this post was submitted on 24 Jun 2024
223 points (96.7% liked)

science

14061 readers
704 users here now

just science related topics. please contribute

note: clickbait sources/headlines aren't liked generally. I've posted crap sources and later deleted or edit to improve after complaints. whoops, sry

Rule 1) Be kind.

lemmy.world rules: https://mastodon.world/about

I don't screen everything, lrn2scroll

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
 

Even as a flying squid, I'm repulsed.

all 34 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] [email protected] 52 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (2 children)

Video link for anyone interested.

https://www.usatoday.com/videos/tech/science/2024/06/21/jumping-leeches-video-first-time/74169034007/

Better video with almost no editing

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-21/leeches-jumping-video/104007924

Actual paper and video source citation (locked behind many paywalls)

A jumping terrestrial leech from Madagascar
Mai Fahmy, Michael Tessler Biotropica,
DOI: 10.1111/btp.13340

[–] [email protected] 12 points 2 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

thank you for the new nightmares.. I'd much rather have a flying squid

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Who wouldn't? We're pretty awesome.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

can you fly like stingrays? (manta rays?)

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

wow. TIL. thx.. learn something new everyday

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago

...that leech fell. Wtf is this jumping business

[–] [email protected] 45 points 2 months ago (3 children)

Article: there's a video, but we're not going to show it, just trust us!

[–] [email protected] 14 points 2 months ago

The video is, I assume, behind the paywalled journal article. There's really not much they can do about that.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago

I scrolled down and saw the video.

[–] [email protected] 21 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Leeches are such cool creatures. I had a run-in with them while canoeing in Manitoba. Just one or two latched on. It’s really incredible how they can move their bodies around in the water yet maintain the exact texture and fluidity of the water itself. You’d never be able to feel one if it brushed up against you.

Also crazy how well whatever numbing chemical they produce works.

If you want to safely observe one up close, you can get them to latch on to your finger nail where they can’t do any damage.

[–] [email protected] 26 points 1 month ago

Now I'm not sayin you're a leech in disguise, but you sound an awful lot like one of those leech-luvvas if you ask me

[–] [email protected] 16 points 2 months ago (3 children)
[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 months ago

They fly now.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago

How dare you! That is not flying! I know what flying is!

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

That's not flying, that's just falling with style.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago

Ooo, like planetary orbits.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 2 months ago (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 11 points 2 months ago (1 children)

So they are able to jump only when they are hungry and hence light?

[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 months ago (1 children)

The paper is behind a paywall, but I suspect the article doesn't say because the paper doesn't come to a conclusion, but I would guess either predation or avoiding being prey themselves.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 2 months ago (2 children)

They only jump when you play Kriss Kross.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago

Your comment is wiggida-wiggida-wiggida wack.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago

That will make you do it...

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 month ago

So that means they have optics...

[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 months ago

"Honey where is my flamethrower?"

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 months ago

Like much of the best biological science!

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (1 children)

After 20 years of the National Geographic cameraman waiting for two lions to get it on, he decides it was time for some actual wildlife videographing

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

I, too, like to videograph from time to time.