MetaFilter posts tagged with giant

Jellyfish:1 Fishermen:0

Meatbomb — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:35:42 -0800

Japanese fishing trawler sunk by giant jellyfish.

Haast's eagles were to NZ as Dingos are to Australia

filthy light thief — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:41:54 -0800

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). Weighing twice as much as the Steller's Sea Eagle, the heaviest modern eagle at 9 kilograms (20 lb), the Haast's Eagle was the only large predator on the South Island. It's primary prey was most likely the Moa, the largest of reached about 3.7 m (12 ft) in height with neck outstretched, and weighed about 230 kg (510 lb). Because it is unlikely that even two Haast's Eagles could eat a complete Moa before it went bad, these kills were bounties for smaller predatory birds, from whom they may have evolved. The absence of mammalian competitors facilitated the evolution of much larger eagles and owls on Cuba and may have likewise precipitated the rapid morphological shift, with an increase in body size by at least an order of magnitude in less than 2 million years. Historic myth, fact, and fiction Another Waitaha myth tells of a contest between the hawk and hokioi. The hawk said it could reach the heavens; the hokioi said it could reach the heavens; there was contention between them. The hokioi said to the hawk, “what shall be your sign?” The hawk replied, “kei” (the peculiar cry of the hawk). Then the hawk asked, “what is to be your sign?” The hokioi replied, “hokioi–hokioi–hu–u.” These were there words. They then flew and approached the heavens. The winds and the clouds came. The hawk called out “kei” and descended, it could go no further on account of the winds and the clouds, but the hokioi disappeared into the heavens. Though the Pouakai could attack a person, there is information from people eating the eagles, detailing that a particular wood was needed to sufficiently cook their haunches. One of the mysteries and curiosities of New Zealand is a UFO explosion in Tapanui, New Zealand, 1178, which the author believes lead to telekinetic pollution of New Zealand that caused in past, and still causes now, that various organisms which live in New Zealand to sporadically mutate to gigantic sizes. Based on a blurry photograph and some footprints found in mud, some cryptozoologists are claiming the Moa lives on.

Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus

Lord_Pall — Tue, 12 May 2009 22:14:39 -0800

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.

Giant Inflatable Dog Turd Wreaks Havoc

yhbc — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 18:26:56 -0800

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.

Giant Vulva Bicycle Taxi

GuyZero — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 10:59:18 -0800

Giant Vulva Bicycle Taxi. [via Jalopnik]

Tyranny in Two Dimensions

tellurian — Wed, 14 May 2008 18:56:29 -0800

The Control Master a new animation from Run Wrake (Rabbit). [previously]

Shepard Fairey Meets George Orwell

jonson — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 18:09:25 -0800

Shepard Fairey's cover art for Penguin releases of 1984 & Animal Farm.

Real Giant Squids

whimsicalnymph — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 12:12:59 -0800

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.

Heebie Jeebie filter

hindmost — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 19:44:10 -0800

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.

Attack it's weak point for massive damage.

w0mbat — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 23:08:45 -0800

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.

giant creepy things want to eat you

MetaMonkey — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 00:28:46 -0800

giant creepy things want to eat you

I sat on Herman thinking he was a bean bag

MiltonRandKalman — Mon, 06 Feb 2006 18:36:46 -0800

Giant Rabbit. Capable of balancing a dozen short stacks on its head.

An American Giant Dies

maxsparber — Wed, 10 Aug 2005 19:41:51 -0800

An American Giant Dies Who can fill Matthew McGrory's 29 1/2 shoes?

Royal de Luxe Parade

Scoo — Mon, 30 May 2005 09:35:07 -0800

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)

Things that go bump in the night.

bap98189 — Wed, 20 Apr 2005 04:40:27 -0800

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.

Bonus Bunny

moonbird — Wed, 21 Jul 2004 04:24:14 -0800

Mega Rabbit.

welcoming our new sperm overlords

jengod — Fri, 11 Jul 2003 16:13:28 -0800

It's a Giant Sperm! Whale! The Chilean sea blob is revealed to be the carcass of a Moby Dick.

Giant Gambian Pouched Rats

eyebeam — Thu, 12 Jun 2003 11:50:59 -0800

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.

Beware the giant squid

plep — Thu, 03 Apr 2003 00:52:12 -0800

'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.

Doughnutty Universe

msacheson — Mon, 10 Mar 2003 23:05:33 -0800

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)

web-goddess — Sun, 08 Sep 2002 19:19:47 -0800

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.

skallas — Mon, 07 Aug 2000 21:55:10 -0800

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.