Doctors Pull Live Cockroach From a Woman’s ‘Crawling’ Skull

February 15, 2017 risahopecockroach, insects, medicine, strange scienceLeave a comment

KS Strange Science

A 42-year-old woman named Selvi was fast asleep when she felt something wriggle up her nostril. She went to brush it away from her nose, but it was too late. The intruder was already inside. This story is literally my nightmare. 😵

cockroaches

The weird feeling around her nose and eyes that night was extremely painful. According to Selvi, “I could not explain the feeling but I was sure it was some insect. There was a tingling, crawling sensation. Whenever it moved, it gave me a burning sensation in my eyes. I spent the entire night in discomfort, sitting up and waiting for dawn to go to Stanley hospital after getting the reference of a doctor from my employer.”

Doctors couldn’t believe what they found. After a nasal endoscopy, they discovered a live full-grown cockroach sitting at the base of her skull, between her eyes, near her brain. They had never seen anything like it before.

It took the ‘rescue team’ roughly 45 minutes to remove the squirming insect from Selvi’s skull using suction and clamps. The craziest part? They got it on video:

Doctors were relieved the cockroach was alive. According to The New Indian Express, if the cockroach had died, it could have caused a massive brain infection.

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VIDEO: Enormous Sunfish Dwarfs Nearby Divers

October 18, 2016October 18, 2016 risahopedeep sea, ocean, sunfish, Underwater, video1 Comment

KS_LOGOs2_Underwater Rare footage of a gigantic sunfish shot in September of 2013 has gone viral – again. I can see why! This crazy video shows a huge sunfish slowly emerging from the deep, surrounded by divers that look tiny in comparison. 🐟

Sunfish, or Mola, are the heaviest of all the bony fish, with large specimens reaching 14 feet (4.2 meters) vertically and 10 feet (3.1 meters) horizontally and weighing nearly 5,000 pounds (2,268 kilograms). But don’t worry, they are harmless to humans despite their impressive size. They’d rather snack on jellyfish.

This amazing video was captured on film by photographer Miguel Pereira off the coast of Portugal. He was left in awe by his experience. “When diving with a GoPro I saw the giant sunfish almost at surface level and practically static. The sunfish seemed not to be bothered by our presence at all and followed us for 15 minutes,” Pereira explained.

sunfishpic

The original Facebook post already has more than 4.5 million views. I have to admit, it is pretty hard to look away from. Share this crazy video with your friends!

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12 Crazy Pangolin Facts: Meet the World’s Most Hunted Animal

October 11, 2016 risahopeanimals, mammals, Pangolin, strangeLeave a comment

KS Strange Science I had never heard of a pangolin before last week. What did I learn? These incredible creatures are the most hunted animal on the planet. They are also totally bizarre.

I’ve seen them described as medieval anteaters, modern-dinosaurs, walking pinecones, artichokes with legs, nature’s backhoe and armored Pokemon. Let’s go ahead and talk about why pangolins are so awesome (and weird).

pangolincute

Pangolins are the most trafficked animal on the planet, which is why they need our protection. There are eight species of pangolin spread over two continents, Africa and Asia. All eight species range from Vulnerable to Critically endangered.

Their bodies are covered in heavy scales, which is one of the reasons they are traded illegally. According to CNN, “pangolins are trafficked by the thousands for their scales, which are boiled off their bodies for use in traditional medicine; for their meat, which is a high-end delicacy in China; and for their blood, which is seen as a healing tonic.”

Last Wednesday, 182 nations of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) unanimously agreed to a total ban on international trade on all species of pangolin – a decision that received much praise around the world.

12 CRAZY PANGOLIN FACTS!

pangolin

1) Pangolins walk awkwardly on their hind legs, using their tail for balance.

2) When pangolins are frightened they curl up into a tiny, strong roly poly ball.

3) Even big cats in the wild have no idea what to do with them…

pangolinlions

4) Pangolins don’t have any teeth. Instead, they use their sticky tongue to eat insects.

5) A pangolins tongue can be longer than its body.

6) Speaking of insects, pangolins can consume more than 70 million ants a year.

7) Baby pangolins are carried on their mother’s tail or back.

pangolinbaby

8) 20% of a pangolin’s weight is comprised of scales.

9) More than 10,000 pangolins are trafficked illegally each year.

10) Pangolins ears and nose have special valves that close when ants attack.

11) The pangolin’s large scales are made of keratin, like our nails.

12) Nobody knows how many pangolins are left or how long they live.

Sources: The Telegraph, World Wildlife Fund, World Pangolin Day & Nat Geo Wild.

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Googly-Eyed Stubby Purple Squid Can’t Be Real Life

August 16, 2016August 16, 2016 risahopecephalopod, cuttlefish, marine life, nautilus, squid, stubby squid, Underwater1 Comment

KS Strange Science If you haven’t smiled yet today, you need to watch this video of researchers aboard Nautilus coming across an adorable googly-eyed cephalopod.
stubbypurple
I’m not sure what is better – the actual squid or the crew. Such excitement! It goes a little something like this:

“What IS that?!”

“He has weird eyes.”

“No, no, no. Don’t change the angle, please!”

“It looks like some little kid dropped their toy.”

“Maybe he has eye problems…”

“He looks fake, like Davy Jones.”

“He looks like he has googly-eyes! They look painted on.”

“He is awesome.”

“His eyes are freaking me out…”

“He is cool, Mr. Cuttlefish!”

“Is he a cuttlefish? Octopus? No, cuttlefish. He is a ‘cuddle’ fish.”

From the Nautilus website: ‘The stubby squid (Rossia pacifica) looks like a cross between an octopus and squid, but is more closely related to cuttlefish. The team spotted this Stubby Squid off the coast of California at a depth of 2,950 feet.

This species spends life on the seafloor, activating a sticky mucus jacket and burrowing into the sediment to camouflage, leaving their eyes poking out to spot prey like shrimp and small fish.

Rossia pacifica is found in the Northern Pacific from Japan to Southern California up to 300m, but in addition to the team’s sighting, researchers at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) have spotted them at depths of 1,300 m (4,260 ft).’

Nautilus is currently cruising up the California coastline investigating old ship wrecks. How cool is that? Follow them on Twitter for more updates during their mission!

Aren’t Cephalopod’s the greatest? 🐙 Check out more popular Krystian Science posts! Explore ocean photography, news, and exciting discoveries.

New Casper Look-a-like Octopod Spooks NOAA Scientists from the Deep

March 29, 2016March 29, 2016 risahopecephalopod, new species, NOAA, octopus1 Comment

KS_LOGOs2_Underwater The first operational dive of Okeanos Explorer’s 2016 season got off to a frightful start. At the end of February, NOAA’s remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Deep Discoverer dove 2 1/2 miles underwater to collect geological samples near Hawaii. While surveying the area, scientists were shocked to see a wispy white ghost-like octopod dance into view.

NEW ghostlike octopod likely undescribed species; seen on #Okeanos dive ~4300m deep: https://t.co/NKlI78Xy6D pic.twitter.com/GMC7imUDUo

— NOAA Ocean Explorer (@oceanexplorer) March 3, 2016

The appearance of this animal was unlike any published records and was the deepest observation ever for this type of cephalopod.

According to NOAA, deep-sea octopods are easily separated into two distinct groups:

(1) the cirrate, or finned, octopods (also known as “dumbo” octopods), characterized by fins on the sides of their bodies and fingerlike cirri associated with the suckers on their arms
(2) incirrate octopods, which lack both fins and cirri and are similar in appearance to common shallow-water Octopus

This ghostlike octopod is almost certainly an undescribed species and may not belong to any described genus. Image courtesy of NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, Hohonu Moana 2016.

The octopod spotted by the ROV was a member of the second group, the incirrates. What makes this species unusual is that it lacks pigment cells called chromatophores, giving it its spooky appearance, and it isn’t very ‘muscular.’ Casper the wimpy ghost! 👻

The haunting image below captures the moment the unique cephalopod appeared from the deep. Scientist believe it is almost certainly an undescribed species and may not belong to any described genus.

Image courtesy of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, Hohonu Moana 2016.

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10 Crazy New Species Discovered in 2015: Dracula Ants, Shape-Shifting Frogs, and Dwarf Dragons

January 1, 2016January 1, 2016 risahopeants, frogs, Hog-Nosed Rat, microbes, new species, nudibranchs, peacock spider, science, strange science, taxonomy, UnderwaterLeave a comment

KS Strange Science I live in San Francisco and the California Academy of Sciences is one of my favorite places to visit! Who doesn’t love penguins, rainforests, albino alligators, and a rad planetarium all under one roof??

In 2015, researchers at the Academy added 102 new plant and animal species to our family tree. The new species include two frogs, 23 ants, three beetles, eight wasps, 11 spiders, 26 fishes, nine sea slugs, two corals, nine plants, one water bear, and eight new viruses.

Given that we have found less than 10% of the species on our planet, the Academy has inspired me to share ten of my favorite wild new species discovered in 2015. Meet the hog-nosed shrew rat, sparklemuffin spider, and water bear. Happy New Year! 🎉

Behold sparklemuffin (Maratus jactatus), a peacock spider found in Australia.

Enyalioides sophiarothschildae, one of the three new species of dwarf dragons discovered in the Andes of Peru and Ecuador.

“Water bear” is a cuddly name for a microscopic water-dwelling organism with eight legs topped by tiny claws.

Shape-shifting frog. This species, found in Ecuador, can change the texture of its skin in a matter of minutes.

Like other horseshoe bats, this newfound animal has a large structure on its face that is shaped somewhat like a (surprise!) horseshoe.

The hog-nosed rat (Hyorhinomys stuempkei) was found on a mountain in Sulawesi, an island in Indonesia.

A face only a mother could love. A close-up view of the electric ray Tetronarce cowleyi, which feeds on bony fish and small sharks.

This marine pill bug (Exosphaeroma pentcheffi), found in a seaside park in Los Angeles, is just one of many species discovered in 2015.

Researchers from the Academy described six new species of strange subterranean ants from the genus Prionopelta in Madagascar and Seychelles – known as ‘Dracula’ ants.

Another newly discovered species of nudibranch, or sea slug: the pink-and-orange Doto splendidisim.

New Species: Glowing ‘Ninja Lanternshark’ Lights up the Deep Sea

December 30, 2015 risahopenew species, ninja lanternshark, ocean, science, sharks, strange science, UnderwaterLeave a comment

KS_LOGOs2_Underwater I was taught to not bury the lead, so here goes. This is a ninja lanternshark. That’s right – NINJA + SHARK. This new species of lanternshark is black, stealthy, lives in the deep sea, and oh yeah… it glows.

Adult female Etmopterus benchleyi. Credit: Ocean Science Foundation

Researchers named the new species Etmopterus benchleyi, after Jaws author Peter Benchley. They are roughly 18 inches long and have patches of photophores on their snout, sides, and belly. These tiny light-omitting organs are what gives them the ability to glow.

But, ninja lanternsharks have less photophores than their cousins, so they don’t glow as bright. They are also distinguished by their dark black color – hence the name.

These masters of the deep were originally discovered in 2010, by the Spanish research vessel Miguel Oliver. They collected eight specimens off the Pacific coast of Central America at depths ranging between 2,700 and 4,700 feet.

With the help of the Pacific Shark Resource Center and the California Academy of Sciences, they determined that the ninja shark was indeed a new species. They published their findings in a journal this week.

Credit: Ocean Science Foundation

Collection locations along Pacific Ocean coastline of Central America. Credit: Ocean Science Foundation

Immature male Etmopterus benchleyi. Credit: Ocean Science Foundation

This Insane ‘Blue Dragon’ Pokemon-Wannabe Sea Slug Packs a Powerful Sting

November 28, 2015November 28, 2015 risahopeAustralia, Blue Dragon, creepy creatures, marine life, neon sea slug, Pokemon, sea slug, strange science, Underwater1 Comment

KS Strange Science Australia is home to some pretty gnarly creatures, but I’ve never seen one quite this unsettling. Don’t get me wrong, this alien-like sea slug is oddly beautiful – it just gives me chills. Glaucus atlanticus, more commonly known as the “blue dragon,” made headlines this week after washing ashore in Australia.

Blue dragon sightings are rare, but they have been known to wash ashore while hunting for prey. The blue dragon is so badass it feeds on the Portuguese man o’ war. MAN O’ WAR! Man o’ war are incredibly poisonous. And, despite popular belief, they are not jellyfish! They are siphonophores; animals made up of a colony of organisms working together.

Their tentacles are one of four organisms, covered in venom-filled nematocysts that they use to paralyze and kill fish. For humans? The man-of-war sting is unbelievably painful, but not often deadly. Blue dragons actually snack on the man o’ war’s toxic stingers. They store the poisons within their own bodies and gain the ability to sting like crazy. Ouch!

The blue dragon is tiny, spending most of its time upside down in the water, riding the surface tension of the water’s surface. But, don’t let its small size fool you – it clearly packs a potent poisonous punch.

The video below was uploaded to Facebook on November 12 by Lucinda Fry, and it already has over 200,000 views! Warning: it’s super creepy. You won’t be able to look away.

SCIENCE VIDEO ROUNDUP: Huge Great White Shark, Booze Reaches the ISS, and a Two-Headed Sea Slug

August 19, 2015October 19, 2015 risahopeconservation, great white sharks, ISS, KSTV, media, neon sea slug, science, sharks, space, strange science, Underwater, video, water, whiskeyLeave a comment

KSTV Weekly Science Wrap Up!

1) ‘Deep Blue’ – The Biggest Great White Shark Caught on Film

2) LA Saves Water with ‘Shade Balls’

3) Whiskey Reaches the ISS

&

4) The World’s First Two-Headed Sea Slug

World’s First Two-Headed Neon ‘Toxic’ Sea Slug Discovered in Borneo

August 15, 2015 risahopeBorneo, marine life, neon sea slug, nudibranchs, science, sea slug, strange science, two headed, UnderwaterLeave a comment

KS Strange Science This neon two-faced sea slug might look like something you’d find in a sci-fi movie, but it was just found right here on Earth! 🐛

The nudibranch – a soft-bodied, marine gastropod mollusk – was discovered by a diver and a team of film-makers at Kapalai, a sandbar off the coast of Sabah in eastern Malaysian Borneo.

These slugs are part of the species nembrotha kubaryana, but are commonly known as neon sea slugs due to their bright orange and green pattern – which warns predators of their toxicity.

The two-headed oddity was found by dive master Nash Baiti while making a new film series called ‘Borneo from Below.’ This amazing slug’s alien malformation was most likely caused by a gene mix up or damage from pollution.

Clay Bryce, a nudibranch expert and marine biologist at the Western Australian Museum in Perth said, ‘I have never seen another two headed marine creature like this before and I have spent 10,000 hours underwater chasing nudibranchs.’

Maybe it’s just me, but I think this one-of-a-kind neon slug is pretty cute! 😝

Credit: Caters News Agency