May 02
This 14ft monster was caught in a Thai river after an extensive search by a biologist looking to study them. They have a 15inch arrow-shaped barb on their tail that can penetrate thru bone. They feed on clams and shrimp by detecting their electrical signature with special sensors and bury themselves in the mud as a defense.
The biologist who studied them claims that these creatures may be the largest freshwater fish in the world.
There are unverified accounts of individuals growing well over 1,000 pounds (450 kilograms) in weight and more than 20 feet (6 meters) in length
Surpisingly, they exist in a rivers in heavily-populated areas and aren’t on the local menu because they are extremely hard to catch. The one caught in the picture gave birth shortly after being captured and was released without harm.
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May 01
This is pretty cool if they do it, it will make finding new shipwrecks a whole lot easier. But like Google Mars, I’m not exactly sure how they are going to sell ad space on it.
The company has assembled an advisory group of oceanography experts, and in December invited researchers from institutions around the world to the Mountain View, Calif., Googleplex. There, they discussed plans for creating a 3D oceanographic map, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The tool–for now called Google Ocean, the sources say, though that name could change–is expected to be similar to other 3D online mapping applications. People will be able to see the underwater topography, called bathymetry; search for particular spots or attractions; and navigate through the digital environment by zooming and panning. (The tool, however, is not to be confused with the “Google Ocean” project by France-based Magic Instinct Software that uses Google Earth as a visualization tool for marine data.)
Article on Cnet