We are happy as a clam to deliver our next installment of the Friday Smorgasbord. Every wonder what the origins of the idiom actually are? Seems it has been in use by sailors and shellfish gatherers from the mid-1600s in a bit of a longer form “happy as a clam in the mud at high tide” to describe feelings of euphoria. Think about it, at low tide the clams are exposed to predators, but in the mud they are a bit more protected. Here is a great breakdown of the entire dissection of the history and how and when it got shortened at Priceonomics.
The archerfish is a unique fish that spits at its prey. The fish uses a precisely placed stream of water to knock insects into the water and then gulped up as a tasty meal. New research has discovered how they do it, by simply changing the shape of its mouth.
We’ve seen fish surgery before when a tumor was removed from a clownfish in China a while back, but recently a pet goldfish went under the knife in Australia. I can think of better things to spend $200 on.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0vFFYbuUwM
A rare intact colossal giant squid was recently caught and brought to the surface by a fisherman in New Zealand. Science got a closer look by being able to perform a proper autopsy.
Oh by the way…it is now OK to pee in the ocean.
