Big bug

[ksmith]

They found remains of a giant scorpion in the UK. Biggest bug ever, they say.



This is giving me the shivers just thinking about it.

Comments

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

Arthropods uber alles!

I found myself wondering how the critter's physiology worked. Oxygen transport, musculature, that sort of thing. Current-model arthropods don't scale up...

[daveamongus.livejournal.com]

I remember, long ago, probably on rec.arts.sf.written, the discussions that would go on as to why the "bugs" from Starship Troopers wouldn't work. Interesting that they might, though certainly not with scaled up physiology as noted above.

Huh. Pretty cool.

[chang3002.livejournal.com]

Jesus Christ! That thing is terrifying!

Whenever I hear someone say this thing or that thing "won't work" because of our current knowledge, I kind of snicker. BEcause sooner or later something is going to appear (maybe 8 feet long with pincers as long as my legs, and I'm 6'7"!) and put that idea to rest.

Extremophiles, big bugs, silicon life, etc.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

It's a sea scorpion. I assume they'd function differently than a land-based one.

[e-moon60.livejournal.com]

My first thought was "wonder what it tasted like" and the fact that it was a "sea scorpion" keeps that thought right up front (OK, I'm overfull of turkey & pie, but still...that's a lot of lobsterlike tail there...anybody got a tub of butter and a basket of garlic and another of parsley?

[mizkit.livejournal.com]

Blee! Blee! BLEE!

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

It was the mention of scorpions being related to ticks that got me, because ticks are my personal Blee! Blee! BLEE!

::imagines 8-foot tick::

Although an 8-foot millipede just might take the Get It Off Me!!! prize.

[barbarienne.livejournal.com]

So Clash of the Titans was right after all?



That pleases me immensely, for no reason I can explain. [big grin]

[battle-of-one.livejournal.com]

Cries laughing.

[kateelliott.livejournal.com]

aieeee!!!

[pbray.livejournal.com]

Okay, just thinking about this makes me twitchy.

[battle-of-one.livejournal.com]

I am so glad I don't live where and when that was possible. I just saw something on the news on it!

[hoosier-red.livejournal.com]

Holy crap -- so much for the "oh, arthropods can only get so big because of their exoskeletons" argument.