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The Best of 2006

Not a real memorable year, but we will cover a few highlights

Cambodian Dinosaur Carving

The jungle temples of Cambodia were produced by the Khmer civilization, beginning in the the eighth century and lasting through the fourteenth century A.D. They were rediscovered by Portuguese adventurers and Catholic missionaries in the 16th century and many were restored in 19th and 20th centuries. Ta Prohm, is unrestored, and was used for the setting of a Lara Crofts movie. It is here that a carving that looks very much like a Stegosaur has been discovered.


While most of the picture is pretty consistent with a Stegosaur, the head is not. It is too big and lacks the beak and looks more like a triceratops. Evidence of a hoax, or artisans making the best of secand hand knowledge. So is this another tantalizing hint that dinosaurs may have persisted into human times, or simply a stylized version of another, conventional animal? For example the Borneo Rhinoceros was on the mainland in historic times, and perhaps the artists has been set against a big-leafed backdrop. Another suggestion has been that its a stylized dog in an aggressive pose with its hair up. Could the Lara crofts crew (or someone else) have perpetrated a hoax?

As usual the flat earth bible crew have jumped onto this as evidence that 'evolution' is wrong. I don't understand why they believe that surviving relic populations of dinosaurs prove evolution wrong. All it would prove is that relic populations of dinosaurs have survived into humans times from the Mezoic, just like the coelacanth managed to do. There is vigorous discussion at cryptomundo

The Yeti Lobster

A new crustacean that looks like a lobster covered in silky, blond fur has been discovered in the South Pacific. Because of it's silky coat the creature has been called the "Yeti Lobster." Scientists have labelled it with its own genus and species, Kiwa hirsute, "Kiwa" after the goddess of shellfish in native Polynesian culture and "hirsute" 'cause it's a hairy critter.

The blind crustacean, Kiwa hirsuta, is about 15 centimetres long. (AP photo)

This blind crustacean has a white shell and 10 legs and is is 15 centimetres from tip to toe. It was discovered in March 2005 by a group organised by Robert Vrijenhoek of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, using the famous submersible DSV Alvin. The creature was found at a depth of 2,200 m, living on hydrothermal vents along the Pacific-Antarctic Ridge,  1,500 km south of Easter Island. More...

 Lake Windermere Monster

A good sighting of a Lake Monster from Lake Windermere in the UK. 

Lake 'monster' sighting - from The Westmorland Gazette

'A HOLIDAYMAKER has spoken of his horror at seeing a Loch Ness-type monster' emerge from the depths of Windermere, report Paul Duncan and Peter Otway. University lecturer Steve Burnip and his wife, Eileen, were shocked at seeing the serpent-like creature surface from the waters as they stood at a well-known viewpoint.

"I was absolutely flabbergasted, I just stood there and couldn't believe what I was looking at," said Mr Burnip, who has been holidaying in the area for 13 years with his family. He claimed the creature was about 15-20ft long with a little head and two small humps following in its wake. "It was like a giant eel."

Mr Burnip, who is 51 and from Hebden Bridge, was looking out from Watbarrow point that looks across the lake to Waterhead. Ian Winfield, a fish ecologist for the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology at Lancaster University, believes Mr Burnip could have seen a catfish, as they have been introduced to a lot of lakes for angling.

"The Wels catfish comes from mainland Europe and can grow to about 500cm and weigh up to 306kg and there have been numerous records of catfish washing up dead in Cumbrian lakes," said Mr Whitfield.

The Centre for Fortean Zoology has investigated this, click here

Next Year

Let's hope we have a better year next year. Maybe the Ropen or a bigfoot or two.

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Copyright 2006 Team Xbow
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