Strange New Marine Creatures Found in Australia

Hundreds of new marine creatures, including as many as 150 soft corals, have been discovered in three Australian reefs, scientists report.

Previously unknown shrimps, worms, scavenging crustaceans, and spectacularly colored soft corals were identified at the tropical sites during a study led by the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS).

Part of the Census of Marine Life, a ten-year initiative to assess global ocean diversity, the expeditions involved systematic sampling of lesser known coral reef animals at Lizard and Heron islands on the Great Barrier Reef and Ningaloo Reef on Australia’s west coast.



A comb jelly trips the light fantastic as it pulses. The creature lacks the stingers of more common jellyfish.



The small, delicate seaweed species, Caulerpa cupressoides was discovered for the first time.



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A green-banded snapping shrimp reveals its disproportionate weaponry.



A gelatinous “creature” pictured floating in the water is actually a colony of smaller animals called alpacas.
These sac-like filter feeders can either float as individuals or can form long chains as they drift through the ocean feeding on plankton.



A pair of fan worms wave their feathery feeding arms to filter tiny particles from the water.



A new species of sea slug, or nudibranch, makes an exotic addition to the coral reefs.



A new variety of translucent soft corals–so-called because they lack the hard skeletons of reef-building corals.Type rest of the post here

The largest formal underwater dinner party on earth

TV presenter Adrian Chiles joined 500 others to help break the world record for the largest sub-aqua dinner party.The Park Club in West London, with an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the largest formal underwater dinner party on earth. The purpose of this bizarre extravaganza is to raise funds for some very worthwhile charities.The Guinness Book of Records is set to confirm exactly how many guests sat down to the gourmet meal of smoked salmon, vegetables and toffee apple.

Wearing dinner jackets and ball gowns, diners indulged in their three-course meal at the outdoor swimming pool at The Park Club in Acton, west London.

The food - which was served to sittings of about 20 people every 20 minutes - was prepared in jelly to stop it from disintegrating in the water.

Tom Sietas holds breath underwater for 15 minutes and two seconds

Twelve-times world records holder Tom Sietas, 30, a German man has held his breath underwater for 15 minutes and two seconds, breaking his own world record (14 minutes and 25 seconds) on a television show.

According to Reuters reports, his feat was helped by a pre-stunt inhalation of 20 minutes of pure oxygen and a five-hour fast.

Mr Sietas has lungs that are 20 percent larger than average for his size, lung expert Dr. Marc Spero told Reuters. He also manages to stay very still, which reduces the need for oxygen.

Octopus helps unearth 900-year-old ancient pottery

South Korean archaeologists have discovered a sunken vessel packed with ancient pottery, in an exploration prompted by an octopus which attached its suckers to a plate.

The 12th-century wooden vessel was found buried in mud flats off Taean, southwest of Seoul, the National Maritime Museum said.

More than 2,000 pieces of 12th-century bowls, plates and other types of pottery were heaped inside the 7.7 meter (25-foot) vessel, it said.



The exploration began in early June after shards of celadon pieces were found attached to the suckers of several webfoot octopuses which a fisherman had netted.

The museum has since retrieved about 540 pieces, which were scattered around the vessel. Several shipwrecks filled with relics including ancient pottery have been found along the west coast, where many kilns were established in the Koryo era.

Kissing competition in the Italian

An underwater kissing competition was held in the Italian Adriatic resort town of Riccione Claudia Petazzoni (L) and Fidel Rios in the above picture won the title. Quite like the idea to stay cool in a hot summer.