Myrmidonisia
15-06-2005, 15:41
I was reading the news on Yahoo! (http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20050610/sc_space/giantballsofsnotexplainoceanmystery) this morning and was treated to the tidbit that fish don't use Kleenex. Apparently they just blow their noses and let the snot roll about on the ocean floor. How unsanitary!
Anyhow, most things that happen at the research facility in Monterey, CA make good reading. This is no exception.
Scientists have discovered giant sinking mucus "houses" that double the amount of food on the sea floor.
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.
Funny thing about the ad that was placed in my view of the article. It was for a bottle of Glenlivet scotch. Now, I'm a bourbon drinker so I appreciate the association of scotch and snot, where most scotch drinkers might not.
Anyhow, most things that happen at the research facility in Monterey, CA make good reading. This is no exception.
Scientists have discovered giant sinking mucus "houses" that double the amount of food on the sea floor.
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.
Funny thing about the ad that was placed in my view of the article. It was for a bottle of Glenlivet scotch. Now, I'm a bourbon drinker so I appreciate the association of scotch and snot, where most scotch drinkers might not.