Big:
“Sea Monster” fossil found in Peru desert
Researchers scanning the Peruvian desert for whale fossils have stumbled upon the remains of a “sea monster” three times the size of a modern day killer whale.
The teeth of “Leviathan Melvillei” were so large it was initially assumed they were elephant tusks.
“There were no elephants in South America before 3 million years ago, and the specimens found have an age of 12 to 15 million years, so that was impossible,” said Professor Jelle Reumer, one of the team of scientists who found the fossil in the Pisco-Ica desert in coastal Peru.
I love that they included Melville’s name into the scientific name of the animal.
And now, Bigger (though appearing small):
The first photo of a planet outside our solar system
The photo was originally taken in 2008 by David Lafreniere and collaborators working at the Gemini Observatory. Scientists weren’t sure about it being an orbiting planet until now, however. New observations have shown that the planet follows an orbit around the star 300 times larger than Earth’s orbit.
The planet has eight times the mass of Jupiter, and has a much higher temperature: 2,700 degrees Fahrenheit as opposed to the minus 166 degrees of the biggest planet in our solar system. Scientists believe this temperature is a product of the age of this star system, much younger than ours.
Since it was not mentioned in the report, I am assuming that the planet is, as yet, unnamed. Any suggestions?
“Leviathan Governmentium†would have been better, as the Government is beginning to resemble that carnivorous whale, and we its prey.
Eight times the mass of Jupiter? Why, that would be Falstaff.