Why are the “sea monsters” surfacing?

Last year, two of the most curious creatures in the world washed up on California beaches a few days apart. They were oarfish, likely the source of the old sea serpent myths. Now, another deep-sea creature has turned up far from home: a rare beaked whale.

Scientists describing the find have resorted to double modifiers to convey how unusual this “very cryptic species” is: “very, very seldom seen,” “they disappear very, very quickly,” “for a very, very long time not much has been known about them.” So, very, very good for researchers, but likely very, very bad for the animals.

—Tim Gihring, editor

October 16, 2014

Source: ABC News, October 14, 2014