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Zombie worms feasted on ancient bones, study says
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The Osedax feasts on a whale bone. - photo by Natalie Crofts
PLYMOUTH, England A bone-eating worm is responsible for the lack of prehistoric marine fossils, according to a new study.

Known as zombie worms, the Osedax has been dining on the bones of marine creatures for at least 100 million years, according to a new study from Plymouth University in England. Researchers said the worms feasted on prehistoric reptiles like plesiosaurs and sea turtles.

Our discovery shows that these bone-eating worms did not co-evolve with whales, but that they also devoured the skeletons of large marine reptiles that dominated oceans in the age of the dinosaurs, researcher Nicholas Higgs said in a statement. Osedax, therefore, prevented many skeletons from becoming fossilised, which might hamper our knowledge of these extinct leviathans.

The zombie worm can still be found in oceans around the world, consuming the bones of whales on the seafloor. It doesnt have a mouth or digestive system, but instead absorbs bone collagen and lipids through root-like tendrils, according to the research team.

When the worms were first discovered in 2002, researchers believed they had co-evolved with whales 45 million years before. However, the team from Plymouth recently identified the worms distinct bore hole and cavities in a sea turtle and plesiosaur.

The discovery that the worms presence dates back to the Cretaceous period is significant because it means the record of some extinct underwater species may have been completely destroyed.

By destroying vertebrate skeletons before they could be buried, Osedax may be responsible for the loss of data on marine vertebrate anatomy and carcass-fall communities on a global scale, researcher Silvia Danise said.

A paper on the origin of Osedax was published in the Royal Society journal Biology Letters.
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Have You Seen This? Street musician slays with clarinet
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Better than almost every face-melting guitar or drum solo. - photo by Facebook video screenshot

THE BIG EASY — Yeah, yeah, we all know that New Orleans is stuffed to the gills will incredible musicians.

But knowing that fact and then hearing that fact are two different things. You can step into any number of jazz clubs on any given night on Bourbon Street, and you’ll probably be impressed with virtually every act. Or you can sit at home on your comfy couch and watch this featured video.

In the video, you’ll see a woman who is in the groove. She is swinging hard, and wailing on her clarinet with a practiced expertise that makes it sounds so easy.

From note one you’ll be drawn in; your appreciation will grow with every second, and then your face will melt off when you realize how incredible she really is.

If you’ve never played a woodwind or a brass, you may not know everything that comes with a performance like this. Lung capacity and breath control are huge factors in keeping your notes clear and loud, and hitting those high notes is especially difficult.

So when this woman hits that high note and holds it for several seconds, you know you’re dealing with an exceptional musician. It means she has worked hard for years to develop skill on top of her natural talent, and we get to benefit.

It kinda makes you wonder how we let people get away with mumble rap and autotune when talent like this exists in the world.

I wish this video were longer, and I wish I had more information about this woman, but as it is, we’ll just have to appreciate the little flavor of New Orleans jazz posted by the Facebook group Clarinet Life.

Street musician killing it on clarinet

She must have lungs of iron! Its inspiring hearing the upper registers being played so well.

Posted by Clarinet Life on Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Martha Ostergar is a writer who delights in the ridiculous that internet serves up, which means she's more than grateful that she gets to cruise the web for amazing videos to highlight for your viewing pleasure.
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