Scientist postulate that life started, many hunderd of million years ago, in the sea, springing forth from the primordial snot soup.
13
posted on
06/10/2005 10:21:55 AM PDT
by
Vaquero
(an armed society is a polite society (Heinlien).)
To: cogitator
HEY!! Wipe dat snot ball off your nose.
14
posted on
06/10/2005 10:22:42 AM PDT
by
cripplecreek
(Anyone who thinks we believe Hillary on any issue is truly a moron.)
To: cogitator
This is snot necessarily food for thought :p
15
posted on
06/10/2005 10:23:42 AM PDT
by
Froufrou
(Froufrou Loves The Spurs!)
To: cogitator
This is as good a time as any to remind everyone to NOT pick their nose while riding in a car.
16
posted on
06/10/2005 10:23:59 AM PDT
by
ElkGroveDan
(I'm sick and tired of being sicked and tired!)
To: cripplecreek
Aw, you beat me to it--
I was just thinking the same thing!!
17
posted on
06/10/2005 10:27:32 AM PDT
by
ovrtaxt
(...a sheep in wolf's clothing)
To: cogitator
The mucus houses, or "sinkers," are produced by tadpole-like animals not much bigger than your index finger. As sinkers drop to the sea floor, small sea critters and other food particles get stuck to the mucus and end up on the bottom of the ocean. Where is the photo of this elusive critter? This is news to me and not something I have seen while scuba diving.
The animals responsible for making sinkers are called giant larvaceans. They spin a mucus web, about a yard in diameter. They sit in the middle of the house and use it to filter food that is small enough for them to eat.
As a scuba diver, I have never seen a mucus web that was a yard in diameter! Actually, the only mucus web that I have personally observed was around Parrot fish while they were sleeping at night.
However, "Marine Snow" is a major source of nutrients and is very common in the ocean. I personally purchase "Marine Snow" for my saltwater aquarium as a food source for some of my more difficult filter feeders.
If I were to classify what "Marine Snow" is like, green snot would be an excellent description.
18
posted on
06/10/2005 10:27:38 AM PDT
by
Hunble
(U.S. Army for 20 years)
To: cogitator
One of Jerry Lee Lewis' lost classics
19
posted on
06/10/2005 10:27:47 AM PDT
by
stm
To: Vaquero
Yes. But where did the snot come from?
20
posted on
06/10/2005 10:28:35 AM PDT
by
GVnana
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