Check This Shit Out

[Toaster]

So I saw this on io9 today. It's something that some people would find disturbing*, so ask yourself if you are one of those people before clicking on this. Ask yourself if you are a little yellow-bellied coward.

http://io9.com/5357663/tongue+eating-parasites-attack-giraffe-near-normandy

*I guess I should say what kind of disturbing it is. Because there are so many kinds. It's a gross-looking animal.

[pmcd9]

That's pretty fucked up.

[side_show]

A damn.  That parasite is all: "hey how are you.  I'm awful in every way possible.  Carry on."

[CortJstr]

A damn.  That parasite is all: "hey how are you.  I'm awful in every way possible.  Carry on."

I'd seen this picture before but never heard it described so eloquently.

The worst part is the parasite has a little smile.

[wombat]

OH GOD. NEVER CLICKING TOASTER'S LINKS AGAIN.

God, I thought it would just be a sucking worm kind of thing. An isopod does not belong in ANYONE else's mouth.

I even had to click through a bunch of links to find the original source, in the hope it was faked. But it seems not although the BBC had the GOOD TASTE not to use that particular photo. UGGGGH.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/jersey/8246001.stm

[AugustWest]

Cool!  It looks like a li'l bitty Alien.  Awwwww.

[Victoria Waterfield]

So I saw this on io9 today. It's something that some people would find disturbing*, so ask yourself if you are one of those people before clicking on this. Ask yourself if you are a little yellow-bellied coward.

http://io9.com/5357663/tongue+eating-parasites-attack-giraffe-near-normandy

*I guess I should say what kind of disturbing it is. Because there are so many kinds. It's a gross-looking animal.

I am a little yellow-bellied coward, but I also felt a professional duty to click on a story having to do with giraffe. I kind of wish I were a teddy bear historian or something of that kind right now.

[Choop]

what is with that giraffe's chompers
did it retire in '03 and just pick out a set of dentures

this isopod brought to you by pepso-dent

[Toaster]

It's things like this that remind me of my love for parasitology. Sometimes I come up with fictional ones. Because I'm a giant nerd. My OCD really helps me imagine horrible, terrible things like that. I guess it's a way of channeling it into something less... scary.

I didn't articulate that well at all. But it is what it is. I may or may not delete this post (not the thread).

[linnea]

What wombat said. Isopods freak me the hell out. Yuck. I'm not clicking. Yes, you may call me a little yellow-bellied coward if you wish.

[wombat]

In case anyone else has read this far without deciding whether or not to click, here's a quote from the researcher that found the thing:

"Really quite large, really quite hideous - if you turn it over its got dozens of these really sharp, nasty claws underneath and I thought 'that's a bit of a nasty beast'.

And another that may or may not be reassuring:

Mr Chambers added: "It doesn't affect humans other than if you do actually come across a live one and try and pick it up - they are quite vicious, they will deliver a good nip."

[Doc]

I wonder what the life cycle is though, do they leave eggs in the giraffe? Eggs that could end up in sushi. If they hatch in the sushi would they know any different than to start growing until someone bit into that salmon roll?

Edit: Completely separately I just figured out where Victoria's screen name is from. Internet high fives.

[Victoria Waterfield]

Edit: Completely separately I just figured out where Victoria's screen name is from. Internet high fives.

FINALLY.

I think this is when I scream.

[Doc]

Freeze frame. Credits roll. To be continued.

[wombat]

Edit: Completely separately I just figured out where Victoria's screen name is from. Internet high fives.

Well thanks a lot, here I was perfectly content in the illusion that it was her real name, because it is so perfectly British-naturalist-giraffe-scientisty, but now I had to go Googling and spoiling the illusion.