Skip to content

Southern Fried Science

Over 15 years of ocean science and conservation online

  • Home
  • About SFS
  • Authors
  • Support SFS

Category: Uncategorized

“You Could Walk On The Backs of Sea Turtles”

Posted on September 7, 2010September 7, 2010 By Bluegrass Blue Crab 1 Comment on “You Could Walk On The Backs of Sea Turtles”
Uncategorized

Sea turtle research is unique in that many if not most of the people actually out in the field taking data are volunteers. By day, they are teachers, librarians, business owners, lifeguards, firefighters, students, retirees, you name it. If you’re curious, check out the network’s website. Sea turtles are the classic cute endangered animals that can really make someone care about marine conservation. And all of this data has gone to help produce population assessments such as this that confirm that while overall population is declining, some areas are actually increasing. But no where is back to the populations on which people could walk out to sea on the backs of turtles.

Read More ““You Could Walk On The Backs of Sea Turtles”” »

Ocean of Pseudoscience Shorty – Bloop!

Posted on September 7, 2010September 7, 2010 By David Shiffman 2 Comments on Ocean of Pseudoscience Shorty – Bloop!
Uncategorized

Our oceans have always been full of mystery, and those mysteries have inspired many fascinating stories over the centuries. We tend to think of sea monster stories as ancient superstitions, but the tale of the Bloop is less than 15 years old. In 1997, some US Navy hydrophones that had been in place for decades … Read More “Ocean of Pseudoscience Shorty – Bloop!” »

Our favorite sea monsters – Mermaids (#5)

Posted on September 7, 2010September 7, 2010 By Bluegrass Blue Crab 5 Comments on Our favorite sea monsters – Mermaids (#5)
Uncategorized

Mermaids occur in legends from cultures around the world and vary in shape, origin, and intent. From the beautiful temptress on the cliffs luring boats onto dangerous shoals to peaceful coexisting aquatic humans, mermaids have made a place for themselves in history. The basics of merfolk is that they are neither human nor fish but some sort of mammal that includes elements of both. They are musically talented and astoundingly beautiful.

Read More “Our favorite sea monsters – Mermaids (#5)” »

365 days of Darwin: September 7, 2010 (3/7)

Posted on September 7, 2010August 31, 2010 By Andrew Thaler 2 Comments on 365 days of Darwin: September 7, 2010 (3/7)
Uncategorized

Charlie wants to see what it’s like to be a Mer-Darwin

An Ocean of Pseudoscience Linkfest

Posted on September 6, 2010September 8, 2010 By Andrew Thaler
Uncategorized

Below are all the other blogs that have joined in on our week long adventure into an Ocean of Pseudoscience. Ya Like Dags? – There’s an Ocean of Pseudoscience Out There Arthropoda – Ocean of Pseudoscience Week Cephalove – News flash: Octopuses are actually psychic Observations of a Nerd – Ocean of Pseudoscience: Sharks DO … Read More “An Ocean of Pseudoscience Linkfest” »

Our favorite sea monsters – Nessie (#6)

Posted on September 6, 2010September 7, 2010 By David Shiffman 2 Comments on Our favorite sea monsters – Nessie (#6)
Uncategorized

One of the most famous “sea monsters” of all time – so famous that her outline graces the Ocean of Pseudoscience Week logo – actually lives in a lake. I’m talking, of course, about “Nessie”, the Loch Ness monster.

Local reports of a bizarre creature inhabiting the Scottish lake go back over a thousand years, but the story became popularized in the 1930’s when Dr. Robert Kenneth Wilson took a now-famous photograph.

Read More “Our favorite sea monsters – Nessie (#6)” »

The Green Flash

Posted on September 6, 2010September 7, 2010 By Bluegrass Blue Crab 5 Comments on The Green Flash
Uncategorized

Legend goes that just as the sun sets below the horizon, a flash of green light appears to kiss the day goodbye. Sailors say that when the flash appears, it means a soul has crossed over. Jules Verne wrote that those who witnessed it could no longer be deceived because he could read the thoughts of others. Admiral Byrd supposedly saw one that lasted 35 minutes.  For a full record of sightings, see here.  But is this really stuff of legend or a real phenomenon in the sky?

Read More “The Green Flash” »

The Gentle Tasaday: An anthropological hoax

Posted on September 6, 2010September 7, 2010 By Bluegrass Blue Crab 7 Comments on The Gentle Tasaday: An anthropological hoax
Uncategorized

In 1971, a group of people known as the Tasaday were discovered on a remote island of the Phillipines known as Mindanao. They wore leafy loincloths and subsisted off what the forest could provide, possessing no knowledge of tobacco, corn, rice, or domesticated animals. They spoke a new dialect of Malay-Philipino language that included no word for outsiders, war, weapon, or enemy, giving them the title ‘The Gentle Tasaday’. The family unit was nuclear and the community has no formal organization or government outside of some loose food-sharing networks.

Today, Tasaday life is way different and matches more modern tribal life in the Phillipines, as documented on their website. The question is, however, whether this modernization was normal development post-contact or whether there was a hoax involved.

Read More “The Gentle Tasaday: An anthropological hoax” »

Our favorite sea monsters – Steller’s Sea Ape (#7)

Posted on September 6, 2010September 7, 2010 By Andrew Thaler 1 Comment on Our favorite sea monsters – Steller’s Sea Ape (#7)
Uncategorized

Georg Wilhelm Steller was a highly influential 18th century German naturalist who explored the coasts of Russia and Alaska. During his career, he described many species, including the northern fur seal, sea otter, Steller’s sea lion, Steller’s eider, spectacled cormorant, and the now extinct giant Steller’s sea cow. In addition to his many observed findings, he also described a fat, hairy creature with a dog-like head that he termed Simia marina, the sea ape.

Read More “Our favorite sea monsters – Steller’s Sea Ape (#7)” »

365 days of Darwin: September 6, 2010 (2/7)

Posted on September 6, 2010August 31, 2010 By Andrew Thaler
Uncategorized

Charlie dons his beret and Julbo mountain goggles as he gets ready to bust some ocean myths

Posts pagination

Previous 1 … 77 78 79 … 119 Next

Popular Posts

Playing God - How the ESA "God Squad" just voted for the extinction of a uniquely American whalePlaying God - How the ESA "God Squad" just voted for the extinction of a uniquely American whaleApril 9, 2026Southern Fried Science
The story of the pride flag made from NASA imagery: Bluesky's most-liked imageThe story of the pride flag made from NASA imagery: Bluesky's most-liked imageSeptember 27, 2024David Shiffman
Here's how to join my IMCC8 symposium, "Ocean Science Communication: What's New and What's Next?"Here's how to join my IMCC8 symposium, "Ocean Science Communication: What's New and What's Next?"April 22, 2026David Shiffman
What Ocean Ramsey does is not shark science or conservation: some brief thoughts on "the Shark Whisperer" documentaryWhat Ocean Ramsey does is not shark science or conservation: some brief thoughts on "the Shark Whisperer" documentaryJuly 2, 2025David Shiffman
On the clarity of animals: the art and science of clearing and stainingOn the clarity of animals: the art and science of clearing and stainingDecember 17, 2013Guest Writer
Our favorite sea monsters – Ningen (#4)Our favorite sea monsters – Ningen (#4)September 7, 2010Andrew Thaler
Join Me at Upwell: A Wave of Ocean Justice — Our Fourth Year!Join Me at Upwell: A Wave of Ocean Justice — Our Fourth Year!March 24, 2026Angelo Villagomez
What can the funniest shark memes on the internetz teach us about ocean science and conservation?What can the funniest shark memes on the internetz teach us about ocean science and conservation?November 8, 2013David Shiffman
Shark of Darkness: Wrath of Submarine is a fake documentaryShark of Darkness: Wrath of Submarine is a fake documentaryAugust 10, 2014Michelle Jewell
That's not a blobfish: Deep Sea Social Media is Flooded by AI SlopThat's not a blobfish: Deep Sea Social Media is Flooded by AI SlopDecember 19, 2025Andrew Thaler
Subscribe to our RSS Feed for updates whenever new articles are published.

We recommend Feedly for RSS management. It's like Google Reader, except it still exists.

Southern Fried Science

  • Home
  • About SFS
  • Authors
  • Support SFS


If you enjoy Southern Fried Science, consider contributing to our Patreon campaign.

Copyright © 2026 Southern Fried Science.

Theme: Oceanly Premium by ScriptsTown