If you think that Entertainment is ever just about your fun, you are deadly mistaken.There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that
DAYS OF NOAH: STUNNING NEW 112FT VISITOR ATTRACTION CALLED ‘THE GIANT’ USING ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE A 20-NATION TOUR IN 2021 by Geoffrey Grider for Now The End Begins
The Giant Company is a member of IAAPA, the international association of amusement parks and attractions. The Giant is planned for 21 major cities across the globe. While every Giant is bespoke for its city and country, each is also a member of a family that can digitally communicate with other Giants around the world. Global events will engender global communities and these trendsetting events will become a defining social feature of the coming decades.
The most exciting visitor attraction concept of the 21st century has been launched. Entitled, The Giant, it features the world’s tallest moving statue. The Giant was conceived by The Giant Company based in Dublin, Ireland.
You can file this one under ‘we told you this was coming’, no shock here but, man oh man, what a surprise. For a number of years now, and certainly over the past 6 months or so, we have been warning you to get ready for the return of the fallen angels and the Genesis 6 giants. Jesus Himself tells us that the time of Jacob’s trouble will see a return of the giants, just as it was in the days of Noah.
“But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Matthew 24:37-39 (KJB)
Contained in the Matthew 24 prophecy, we see Jesus pointing us back to Genesis chapters 5 and 6, and what do we see there? In Genesis 5, we see people ‘marrying and giving in marriage’ and that produces a man by the name of Enoch. Enoch would become the first person in the Bible ever to be raptured by God from Earth up to Heaven. Enoch is a type picture of a Christian who goes home to Heaven without ever seeing death. Then in Genesis 6 we see the fallen angels having sex with human woman, and producing a race of giants. Giants!!
“And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Genesis 6 (KJB)
So it is absolutely perfect that, after the last 15 months of never-ending prophetic fulfillment around the world that we should see a company that wants to bring ‘The Giant’ to every major nation on earth. We are being groomed, we are being prepared for the return of the fallen angels and the return of the giants as Jesus said it would be. The Pretribulation Rapture will remove us before the start of the time of Jacob’s trouble – but – will we see the giants? I am thinking yes we will. Get ready.
Get A First Look At ‘The Giant’ Statue Coming To 21 Cities Across The Globe In 2021
FROM BROADWAY WORLD: Supported by Enterprise Ireland and CRBRE, the concept for The Giant includes the multi-storey statue mounted on a plinth housing an exhibition. The statue will be embedded with millions of addressable LED pixels giving it the ability to instantly take the form of any person from historical figures such as Albert Einstein or (famous woman Amelia Earhart) to stars of today from Lionel Messi to Beyoncé. Each hour the Giant will transform into each country’s national heroes and celebrities. The Giant’s arms and head can move to a diversity of positions and the images of the men and women appearing on the statue can speak or sing.
The Nephilim: The Return of the Giants
The main characteristics of a Nephilim are incredible height and superhuman strength. Goliath’s height was “six cubits and a span” (1 Sam 17:4) or approximately 10 feet. (1 cubit = 1.5 ft, 1 span = 0.5 ft). His coat of mail weighted 125 pounds (5000 shekels), and the tip of his spear weighed 15 pounds (600 shekels). They were also known for superhuman strength, as “mighty men which were of old, men of renown” (Gen 6:4). They may also have strange or mutant body features, such as six fingers and six toes (see 2 Sam 21:20 above).
Do Nephilim exist today? Jesus warned that the days of His coming would be like the days of Noah. People would be marrying and being given in marriage. In Noah’s day, they were intermarrying with fallen angels. Does the “marrying and being given in marriage” of Matthew 24:38 refer to the return of this unbiblical crossbreading? The prophet Daniel gives more insight on the Nephilim of the last days. In regards to the revived Roman Empire of the last days, he says “And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.” (Dan 2:43). Some attempt to mingle and pollute the human bloodstream with nonhuman DNA. They attempt to create part human hybrids, chimeras. However, they have problems. The seeds do not mix well. They don’t cleave to each other. The resulting hybrids die early deaths, or have unexpected deformities. In light of all this weirdness, this is the good news. The evil plans will be thwarted. Therefore, the Nephilim will reappear in these last days.
We are living in the end times. Evil men will get worse and worse. The Nephilim will reemerge, if they are not here already. Also, the modern transhumanist movement may be a cover for the Nephilim. I know that this is an unpopular, unpleasant topic. However, we know that the Lord will have the victory. He defeated the Nephalim in the time of Joshua and David. He will also defeat them now. In Christ alone we will have the victory.
Updated: February 24, 2015 — 9:49 PM
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The attraction, called The Giant, was installed at ExCeL London for IAAPA (International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions International.) Expo Europe – the biggest event for theme parks and visitor attractions in Europe.
Created by The Giant Company, based in Dublin, The Giant is intended to be one of a series to be installed around the world as visitor attractions. Its arms and head can move, and its patented skin – a matrix of millions of LED pixels – can take on the appearance of any person, including historical figures and current stars.
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| NEEV Lights – INTELLIGENT LIGHTING
Neev’s proprietary smart city lighting solution (Intellivolt), furthers the energy efficiency, over a standard LED street light. The intelligent street lighting systems allow optimal use of street lights which can be customised to save more energy. The usage can be managed as per time of the day, peak or regular traffic conditions and even parameters such as the change in weather and ambient lighting condition.
The quality of lighting remains far superior, lending cities benefits of not just being aesthetically pleasing but safer as well.spacer |
Don’t look now but the LED light fixtures are spying on youWhether or not you pay any attention to the lighting overhead, the lighting may be paying such close attention to you that privacy advocates are warning about the “terrifying” potential for misuse.
There are cases when a LED light can spy by covertly listening and then send that audio over 300 meters away to the eavesdropper. But this time, it is the LED fixtures that are the “backbone” of a new surveillance system scrutinizing and recording us. The New York Times reported that 171 LED fixtures inside Terminal B at Newark Liberty International Airport are “watching” us.
It’s not the “green” side of saving energy by automatically turning the lights off and on that has the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey excited and “already talking about expanding it to other terminals and buildings.” Instead, the excitement comes from the mountains of data captured by sensors and analyzed by software about “the habits of ordinary citizens.” Right now Port Authority, which operates Newark Airport, “owns” the data collected, but law enforcement can obtain it via a “subpoena or written request.” |
| So, this structure has MILLIONS OF LED Pixels. Constantly collecting data about everyone and anyone in the vicinity. Facial recognition, marital status, your children’s names and ages, your address and phone number, credit status, work status, license and insurance information, credit card and bank information, medical data, warrants, tickets, parole and or jail time, education, income, tax status, fingerprints, DNA, medicaitons…no limit to what it can access. All that stuff that was supposed to be “protected” by HIPPA and the reason for digital medical records to provide security. SECURITY for YOU is out the window. |
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Visitors had their image scanned and uploaded onto the statue, resulting in a massive selfie. They could also climb up to ‘stand on the shoulders of a giant’.
Alongside the statue, The Giant Experience offered ‘an immersive journey’ into the world of giants, from the realms of legend to a celebration of notable men and women of today.
VOLUME 17 ISSUE 10 BIGGER PICTURE ART ENTERTAINMENT ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY IN SOCIETY
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News
The Giant Company, an Irish organisation working in concert with cities, embassies, and leaders across the globe, has announced a new shape for The Giant, a unique visitor attraction concept that stands over 10 storys tall and can take the form of any person thanks to its patented skin made of a matrix of LED pixels.
The Giant’s arms and head are movable, and its skin can reflect the image of guests, celebrities, or famous figures throughout history. Visitors enter the exhibition space where they are scanned and uploaded (into the Beast System) onto the giant statue for a truly memorable selfie. The Giant is also ideal for brand enhancements, digital art, and even as a backdrop for performances.
THE GIANT 2021 TIMELINE Including Talking Giant
Speaking about The Giant, The Giant Company says that its mission is “to build an environmentally conscious global network of attractions – featuring the world’s tallest moving statues – that reinvents the visitor attraction experience for everyone, entertaining, enlightening and surprising customers through bold flights of imagination and the creative use of new technologies.”
Devising the ideal shape
Recently, the company has been working with a team of sculptors, anatomists, animators and engineers to come up with a new shape for The Giant statue that satisfies several aesthetic and technical criteria. The goal was to create a statue that is androgynous and that will look realistic when scans of actual people are mapped onto its LED skin.
CEO of The Giant Company, Paddy Dunning, says “It goes without saying that men and women have different anatomical and stylistic features. Men, women and children also have different head-to-body ratios so composing a shape that brings these factors together to create an artistically pleasing sculpture and one that we can successfully map any person onto has been a challenging project. We are excited to share the amazing results with the public.” (Remember that to the scientists and technologists mapping is the first step toward TOTAL CONTROL!)
Following a number of design iterations and extensive prototyping, the team has presented a contemporary and beautiful shape for the statue that incorporates feminine and masculine features. The legs come together to form a single unit, meaning that items of clothing like skirts, dresses and robes can be mapped. This also provides easy access for maintaining the LED matrix.
These engineering considerations have also had implications on the design of the statue. The movement of the arms and head will be accomplished by employing hexapods – actuators that can create multi-access motion resulting in the arms and head moving to a diversity of positions. This includes a victory pose where both of the Giant’s arms are raised above its head.
New immersive experience
In addition, the design team has also been working to refine The Giant Experience, creating a unique engagement for visitors. The fully immersive experience will use several new technologies, as well as cinematic and theatrical effects, to bring visitors face to face with giants from myths and legends and great men and women from ancient times to the present day.
The motto of The Giant is Awaken the Giant in You; reflecting the company’s ethos that everyone has the potential to be a Giant, to achieve ambitious goals, to make a positive effect in their communities and to work together to help save the planet.
Last month, The Giant Company also revealed further details of its funding plans, including an exclusive NFT series.
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Series of announcements will reveal updates on the attraction concept & look ahead at plans for the future
At more than ten storeys tall, The Giant is higher than the Statue of Liberty, with a head and arms than can move into a variety of positions. Its patented skin is a matrix of millions of LED pixels, meaning that the sculpture is able to take the form of any human, from well-known celebrities like Beyoncé or Lionel Messi to celebrated people from history, such as Amelia Earhart of Albert Einstein.
Visitors can also see themselves reflected in The Giant, after a simple scan inside the exhibition space, for the ultimate selfie.
Innovative new attraction
Speaking about The Giant, Amanda Thompson OBE, chairperson of IAAPA, says: “I think it is an absolutely mesmerizing Giant of new technology, Fantastic, Wonderful, Wonderful, Wonderful thing.”
The company is now about to release a series of announcements that will reveal more information about the attraction, covering topics such as:
- What are the features of The Giant?
- What are the new groundbreaking technological advances of The Giant?
- How will The Giant bring visitors to the metaverse and use NFTs?
- What is the new immersive experience?
- What is the new shape for The Giant statue?
- What cities and locations has The Giant been invited to?
- How will The Giant be financed?
- Who are the team behind The Giant?
- What is The Giant’s movement?
- What will The Giant unveil at IAAPA Expo Europe?
If you are interested in any aspect of The Giant Project, please contact the team via email.
Earlier this year, The Giant Company launched its visitor attraction for the MENA (Middle East North Africa) region at Dubai Entertainment Amusement & Leisure Exhibition (DEAL). The team will also be present at IAAPA Expo Europe 2022 this September.
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Sculpture and attraction concept will be showcased for the first time to Middle East prospects
The Giant Company, an Irish-based organisation working in concert with cities, embassies, and leaders across the globe, has announced it will be traveling to Dubai for a major industry trade show.
The Giant Company will launch its visitor attraction for the MENA (Middle East North Africa) region at the upcoming Dubai Entertainment Amusement & Leisure Exhibition (DEAL) event in Dubai next week.
The concept
The Giant Company is the Dublin-based firm behind The Giant, its vision for the future of visitor attractions for the twenty-first century. Its creation, The Giant, is planned to be unveiled in major cities around the globe as the world’s tallest moving statue, doubling as an observation tower and state-of-the-art exhibition space.
The Giant was previously launched for the European market at last year’s IAAPA Expo Europe in September, followed by the United States at IAAPA Expo in Orlando, Florida during November 2021.
The Giant Company has confirmed it is currently negotiating prime locations in Miami, New York, Chicago and Las Vegas, US, as well as Naples, Italy following the shows. The Giant Company is now seeking additional sites and partners in the Middle East and Asia, as well as selected cities in Europe.
Over to Dubai
The Giant Company will be presenting its Giant Head at the annual trade show, a four-meter-tall replica of a human head that is covered in addressable LEDs. The feature includes The Giant Company’s patented content management system which enables visitors’ faces to be scanned and and instantly displayed on The Giant Head.
The Giant Company also plans to present two artistic features to attendees, including instant video mapping and real time audio.
Operating since 1995, DEAL is the longest-running tradeshow for the attractions sector, with attendees including management and developers of amusement parks, leisure facilities and FECs (Family Entertainment Centers). The show has grown to become the largest of its type for the region.
The Giant Company is collaborating with Kraftwerk Living Technologies (as in working The Craft), a key member of the project design team, to present the Giant Head at DEAL.
DEAL takes place at the Dubai World Trade Centre on 28 – 30 March 2022. Tickets are available on the official event website.
The Giant Company has previously provided in-depth details of the sculpture’s many features, including movable limbs and the ability to transform into famous persaonlities.
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Music Festival – Wake The Giant
Wake the Giant Music Festival was created in 2019 as a community-driven event to welcome hundreds of Indigenous youth to Thunder Bay from Northern remote communities. it brings cultures, music, and festival fans together, while promoting Indigenous artists. The festival is a part of the largest student oriented event in Canada. 2022 Posterspacer
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The fourth instalment of the Giant Adventures Season saw families entertained by magical characters, free arts and craft workshops and enjoying a local food village.
The Warrenpoint Busking competition saw four local busking musicians win cash prizes on the Saturday after entertaining people on the streets of Warrenpoint.
Live music on Saturday and Sunday helped keep the party going and Finn the Giant was woken up not once but twice on the Sunday afternoon.
To find out more about the Giant Adventure Season, visit www.visitmournemountains.co.uk/GiantAdventures
Open Map
Northern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Northern Ireland shares a border to the south and west with the Republic of Ireland. In 2021, its population was 1,903,100, making up about 27% of Ireland’s population and about 3% of the UK’s population. The Northern Ireland Assembly, established by the Northern Ireland Act 1998, holds responsibility for a range of devolved policy matters, while other areas are reserved for the UK Government. Northern Ireland cooperates with the Republic of Ireland in several areas. Northern Ireland was created in 1921, when Ireland was partitioned by the Government of Ireland Act 1920, creating a devolved government for the six northeastern counties. As was intended, Northern Ireland had a unionist majority, who wanted to remain in the United Kingdom; they were generally the Protestant descendants of colonists from Britain.Wikipedia
As you can see on the map below, Warrenpoint is halfway between the capitol of Northern Ireland and the capitol of Ireland. Two cities who were in constant conflict for many years . One primarily Catholic and one primarily protestant. Interesting how this so applies to what is happening today. Warrenpoint is just outside the borders of both sides, and across from the Isle of Man.
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It looks like this is the weekend to be in Berlin (Germany, not New York). To help celebrate Germany’s reunification, the French contemporary street theater Royal de Luxe will be staging a citywide performance that will unfold over the next three days:
On Oct. 1 (8), a 10 meter (33 foot) geyser and a six meter (20 foot) anchor will arrive at Berlin’s Schlossplatz (Palace Square) before the giant puppetsthemselves. On Oct. 2, the smaller of the enormous puppets will wake up next to the Rote Rathaus Red Town Hall (Berlin’s city hall building) near Alexanderplatz. Next to her will be a postbag containing 90,000 copies of old letters and postcards intercepted by the Stasi, the secret police of the former East Germany. She will explore the district and then fall asleep in the Lustgarten, a park in central Berlin. On Oct. 3, she will head toward Checkpoint Charlie and Potsdamer Platz while the larger puppet, the deep-sea diver, emerges from the Spree River near the Hauptbahnhof, Berlin’s central train station, and moves toward the Victory Column monument.
What does Lustgarten mean? – definitions.net
A memorial stone made by Jürgen Raue installed in 1981 commemorates the resistance group.In 1944 the statue of Friedrich Wilhelm III by Albert Wolff was melted down to reuse the metal in war production.By the end of World War II in 1945, the Lustgarten was a bomb-pitted wasteland.In the late afternoon, the puppets will be reunited near the Brandenburg Gate. On Oct. 4, the puppets will walk together in a parade on the Straße des 17. Juni, the main east-west boulevard running through the Tiergarten, Berlin’s central park. A canon will fire the letters and postcards into the air, returning the confiscated messages to the gathered crowd.
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Do you see the OBELISK at the head of the street, with the winged goddess NIKE on the top? Very similar to the one in London Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace in London, UK at the Queen’s Plantinum Jubilee.
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The Straße des 17. Juni, is a street in central Berlin, the capital of Germany. Its name refers to the 17 June 1953 uprising in East Germany. It is the western continuation of the boulevard Unter den Linden. It runs east–west through the Tiergarten, a large park to the west of the city centre.Wikipedia
Straße des 17. Juni – Wikipedia |
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Brandenburg Gate: A Brief History
Berlin’s triumphal arch has played witness to some of the most significant moments in modern history.The BrandenburgGate ( German: Brandenburger Tor [ˈbʁandn̩ˌbʊʁɡɐ ˈtoːɐ̯] ( listen)) is an 18th-century neoclassical monument in Berlin, built on the orders of Prussian king Frederick William II after restoring the Orangist powerby suppressing the Dutch popular unrest.Brandenburg Gate in Berlin: history, events & more – visitBerlin.de
The BrandenburgGate is 26 metres high, 65.5 metres long and 11 metres deep, and supported by two rows of six Doric columns. In 1793, the gate was crowned by the Quadriga statue (Winged Victory Statue – Roman Greek Goddess Nikeof Samothrace ), designed by Johann Gottfried Schadow. This statue also has its own story to tell.
Headlines: Click on the headlines to read the full articles.
March 1, 2022—MacGillivray Freeman Films is pleased to announce production of a new giant screen film and live interactive experience, Cities of the Future: Reimagining Our World (working title), slated for release in October 2023. Produced by the same team that created the award-winning film Dream Big: Engineering Our World in partnership with American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Cities of the Future explores the visionary ideas and innovative solutions engineers are employing right now as they design the smart cities of tomorrow.
Available in 2D, 3D, and all digital formats, Cities of the Future invites audiences to step 50 years into the future where they’ll find smart cities designed to be totally sustainable. The 40-minute experience consists of a 20-minute giant screen film and a 20-minute live presentation inside the theatre, where an educator will take audiences on an interactive tour of future cities using ASCE’s Future World Vision digital platform, a bold, comprehensive project to reimagine and prepare for the future and explore infrastructure ideas based on real engineering data and principles. An interactive museum exhibit will also be available, where visitors can see, touch, and explore this new high-tech world.
“Cities of the Future will take audiences into the imagination of the world’s most innovative engineers who are working right now to design the cities we will live in 50 years from now,” said producer Shaun MacGillivray. “From electric flying vehicles to space-based solar power to the most cutting-edge green technologies, the creative innovations being designed to solve society’s greatest challenges are downright mind-boggling and totally awe-inspiring, and the immense scope of this kind of creativity matches perfectly with the power of the giant screen. It doesn’t get much more exciting than this.”
“Just like we did with Dream Big, we are creating a fully immersive, interactive experience that science centers and museums can use to fulfill their mission of bringing leading-edge educational experiences to their members and the public,” said Jane Howell, ASCE’s Chief Communications Officer. “We want Cities of the Future to inspire the next generation of engineers and help them recognize the power they have to shape our world and make it a better place.”
Cities of the Future is also designed to engage the public in a series of public forums. MFF and ASCE will help museums coordinate high-profile forums with film screenings, panel sessions, and other activities with a focus on building a shared vision of the future. Engineers, community leaders, city officials, and the public will come together to share ideas of what they see for cities of the future. The ideas and opinions gathered from these forums will go to ASCE and other engineering organizations for use in the real-time plans that engineers are designing now.
“Like Dream Big, the film will be the centerpiece of a more extensive educational outreach program that will allow museums to build museum-wide programming around this important and timely subject,” said Mary Jane Dodge, Executive Producer at MacGillivray Freeman Films. “The film will be what inspires the audience, and then we want to harness that enthusiasm into real engagement that can benefit engineers working on these innovative solutions.”
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Inspire Definition & Meaning – Merriam-Webster |
| And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Genesis 2;7 |
About MacGillivray Freeman Films
MacGillivray Freeman Films is the world’s foremost independent producer and distributor of giant screen 70mm films with more than 45 films for IMAX and giant-screen theatres to its credit. Throughout the company’s 50-year history, its films have won numerous international awards including two Academy Award nominations for The Living Sea and Dolphins and three films inducted into the IMAX Hall of Fame, including Everest, the highest grossing giant screen film of all time. MacGillivray Freeman’s films are known for their artistry and celebration of science and the natural world. It is the first documentary film company to reach the one-billion-dollar benchmark for worldwide box office. Visit macgillivrayfreeman.com.
About American Society of Civil Engineers
Founded in 1852, the American Society of Civil Engineers represents more than 150,000 civil engineers worldwide and is America’s oldest national engineering society. ASCE works to advance engineering knowledge and competency through the development of codes and standards, publications, education, and programs such as Future World Vision; raise awareness of the need to maintain and modernize infrastructure using sustainable and resilient practices through initiatives such as the Report Card for America’s Infrastructure; works to recruit and inspire a more diverse engineering workforce through initiatives such as the award-winning film and educational project Dream Big: Engineering Our World. For more information, visit www.asce.organd follow us on Twitter, @ASCETweets and @ASCEGovRel. Source: MacGillivray Freeman Films
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Keep in mind that the elite are all about the HUNT. Their god is Pan the Goat. The HORNED ONE. The Great Hunt is their wicked pleasure (hunting naked humans in the woods) and they serve the STAG.
They are restructuring the world for the return of the Nephilim/Giants. They are corrupting ALL things. Not just flesh. They are changing the DNA of everything. They have been working on this longer than you can possibly understand. They experiment with EVERYTHING, under the guise that they are looking to solve the world’s problems, heal the sick and bring you long life.
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THE GIANT REMAINS IN HIS CAPTOR’S MUSEUM TO THIS DAY.
THE IRISH GIANT
Born in 1761, Charles Byrne would grow to seven feet seven inches tall. The world at large knew him as the Irish Giant.
From a remote village in Ireland, Byrne’s family was not particularly tall. As their son continued to grow, they came to explain his great height was due to his conception atop a haystack.
Destined to see the world (and the world to see him) he left for Scotland as a teenager, where he became an instant celebrity. The watchmen, in particular, were flabbergasted when he lit his pipe from the city gas lamps without effort.
As he made his way towards England, his success doubled, and he was paid to make appearances at hotels and at Piccadilly Circus.
Newspapers loved him, he wasn’t just a human curiosity but possessed a charisma that other performers lacked. By 1782, he had even inspired a hit stage show.
DISORDER AND DEATH
Byrne’s claim to fame would also lead to his death. The actual cause of his towering height wasn’t a haystack, but a tumor in his pituitary gland.
Byrne had made a decent living as a sideshow act, but he carried all of his wealth with him. Who would steal from the nearly 8-foot giant?
After a night of drinking at the Black Horse pub, a pickpocket managed to make off with all of Byrne’s banknotes. His poverty, coupled with a bout of bad health, killed the giant at 22 years old.
FEAR OF RESURRECTION
John Byrne knew his body would be stolen.
He lived in an era of undertakers working with underground medical research teams bidding top dollar for human cadavers. In hushed rooms and back alleys, they were called “resurrectionists.”
To the lay person, these doctors and scientists-to-be were nothing but corpse grabbing necromancers of their day, and the Irish Giant knew they’d be after the secrets of his body.
He also knew who was likely to end up with his remains: John Hunter.
BOTCHED BURIAL AT SEA
To prevent his body from falling into the hands of renowned surgeon and specimen collector, John Hunter, Byrne made his friends to promise he would be buried at sea, far from the hands of corpse stealing doctors.
They thought they complied with the Giant’s wishes, but were instead deceived.
HUNTER HUNTS THE IRISH GIANT
Hunter wanted the Irish Giant’s body. Little had gotten in his way before. Paying undertakers or grave robbers was nothing but an inconvenience, but how would he fish Charles Byrne from the bottom of the English Channel?
Hunter had Byrne’s embalmer snatch the body before it was sealed in a lead-lined coffin destined for the sea.
Charles Byrne’s friends indeed left a coffin at sea, but that coffin was empty.
SECRET STUDY
Hunter kept his possession of the Irish Giant’s body secret for a year. He studied it in the secret confines of his residence, removing the flesh and retaining its skeleton.
Robert Ripley viewing the Irish Giant in 1935.
The skeleton would end up in the Hunterian Collection, the central display of the museum honoring the 18th-century surgeon.
While there is a great deal of knowledge that John Hunter was able to add to the medical community through his many studies, many more think that the Irish Giant still deserves the burial he asked for.
Despite protests, and swells in public opinion, the Royal College of Surgeons (who officially possesses the museum and the remains contained within) has repeatedly decided to keep their central showpiece in the museum.
To this day, the Irish Giant remains in his captor’s shrine. At the center of Hunter’s museum.
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AUGUST 23, 2022
After building a unique supercomputer to model parts of the brain, its creator Professor Steve Furber, says we’re still a long way from fully understanding the complex mysteries of the human mind.
Professor Furber, based at The University of Manchester, is leading one the world’s most ambitious neuromorphic computer projects—and his ambitious study could, one day, mean new medicines to repair brain dysfunction are possible.
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neuromorphic adjective
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However, he adds, that those working on brain exploration are not sure if any modeling based on classical scientific principles, no matter how sophisticated, will ever properly recreate human consciousness—because a biological ‘magic’ may be the missing ingredient.
Intriguingly, the process of using next generation AI-tools to give robots greater brain-like functionality is developing at pace.
Professor Furber and his team at The University of Manchester recently achieved early breakthroughs from the SpiNNaker (Spiking Neural Network Architecture), a supercomputer developed for brain modeling.
The SpiNNaker group has created a real-time cortical microcircuit model and other cerebellum models using the giant device based on campus, and is part of the EU-funded Human Brain Project. The cortex is responsible for many higher-level brain functions such as memory recall and natural language, as well as acting as host to sensory and motor areas.
Professor Furber says that despite significant breakthroughs already achieved by SpiNNaker—built from a million processors—more patience is needed. This, in fact, is just the beginning of the journey.
He says: “We do not fully understand the function of the basic cortical microcircuit even though we can now model it and those models reproduce biologically verifiable data.
“What we now need is theories of what the circuit is doing, and how it does it, that we can use the models to test.”
With such theories in place it might then be possible to construct models of brain subsystems and to explore, for example, what structural disturbances may be behind various forms of brain malfunction.
“Then perhaps we could see what pharmacological interventions might help to restore ‘normal’ brain function,” he continues.
“There is still room for philosophical debate as to whether or not such a Newtonian model [ie classic rules of science based on rational and understandable laws] is sufficient to explain higher brain functions—for example, would a sufficiently accurate and detailed model of the cortex itself become conscious?
“Or, must some other biological ‘magic’ be invoked to explain the mysteries of consciousness. We don’t know.”
In parallel to scientists exploring the labyrinthine mysteries of the human mind, other pioneers at The University of Manchester, such as Professor of AI Sami Kaski, are looking to further develop artificial intelligence for autonomous systems and robots.
Professor Furber reflected on the crossover from his research with this work: “Could we use an understanding of the cortical microcircuit to endow robots with greater awareness of their environments and a greater ability to interact with that environment?
“I think that is very likely—and on a shorter timescale than the higher level mysteries!”
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Neuromorphic Computing
A concept of computer engineering, Neuromorphic Computing refers to the designing of computers that are based on the systems found in the human brain and the nervous system.
Driven by the vast potential and ability of the human brain, neuromorphic computing devises computers that can work as efficiently as the human brain without acquiring large room for the placement of software.
Inspired by the human brain and the functioning of the nervous system, Neuromorphic Computing was a concept introduced in the 1980s. Yet this concept has taken the front seat in recent times as Artificial Intelligence has led scientists to advance Neuromorphic Computing to excel in the field of technology.
One of the technological advancements that has rekindled the interest of scientists in neuromorphic computing is the development of the Artificial Neural Network model (ANN).
Since traditional computers, backed by CPUs (Computer Processing Units) do not have the ability to support neuromorphic computing, modern computers are now being built with adequate hardware to support such technology.
Backed by the advanced technology of neuromorphic computing, computers can now act and work like the human brain. With the help of algorithms and data, neuromorphic computing enables computers to work rapidly and on low energy too.
How does Neuromorphic Computing work?
While the definition of this concept can be a bit too complicated to understand, the working of neuromorphic computing can make you understand the essence of it more easily. Let’s begin with the working of neuromorphic computing.
The working of neuromorphic computing-enabled devices begins with the placement of Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) that comprise millions of artificial neurons. These neurons are similar to the human brain neurons.
Enabling a machine (computer) to act and work like the human brain, layers of these artificial neurons pass signals to one another. These electric signals or electric spikes convert input into an output that results in the working of neuromorphic computing machines.
The passing on of electric spikes or signals functions on the basis of Spiking Neural Networks (SNN). This spiking neural network architecture further enables an artificial machine to work like the human brain does and perform functions that humans can do on a daily basis.
This can involve visual recognition, interpretation of data, and a lot more such tasks. Since these artificial neurons only consume power when the electric spikes are passed through them, neuromorphic computing machines are low-power-consuming computers as compared to traditional computers.
By imitating the neuro-biological networks present in the human brain, neuromorphic computing machines work like a human brain and perform tasks efficiently and effectively.
Bringing on the ability to work like the human brain, neuromorphic computing has advanced the developments in the field of technology. The engineering of computers in the earlier times led to the generation of traditional computers that consumed a lot of space for functioning.
However, computers working on the basis of neuromorphic computing consume much less space with an in-built capability to work faster and better.
(Must check: AI with Neuroscience)
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SpiNNaker: Largest brain-mimicking supercomputer switched on
About SpiNNaker:
- It is designed and built at University of Manchester in UK.
- It can model more biological neurons in real time than any other machine on planet.
- Biological neurons are basic brain cells present in nervous system that communicate by emitting ‘spikes’ of pure electro-chemical energy.
- It is neuromorphic computing that uses large scale computer systems containing electronic circuits to mimic these spikes in a machine.
- It is capable of completing more than 200 million million actions per second, with each of its chips having 100 million transistors.
- It is unique as it mimics the massively parallel communication architecture of brain, sending billions of small amounts of information simultaneously to thousands of different destinations.
- It is also unique because, unlike traditional computers, it does not communicate by sending large amounts of information from point A to B via standard network.
Potential Applications:
- It has a massive potential for neurological breakthroughs in science such as pharmaceutical testing.
- It can be used to control a robot which can interpret real-time visual information and navigate towards certain objects while ignoring others.
- It can also help to unlock some of the secrets of how human brain works by running unprecedentedly large scale simulations.
- It will allow roboticists to design large scale neural networks into mobile robots so they can walk, talk and move with flexibility and low power.
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A human brain is going to cost one million high speed ARM processors as scientists are currently developing a computer that will be able to simulate the processing of a human brain. Yet, the important thing is that despite of one million processors, the proposed computer will be able to model only one percent of the human brain. (Old info; from
The computer is named as SpiNNaker (Spiking Neural Network architecture) — perceived as a massive breakthrough in the field of neurology as simulation of human brain will benefit doctors, neuroscientists and genetic engineers to analyze the complexities of human brain and will also benefit to cure complex human brain diseases and injuries.
Just like human brain, electrical impulses in SpiNNaker are circulated in form of data packets and these packets are sent to all connected neurons, the units of human brain. These connected neurons are represented as equations that are solved at run time of analysis by software embedded in ARM processors.
SpiNNaker has an edge here as compared to human brain because the computer will transmit these data packets at much higher speed than actual biological connection thus the spikes will be transmitted much faster improving the speed of simulation.
A single 19mm square package housing contains the microchips that are providing massive memory for the processing, provided by 3D System-in-Package technology from Unisem Europe. This project will result in a great helpful tool for the doctors and provide much larger benefits to the patient.
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Well, lookey there it is that familiar donut!
DONUTS ANYONE?
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SpiNNaker Home Page
SpiNNaker is a novel computer architecture inspired by the working of the human brain.
A SpiNNaker machine is a massively parallel computing platform, targeted towards three main areas of research:
Neuroscience: Understanding how the brain works is a Grand Challenge of 21st century science. We will provide the platform to help neuroscientists to unravel the mystery that is the mind. The largest SpiNNaker machine will be capable of simulating a billion simple neurons, or millions of neurons with complex structure and internal dynamics.
Robotics: SpiNNaker is a good target for researchers in robotics, who need mobile, low power computation. A small SpiNNaker board makes it possible to simulate a network of tens of thousands of spiking neurons, process sensory input and generate motor output, all in real time and in a low power system.
Computer Science: SpiNNaker breaks the rules followed by traditional supercomputers that rely on deterministic, repeatable communications and reliable computation. SpiNNaker nodes communicate using simple messages (spikes) that are inherently unreliable. This break with determinism offers new challenges, but also the potential to discover powerful new principles of massively parallel computation.
Videos
- A video introducing SpiNNaker
- Architectural overview
- Wiring the half-size machine
- A playlist of videos on how to use SpiNNaker
- Workshop presentation on SpiNNaker interfacing
Where to go to find out more:
- Buy (or download) the book
- Learn more about the SpiNNaker Project
- For more detail on the philosophy of the SpiNNaker Architecture
- The heart of the machine is the SpiNNaker chip
- Information on development boards and our plans to build SpiNNaker Machines
- The System Software running on the machine.
For developers:
- To access tools and software to run on SpiNNaker systems, see our Downloads page
- Our Support page provides white papers, documents and FAQs.
- The Publications page gives details of papers describing SpiNNaker in detail
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Giant huntsman spider: The world’s largest spider by leg span
An Australian huntsman spider. (Image credit: <a href=”http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-1141p1.html”>Sandra Caldwell</a> | <a href=”http://www.shutterstock.com/”>Shutterstock</a>)
Huntsman spiders are large, fast spiders that live in warm climates throughout the world. They are named for the way that they catch their prey.
Unlike many spider species, huntsman spiders “don’t build webs to catch prey,” said Christy Bills, an entomologist and the invertebrate collections manager at the Natural History Museum of Utah. Instead, these spiders hunt down their prey. (Just like they no longer need you to be wired in to the WWW anymore. They can find you wherever you are.)
Peter Jäger, head of the arachnology department at the Senckenberg Research Institute in Frankfurt, Germany, discovered the giant huntsman in a cave in Laos in 2001, according to his research published in the journal Zoosystema(opens in new tab). Only a few people in the world have seen this behemoth arachnid.
Because of their size, huntsman spiders are sometimes incorrectly identified as tarantulas. One way to tell a huntsman from a tarantula is by the position of the creature’s legs. Most spiders’ legs bend vertically under the body. “Huntsman spiders usually have legs that are splayed out to the sides, crablike,” Bills said. In fact, huntsman spiders are also referred to as giant crab spiders.
| Members of this family are also typically less bulky than tarantulas. They possess two claws, as is the case for most spiders that actively hunt their prey.[5] If this is not enough to fully identify them, they also possess eight eyes divided into two regular rows of four.[6] (Right) sparassid pattern of eyes in two rows of four. The eyesight of these spiders is not nearly as good as that of the Salticidae (jumping spiders). Nevertheless, their vision is quite sufficient to detect approaching humans or other large animals from some distance. Wikipedia |  |
Related: Huntsman spiders eat tree frogs after luring them into leaf traps
Huntsman spiders’ legs have twisted joints, which allow the appendages to extend forward like a crab’s and their alignment allows the spider to move side-to-side, also similar to a crab. Males have longer legs, although females have larger bodies. “Colors and patterns vary,” Bills said. The spiders’ legs are typically gray or brown, and banded.
Many huntsman species’ bodies have a flattened appearance, ideal for squeezing into tight places, according to the Australian Museum(opens in new tab).
CLASSIFICATION/TAXONOMY
According to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System(opens in new tab) (ITIS), the taxonomy of giant huntsman spiders is:
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WHERE ARE THEY FOUND?
The giant huntsman was found in Laos, and most huntsman species are native to Asia. They are also prevalent in Africa, Australia and South America, according to Science Alert(opens in new tab). They live in some warm American states such as Florida, California and Texas, and, according to the University of Florida(opens in new tab), it is presumed that they were introduced from Asia. Folklore stories claim the spiders traveled from Asia in boxes of bananas, and because of that, they are sometimes called banana spiders.
Related: Jumping spiders: Facts about the cutest arachnids on the planet
WHAT ENVIRONMENT DO THEY LIVE IN?
Bills extolled the huntsman’s speed: “They can often be quite large and very quick.” In fact, the huntsman spider can move up to a yard (almost 1 meter) a second, she said. The spider typically lives under loose bark on trees, under rocks, in crevices and under foliage. Huntsman spiders, especially Australian species, are notorious for entering houses and cars. According to the Australian Museum, they have been “found hiding behind sun visors or running across the dashboard.” These spiders can be social, and dozens will sometimes sit together on dead trees or stumps.
WHAT DO HUNTSMAN SPIDERS EAT?
The huntsman runs after or ambushes its prey, killing it with venom and strong mouthparts, called the chelicerae. Once captured, the prey will be injected with deadly venom from glands within the spider’s body, according to the University of Florida(opens in new tab). The huntsman can also be a valuable spider because it eats cockroaches, in addition to other spiders and domestic insect pests.
ARE HUNTSMAN SPIDERS DANGEROUS?
Huntsman are not deadly to humans. According to the Australian Reptile Park(opens in new tab), although huntsman spiders are venomous and their bites can be painful to humans, they do not cause anything more serious than mild nausea or headaches. Usually localized swelling and pain are the only symptoms of a huntsman spider bite.
In most instances, a huntsman spider will attempt to run away from a human, rather than biting them, according to the Australian Museum. However, the females of these spiders are more likely to bite when they perceive a threat to their young.
In the event that someone does get bitten, they should try to remain as calm as possible. This is to prevent their heart rate from increasing and spreading the venom more quickly around the body. Applying an ice pack can reduce the pain caused by the bite, but a pressure immobilisation bandage is not needed, according to Australia Wide First Aid(opens in new tab).
Sound-production in mating-ritualsMales of Heteropoda venatoria, one of the huntsman spiders that seems to easily find its way around the world, have recently been found to deliberately make a substrate-borne sound when they detect a chemical (pheromone) left by a nearby female of their species. The males anchor themselves firmly to the surface onto which they have crawled and then use their legs to transmit vibrations from their bodies to the surface. Most of the sound emitted is produced by strong vibrations of the abdomen. The characteristic frequency of vibration and the pattern of bursts of sound identify them to females of their species, who will approach if they are interested in mating. This sound can often be heard as a rhythmic ticking, somewhat like a quartz clock, which fades in and out and can be heard by human ears in a relatively quiet environment.[11] |
HOW DO HUNTSMAN REPRODUCE?
Compared to other spider species that eat their mates, huntsman spiders are downright romantic. According to the Australian Museum, their mating ritual can last for several hours and involves lengthy caresses and other demonstrations of interest. The male drums his pedipalps — antennae-like appendages near the mouth — against tree trunks before inserting them into the female to fertilize her eggs.
After mating, the female lays up to 200 eggs and encases them in a large, oval, spun-silk sac. “Some huntsmans are dedicated mothers,” Billa said. They “look after their egg sacs, guarding them fiercely.”
Related: Photos: Spiders feast on deadly snakes
According to the University of Florida’s Entomology and Nematology Department, some females carry the sac with them under their bodies, which severely restricts their movements. Others place the sac under a rock or piece of bark and stand over it, without eating, for up to three weeks. In both cases, females may become aggressive when guarding their egg sacs.
According to the Australian Reptile Park, at birthing time, the mother may tear the egg sac open to help her spiderlings emerge. She’ll then stay with the babies for several weeks. Baby huntsmen are pale in color and darken with each molt. Huntsman spiders can live for more than two years.
Giant Huntsman(Heteropoda maxima)
The Giant Huntsman spider is said to be the largest spider of the world in accordance to leg span, being indigenous to the Laos region. It is even one of the fastest spiders since it is known to hunt down preys actively.
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6,000-Lb. Giant Sunfish Discovered Near Portugal Is Heaviest Recorded Bony Fish in the World
The animal beats the record previously held by another giant sunfish caught off the coast of Kamogawa, Japan, in 1996 that weighed 5,070 lbs.
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It’s official. Scientists have confirmed the discovery of the largest recorded bony fish in history.
When a giant sunfish (Mola alexandrini) surfaced last December near Faial Island in the Azores archipelago in the Atlantic, the dead animal weighed in at nearly 6,050 lbs. and measured more than 10 ft., according to a study recently published in the Journal of Fish Biology.
Researchers from the Atlantic Naturalist Association and the Azores University for biometrical and morphological data inspected the body of the fish using a tape measure to determine its length. But to find out its weight, they needed a crane scale and a forklift truck. The sex, though, was not determined.
The sunfish’s head had a large contusion, which was likely caused by a heavy impact. The wound had remnants of red paint, which is usually used on the keel of boats.
“It is however not clear if the impact occurred pre or post-mortem, and therefore the cause of death remains uncertain,” states the report.
The last specimen that still holds the Guinness World Record as the heaviest recorded bony fish is another Mola alexandrini caught off the coast of Kamogawa, Japan, in 1996 that weighed 5,070 lbs. The latest sunfish breaks the record by nearly a half ton.
RELATED VIDEO: DNA Test Finally Reveals What Emaciated ‘Mystery Animal’ Is After It Was Rescued Last Month
(CNN) –
10/19/2022, 12:36:10 PM
A giant sunfish was discovered in the Azores archipelago, Portugal and is believed to be the heaviest bony fish in the world.
A giant sunfish has been discovered in Portugal’s Azores archipelago and is believed to be the world’s heaviest bony fish at a staggering 2,744 kilograms (3 tons).
According to the researchers, the animal was found dead, floating near the island of Faial, in the central North Atlantic, in December.
Although it was found only last year, details of the discovery were recently published in the Journal of Fish Biology.
The fish was dragged to shore, where it was weighed, measured and tissue samples were taken for DNA testing by researchers from the Naturalist Association of the Atlantic and the University of the Azores to obtain biometric and morphological data, both in Portugal. .
- They discover a huge tropical fish on a beach in the northern United States (see below this article)
There are about 29,000 species of osteichthyan fish, so named because they have a bony structure, making them the majority of the world’s fish species.
The carcass weighs more than 400 kilograms than the previous world record holder for heaviest bony fish: a 2,300-kilogram female sunfish caught off Kamogawa, Japan, in 1996.
The sunfish was weighed using a crane scale dynamometer, a device designed to weigh loads normally lifted by crane, after being raised above ground with a forklift.
The animal was 3.25 meters long and had a height of 3.59 meters.
Its maximum width, measured around its center, was 86 centimeters, according to the researchers.
The sex has not been determined.
José Nuno Gomes-Pereira, lead author of the paper and a postdoctoral researcher at the Atlantic Naturalist Association, told CNN on Tuesday that it was sad “to see the animal in this situation, since it must have been a king of the open ocean.”
The “immensely large” sunfish was buried in the Faial Island Natural Park, it added.
Gomes-Pereira said the finding was a “sign that the oceans are still healthy enough to support the heaviest species out there, but a warning for more conservation in terms of pollution and boat traffic near the oceans.” oceanic islands.
The giant sunfish (Mola alexandrini) was first recognized as its own species in 2018 and is known to weigh twice as much as the second-heaviest fish species, the sunfish (Mola mola), according to a news release from the Association. of Naturalists of the Atlantic last Thursday.
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mola (n.1) |
- The enormous size of this sunfish made it impossible for biologists to weigh it
Gomes-Pereira said the dead sunfish had a “contusion,” a bruise, on the front end, which may have caused the animal’s death.
However, it is unknown if the impact was pre or post mortem.
The wound was impregnated with a red paint that is normally used to coat the keels of ships, adds the magazine article.
Since little data is available on large specimens such as sunfish, the researchers believe that further study is needed to understand their physiology and marine ecosystems in general.
The heaviest species of fish in the world is the whale shark (Rhincodon typus), according to Guinness World Records, with the heaviest being found in Pakistan in 1949, weighing 21.5 metric tons.
Record number of fish
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So we have seen the Giant SUNFish what about Giant Moonfish??
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A large colorful fish washed ashore on the Oregon coast last week in what aquarium officials called a rare occurrence.
The 100-pound (45 kilogram) opah fish, also known as a moonfish, was discovered on Sunset Beach in Seaside, a city in the northwest side of the state. The fish is “rare to the Oregon Coast,” Seaside Aquarium said in a Facebook post along with several images of the three and a half foot long fish.
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Opah – Wikipedia |
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Opah – From Igbo uba. Earliest attestation in English is the Royal Society’s 1752 Philosophical Transactions, 1749–50 (vol. 46, p. 519): “The black Prince, and his Cousin, from Anamaboe on the Coast of Guinea, and Mr. Creighton, formerly Governor of Capo Corso Castle, upon seeing this Fish immediately knew it, and said it was common on that Coast … The Natives call it Opah, and the English there call it the King-fish” SOURCE |
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Meaning and origin of the word opah | Etymology-online.com |
Keith Chandler, the general manager of Seaside Aquarium, told CNN that an opah on the Oregon coast is “uncommon to find” and he also added that the fish was “in such great shape.”
“They’re pretty cool fish, and we don’t normally see them on the shore,” said Chandler. “It was pretty exciting for locals.”
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), little is known about the species since they live deep in the ocean. The species is usually found in temperate and tropical waters.
The opah is an unusual looking fish, according to NOAA, they have a round, flat body that’s silvery gray in color.
“Toward the belly (of the fish), the silver shades to a rose red, dotted with white spots,” reads NOAA’s website. “Their fins and mouth are red, and their large eyes are encircled with gold.”
Due to the condition the fish was found in, Chandler believes that it had only been on the beach for less than an hour before the aquarium’s staff got a notification for it.
“Unfortunately, it washed up not living, but we got to it before the birds,” he said.
The opah is being stored in a large freezer, Chandler said. The aquarium plans to work with a local organization, the Columbia River Maritime Museum, to dissect the fish. The aquarium added that one lucky school group will get the chance to be part of the dissection.
Chandler said the aquarium plans to “get all the data” possible from the dissection to learn more about the species.
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There’s nothing about the opah that says “fast-moving predator”. Tuna, sharks, and swordfish are fast-moving predators and accordingly, their bodies look like streamlined torpedoes. By contrast, the opah looks like a big startled frisbee, with thin red fins stuck on as an afterthought.
It’s pretty (silver body and red fins) and big (up to two metres long), but fast? Nicholas Wegner from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration certainly didn’t think so when he first started studying it. Since then, he has discovered that the opah is an active predator, which has a trait that no other fish possesses.
It is warm-blooded.
Most fish have body temperatures that match the surrounding water. A small number of them can warm specific parts of their bodies. Swordfish, marlins, and sailfish, can temporarily heat their eyes and brains, sharpening their vision when pursuing prey. Tuna and some sharks, including the mako and great white, can do the same with their swimming muscles, going into turbo mode when they need to. But none of these animals can heat their entire bodies. Their hearts and other vital organs stay at ambient temperature, so while they can hunt in deep, cold waters, they must regularly return to the surface to warm their innards.
The opah has no such problem. It can consistently keep its entire body around 5 degrees Celsius warmer than its environment. It doesn’t burn as hot as a bird or mammal, but it certainly outperforms its other relatives.
Wegner discovered its ability by accident. His team just happened to catch more opah during one of their research trips, and they used the opportunity to learn more about this little-known species. As they dissected the animals, Wegner immediately noticed that its gills contain a beautiful and intricate tangle of red and blue blood vessels. “That was when we realised what it was capable of,” he says. Wegner had seen blood vessels like those before. They’re called retia mirabilia—Latin for “wonderful nets”—and they’re the secret behind the heating systems of tuna and sharks.
All animal muscles produce heat when they contract, but in most fish, that heat is almost immediately lost to the environment through the skin or the gills. The gills are especially problematic. No matter how much insulation a fish has, the blood that runs through the gills has to make close contact with the seawater. A tuna can produce as much heat as it likes in its swimming muscles, but as soon as the blood from those muscles reaches the gills, as it must do to be reloaded with oxygen, it ought to quickly cool. But it doesn’t, because of the wonderful nets.
In those nets, the veins that carry warm blood away from the hot muscles are interwoven with the arteries that carry cold blood in from the gills. They run so close that the veins offload their heat onto the arteries, before it can reach the gills and disappear. Through these “countercurrent exchangers”, the tuna can retain whatever heat it generates. But since its retia mirabilia are located in its swimming muscles, those are the only body parts that stay warm. That’s why its heart still runs cold.
The opah’s wonderful nets are in its gills, and that makes all the difference. The blood vessels carrying warm blood from heart to gills flows next to those carrying cold blood from the gills to the rest of the body, warming them up. So, while a tuna or shark might isolate its warm muscles from the rest of its cold body, the opah flips this arrangement. It isolates the cold bits—the gills—from everything else.
This allows its huge pectoral muscles, which generate most of its heat, to continuously warm the rest of its body. It also keeps that heat with the help of thick layers of fat, which insulate the heart from the gills, and the pectoral muscles (which produce most of the animal’s heat) from the surrounding water.
Wegner’s team confirmed this by catching opah, implanting them with small thermometers, and then releasing them. The instruments inside the fish recorded consistently higher temperatures than those dropped into the surrounding water. The opah’s brain is warm. Its muscles are warm. And perhaps most importantly, its heart is warm—a first for a fish. Not even a great white shark has a warm heart. “That’s why opah can stay at depth,” says Wegner. “These guys are specialised for living deeper than those other predators.”
So, it’s fast, then? Despite the somewhat comical physique? “That’s what’s really blew my mind about this discovery,” says Wegner. “Just from looking at it, I really thought it was a slow, sluggish, deep-water fish that doesn’t do very much. But all indications are that this is a very fast fish and an active predator. We’ve put some tags on them to show that they migrate thousands of kilometres.”
Reference: Wegner, Snodgrass, Dewar & Hyde. 2015. Whole-body endothermy in a mesopelagic fish, the opah, Lampris guttatus. Science http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.aaa8902
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I am including this last entry just becuase it is another group from Ireland working in the field of Digital Marketing much like The Giant Company. The connection to the HORNED ONE, the Elk/Stag is more Pan/Lucifer/Satan symbology.
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GIANT SQUID NWO ICON
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