Japanese fishing trawler sunk by giant jellyfish.
posted by Meatbomb on Nov 6, 2009 - 74 comments

Legends from New Zealand held that there was a large predator bird, known as pouakai, that was big enough to carry human beings off to its nest or den. Some people associated stories of Pouakai with the giant flightless Moa, extinct in 1773. Others thought it might be another extinct giant bird on the South Island, Haast's Eagle (Harpagornis moorei). The eagle, locally known as Te Hokioi, has been extinct for 500 years, overlapping with the early settlers by some 200 years. There was some speculation that the giant eagle was a scavenger due to partially protected nasal openings, which are benefit to protect nasal cavities when digging into carcasses, analogous to features found on accipitrid vultures. Recent studies have provide there is proof that the Haast's Eagle was a fearsome predator, with talons like tigers and the ability to dive on prey at 80 kilometers per hour (50 mph). [more inside]
posted by filthy light thief on Sep 16, 2009 - 22 comments

From the greats of the silent era to the modern masterpieces of the 21st century, the medium of film has never truly achieved artistic perfection. Until today.
posted by Lord_Pall on May 12, 2009 - 90 comments

You know it's a good day to be a reporter when you can use the phrases "giant inflatable dog turd" and "wreaks havoc" in the same story.
posted by yhbc on Aug 12, 2008 - 68 comments

Giant Vulva Bicycle Taxi. [via Jalopnik]
posted by GuyZero on Jun 4, 2008 - 58 comments

The Control Master a new animation from Run Wrake (Rabbit). [previously]
posted by tellurian on May 14, 2008 - 7 comments

Shepard Fairey's cover art for Penguin releases of 1984 & Animal Farm.
posted by jonson on Apr 13, 2008 - 29 comments

Beautiful Squid. How I am obsessed with thee!! A legend, different than an octopus, rarely seen, oddly loved, making its home in the Mediterranean, and the far sea, the giant squid is one of the most elusive creatures of the deep. Even in death it produces treasure.
posted by whimsicalnymph on Jan 16, 2008 - 23 comments

Giant snails are parasite carriers, agricultural pests, good pets and totally delicious and nutritious! What more could you ask for in a slowly invading slimy overlord? Just be sure to protect your brains.
posted by hindmost on Mar 13, 2007 - 31 comments

Giant Crab, Enemy Crab
After a Sony exec gave gave a really bad demo at E3 for an upcoming PS3 game, mean gamers re-edited the embarrassing footage to segue into a cool dancefloor remix.
posted by w0mbat on Feb 28, 2007 - 39 comments

giant creepy things want to eat you
posted by MetaMonkey on Feb 4, 2007 - 37 comments

Giant Rabbit. Capable of balancing a dozen short stacks on its head.
posted by MiltonRandKalman on Feb 6, 2006 - 49 comments

An American Giant Dies Who can fill Matthew McGrory's 29 1/2 shoes?
posted by maxsparber on Aug 10, 2005 - 20 comments

The Royal de Luxe Parade in Nantes, celebrating Jules Verne from what I can gather. A staggeringly beautiful event, go see! I may weep. (via the greatwaxy.org)
posted by Scoo on May 30, 2005 - 14 comments

As predicted and previously discussed, the world's largest collision took place in Antarctica when a 115km (71mile) long iceberg collided with the Drygalski ice tongue in McMurdo Sound. The resulting satellite photographs show the results of the collision quite clearly, but somehow fail to convey the sheer scale of the event.
posted by bap98189 on Apr 20, 2005 - 24 comments

Mega Rabbit.
posted by moonbird on Jul 21, 2004 - 14 comments

It's a Giant Sperm! Whale! The Chilean sea blob is revealed to be the carcass of a Moby Dick.
posted by jengod on Jul 11, 2003 - 6 comments

Giant Gambian Pouched Rats! Curious about these two-foot-long African rodents that have inadvertently gifted our nation's prairie dogs, children, and medical workers with monkeypox? Mary Ann Isaksen writes for the Rat & Mouse Gazette about keeping one of these cute li'l critters as a house pet.
posted by eyebeam on Jun 12, 2003 - 17 comments

'A colossal squid has been caught in Antarctic waters, the first example of Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni retrieved virtually intact from the surface of the ocean. ' Related (old news from January) :- giant squid attacks boat.
More squid sites :- Search for Giant Squid, a Smithsonian exhibit about a 1999 expedition. 'Whether living or extinct, on land or at sea, in literature or in life, large animals have long fascinated people. The largest animals have been known and hunted since prehistory: whales, walruses, elephants, rhinos, hippos, giraffes, and large fishes... However, one large animal has gone almost unnoticed or certainly unobserved in its habitat. That animal is the giant squid. Although these animals have been found in the nets of commercial fishermen, in the stomachs of sperm whales, and washed ashore on different continents, no scientific information has been gathered by direct observations of live giant squid ... '
The UnMuseum's article on the giant squid.
posted by plep on Apr 3, 2003 - 23 comments

MMmmm, doughnut. (NYT link, reg. req'd) Lots of great philosophical answers to the old universe question, like our galaxy is in some giant's fingernail, and others. How about this one? Our universe is the shape of a doughnut! (more inside)
posted by msacheson on Mar 10, 2003 - 14 comments

An Aussie defends Big Things. I love the idea of the Big Things. It all started in 1963 with an American immigrant so in love with his own banana plantation that he wanted everyone driving through to stop in and see it. So he built a gigantic banana. Soon there were lots of other imitators, like the Big Pineapple in Nambour, the Big Prawn at Ballina, and the Big Bull at Wauchope. (Bill Bryson writes in Down Under that the Big Bull has testicles that actually sway in the breeze.) There are now more than 80 Big Things dotted all over the country. Some people think they're tacky. Personally, I want to visit 'em all.
posted by web-goddess on Sep 8, 2002 - 27 comments

Giant, rare, and slow bloomer Amorphophallus titanum or the Penis Plant is now blooming in the Netherlands. Charming photo of a grining woman reaching for the tip.
posted by skallas on Aug 7, 2000 - 2 comments