Ocean and SNOT! I used to be afraid of Sharks

[stubeeef]

Now the thought of large amounts of SNOT!

Ok not dangerous, very fragile, but YUCK.

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.

For years scientists have observed loads of life at the bottom of the ocean. But they weren't able to find enough food - carbon - to support all that life. Sinkers, previously overlooked, may help fill that gap.

"We have 10 years of data on sinkers, and using average figures from those years, we can account for twice as much carbon than sediment traps can measure below 1,000 meters," Rob Sherlock of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute told LiveScience.

Kinda like "No snot, sherlock", teehee

 

[wwooden]

There were times when I was so sick I felt like I could produce that amount of mucus, it just never seemed to end.

 

[Mr. Anderson]

Glad that they're on the bottom where I won't be swimming....bleh....

Truly weird stuff on our planet.

D

 

[Inspector Lee]

Glad that they're on the bottom where I won't be swimming....bleh....

Truly weird stuff on our planet.

D

Sharks are surface feeders so watch out... Seems like now the only safe place to be in the sea if you're in 50 feet of water is the 25 foot mark which is basically a no man's land. Gotta watch out for those alligator snapping turtles too. The ones that have the little red lurl for a tongue and powerful jaws that could take a foot off. Next time you venture out into a lake and feel those big rocks under your feet, you could be standing on one their backs.

Snot and Red Tide... Been an interesting marine week.

 

[wdlove]

Glad that they're on the bottom where I won't be swimming....bleh....

Truly weird stuff on our planet.

D

The only problem is if you happened to be swimming in the area that the mucous was being produced.

Nature continues to show ecology, nothing is wasted.

 

[Mr. Anderson]

The only problem is if you happened to be swimming in the area that the mucous was being produced.

Did you read the thing? They're at the bottom of the ocean....1000m or so....do you know anyone who swims down there besides aquaman?

D

 

[wdlove]

Did you read the thing? They're at the bottom of the ocean....1000m or so....do you know anyone who swims down there besides aquaman?

D

Yes I read the article.

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.

It mentions "as the sinkers drop to the sea floor." So in another words the "sinkers" have to be dropping from somewhere. That is where my reference of possibly swimming in the area. Once on the bottom, that is when they become food.

 

[jsw]

It was snot as scary an article as I thought it'd be.

Cool read. I think I'll stick to boats, though. Come to think of it, so would the sinkers... as well as anything else.