*gulp*
September 21, 2018 1:28 AM   Subscribe

An ROV from the Exploration Vessel Nautilus has a remarkable encounter in Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.
posted by Bloxworth Snout (34 comments total) 47 users marked this as a favorite
 
The best thing is hearing the team sound exactly like the doomed-by-curiosity scientists near the beginning of a horror movie ("Wow! We really ticked him off :D"), and then their delight as they realise what they're looking at as it finishes its display, deflates and departs.

A Good Eel.
posted by gesso at 1:55 AM on September 21, 2018 [23 favorites]


There is more!
posted by growabrain at 2:10 AM on September 21, 2018 [3 favorites]


There is more!

Oh boy is there! I was not prepared for the cuteness that was the googly-eyed stubby squid or the shy octopus.
posted by Avelwood at 2:51 AM on September 21, 2018


I have a feeling that if I told these guys they have the best job ever that they would agree.
posted by Harald74 at 3:15 AM on September 21, 2018 [11 favorites]


And you can watch them LIVE! On Quadcam, even.
posted by Elly Vortex at 3:21 AM on September 21, 2018 [3 favorites]


Nature is weird. Also, really cool. But weird.

Such a good inflated sea-noodle.
posted by rmd1023 at 4:34 AM on September 21, 2018 [7 favorites]


I learned about the Nautilus from this previously; I think one of my favorite bits is that all of these scientists doing Very Serious Work And Research all sound like excited little kids when they see something cool.

And they all say the kinds of things I would say ("that looks like a Muppet, guys").
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:40 AM on September 21, 2018 [8 favorites]


"Is it engorged? Or is it... like that?"

"Is it mad?"

"TOUCH IT!"
posted by merriment at 5:38 AM on September 21, 2018 [14 favorites]


I am easily spooked, especially by sea creatures with gaping maws, and eels in particular are pretty terrifying, so I was hesitant to watch this. But I got up the gumption and was very pleasantly surprised. So if you're curious but worried that it will be scary, it will not be. Just wacky and impressive.
posted by Mizu at 6:14 AM on September 21, 2018 [2 favorites]


Scientist excitement at the cutest.
posted by RolandOfEld at 6:20 AM on September 21, 2018 [5 favorites]


I kind of just want to hang with these folks. Their enthusiasm is making me smile.
posted by Fizz at 6:29 AM on September 21, 2018 [7 favorites]


"Touch it." The scientific method at its finest!
posted by ivanthenotsoterrible at 7:08 AM on September 21, 2018 [8 favorites]


Metafilter: Is it engorged?

Metafiliter: It's a muppet!
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 7:23 AM on September 21, 2018 [10 favorites]


It's so amazing it's so sleek and lithe in its normal "Ordinary Eel" persona. Then it demonstrates it could eat you, your ROV, your surface vessel and come back for any survivors... and just kidding, see yas!
posted by Slap*Happy at 7:42 AM on September 21, 2018 [2 favorites]


Whenever I am having a difficult day (which I already was this morning) I like to watch a couple of their videos just to be reminded what real honest delight and enthusiasm is, and that the world is not entirely terrible. This was very helpful today.

Also that eel is kind of a role model, really.
posted by Lyn Never at 7:59 AM on September 21, 2018 [10 favorites]


That was delightful.
posted by rtha at 8:04 AM on September 21, 2018 [1 favorite]


WOW.
posted by suelac at 8:19 AM on September 21, 2018


The whale one's pretty neat, too. Just an ROV and a sperm whale, hanging out, nearly 600 metres down.
posted by scruss at 8:58 AM on September 21, 2018


"Touch it." The scientific method at its finest!

I think we can all agree that it's a good thing this wasn't a geologist.

#LickEverything
posted by blurker at 9:20 AM on September 21, 2018 [9 favorites]


Also awesome -- sperm whale!!
posted by blurker at 9:30 AM on September 21, 2018 [3 favorites]


"Touch it." The scientific method at its finest!

One of my favorite things about these videos - aside from OCEAN! CREATURES! - is the chance to view scientists at work as people who are not just excited and delighted about their work but also wondering, questing, and unsure. We're not always 100% in possession of answers, we're not machines that can just spit out facts and data and prompt identifications, and particularly outside of the lab there is a lot of time going, "what *is* that?! Let's figure it out! YAY!" And it's FINE not to know what something is - in fact, that curiosity and sense of wonder is why a lot of us became scientists in the first place. It's marvelous to let people see that in play and hopefully encourages people to follow their own such feelings in whatever they're interested in. (And also great for children, obviously.)

The idea to let people view these videos as well as watch them live is an absolutely brilliant one.
posted by barchan at 9:53 AM on September 21, 2018 [14 favorites]


these might be the best people in the world
posted by supermedusa at 10:32 AM on September 21, 2018 [2 favorites]


What's that?
It's, I dunno, an Earth mammal?
It looks like a gromulon!
(laughter)
water is coming out of its eyes!
(oh my zorn....)
that stick it's pointing is not part of its body - i think it's a puny weapon
(bullet ricochets off force field)
So wait is this a human? I thought they were hairless
Some have mustaches
ooh lets probe it!
posted by condour75 at 12:27 PM on September 21, 2018


Link to Wikipedia article about the gulper eel here (with not-too-scary pictures). It is also known as the "pelican eel".
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 2:13 PM on September 21, 2018 [2 favorites]


I imagined the little blighter's thought process was:

I am blobby face. Oh no, you're getting closer. I am floating sac monster! Oh no, still closer. I am snaaaaake!
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 4:01 PM on September 21, 2018 [1 favorite]


I thought I was coming for confirmation of The Culture visiting Earth. Oh, ROV / ROU... OK this is cool too I guess.
posted by Meatbomb at 7:18 PM on September 21, 2018 [2 favorites]


I like the scientist voice-overs, too - there's a deep and gravely guy voice, and a chirpy and perky gal voice, and other voices beside, and they are equal and respectful and listening and questioning and answering and HAVING A SWELL TIME WITH THE SCIENCE AND EACH OTHER!

It's hard, grueling work, too. I would never in a million years have picked out that one black bit from those other black bits as something special to look into... it takes hundreds of hours staring at the same old scene to pick up on that there's something new, and having the intelligence and education to investigate it properly once noticed? The Astronomers of the Deep!

This really was a special find, made by ordinary and friendly people devoted to science. Love it.
posted by Slap*Happy at 11:27 PM on September 21, 2018 [2 favorites]


It's always wonderful to see scientists in their natural habitat.
posted by Pyrogenesis at 12:46 AM on September 22, 2018 [4 favorites]


Wikipedia on the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument
posted by mikelieman at 7:22 AM on September 22, 2018


I keep rewatching it and finding new stuff to love - this time I noticed one of the guys straight-up squee'd when they zoomed in close ("EEEE look at its little face!")
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:39 AM on September 22, 2018 [1 favorite]


When they go WOOOOOOAAAA that is just adorable. I want to hug them all.

Still way too claustrophobic to ever go down in a deepsea vessel myself, but aww scientists.
posted by emjaybee at 12:46 PM on September 22, 2018


It's always wonderful to see scientists in their natural habitat.

It’s wonderful to see scientists whose primary job isn’t poring over Excel spreadsheets. TBT, it’s the Excel spreadsheets that produce the most meaningful results, but there is no sense of wonder or amazement looking at them.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 8:39 PM on September 22, 2018


Still way too claustrophobic to ever go down in a deepsea vessel myself, but aww scientists.


This is an unpersoned vehicle being controlled at the surface.
posted by dilaudid at 8:47 PM on September 22, 2018


Update: some folks went down in a submarine and saw a pelican eel with their own eyes! (And cameras.)
posted by moonmilk at 8:45 AM on October 4, 2018 [2 favorites]


« Older Windex, flea collar, hot dusty VCR, the color...   |   Playing God Newer »


This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments