Technologies

After 100 Years We Now Have a Video of a Living Colossal Squid: Watch Now

The minute-plus-long video displays the baby squid’s see-through body, which looks as if it’s made of glass.

The colossal squid was identified and named 100 years ago, but humans have never actually seen one swimming around in its natural habitat until now.

According to the Schmidt Ocean Institute, the SuBastian, a remotely operated vehicle deployed from the institute’s research vessel, called Falkor (too), captured footage of the juvenile colossal squid on March 9. It happened near the South Sandwich Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about 430 miles southeast of South Georgia.

Any discovery like this is a big deal, but this one is a bit cuter because it isn’t just any colossal squid; it’s a baby.

The juvenile squid looks almost like it’s made from glass. Its transparent body shows off its internal organs, and the slow movement of its orange tentacles draws attention to its glowing eyes.

Scientists observed two curved hooks on the clubs at the ends of the squid’s long tentacles. There are also hooks on the middle of its eight arms, an essential feature for colossal squids.

It’s a juvenile, so still has a transparent body that more closely resembles the creatures known as glass squids. The baby squid will lose that transparency as it ages.

The video was taken at a depth of 1,968 feet, and the juvenile squid is nearly a foot long. A grown colossal squid can grow up to an estimated seven feet long and weigh up to 1,110 pounds, making it the heaviest invertebrate on the planet.

We don’t know much about how colossal squids live since they’re hard to observe in their natural habitat. Scientists have found them in the stomachs of sperm whales, so it’s a huge development to get video in the deep sea. Colossal squids are still a mystery, but a little less of one now.

Technologies

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GM saw the biggest surge in EV shipments, while Tesla dropped by 9% compared to last year.

Technologies

Rideable Horse Robot Viral Video: The Real Story Behind It

Kawasaki’s Corleo robot horse is just a concept right now, but a thrilling hype video makes it look like a blast to ride.

If you’ve ever watched a video featuring a Boston Dynamics Spot robot dog and wanted to saddle it up and ride it, then Kawasaki has a concept robot that’ll make your heart flutter — and it’s part horse, part leopard, part robot and all wild. Too bad you can’t actually buy one.

The Kawasaki Corleo is a four-legged rideable robot, the answer to the question: «What if we put legs on an all-terrain vehicle instead of wheels?» Kawasaki released a video showing what the concept would look like if it were fully realized.

The trippy video features the Corleo and riders galloping through a forest, running across a field, leaping over rocky terrain and trotting across a snowy landscape. The video appears to be primarily computer generated with Lord of the Rings-worthy scenery.

Kawasaki is known for its motorcycles and ATVs, but the international company has its hands in everything from railcars to industrial equipment and robotics.

Kawasaki unveiled the forward-thinking Corleo for the Osaka Expo 2025 in Japan. It’s a 2050 concept model for a future mode of transportation. The expo’s theme is «designing future society for our lives.» The event officially opens on April 13.

Corleo incorporates some nifty design ideas, including independent legs, a hydrogen engine and steering through weight shifting.

«While preserving the joy of riding, the vehicle continually monitors the rider’s movements to achieve a reassuring sense of unity between human and machine,» Kawasaki said.

Kawasaki didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on its plans for Corleo.

For now, Corleo is just a model capable of limited movement, so your sci-fi dreams of riding across rugged mountains on a kick-butt robo-steed will have to be put on hold. Perhaps 2050 will bring us a world full of leggy, rideable robots. Somehow, that feels more achievable than a bunch of flying cars.