Mike Dunford is a graduate student in the Department of Zoology at the University of Hawaii, Manoa, where he studies evolution. He's also a contributer to The Pandas Thumb. As is the case with everyone else here, his opinions are his own, and do not necessarily represent those of any organization he is affiliated with.
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Category: Picture Posts
Posted on: March 20, 2008 2:05 PM, by Mike Dunford
There's an island visible in the picture below. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to identify the island, it's location, it's relationship to science, and (for extra credit) its relationship to American pop culture. The answer (or a hint) will be posted on Monday.
(as always, you can click on the image for a higher-resolution version of the shot).
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Comments
Island of Dr.Moreau?
Posted by: Coturnix | March 20, 2008 2:46 PM
Gilligan's Island. Location: about three hours out from the marina. Relation to science: The Professor.
But seriously: If anybody out there knows botany, maybe they can offer everybody a hint from the outlines of the trees roughly where on the planet an island with those types of trees could be found.
Posted by: Emory K. | March 20, 2008 3:09 PM
In size and shape, it roughly matches my memory of a movie island. The year was 1983. Some young punk (played by Matt Something-or-Other) got in over his head with an acoustically coupled telephone and a primitive modem device. Professor Falken was nowhere to be found, except on Goose Island, OR. (Role of Goose Island played by Anderson Island, WA.)
But the most notable thing about Anderson Island, seems to be Island in the Sound by Hazel Heckman.
Posted by: rpenner | March 20, 2008 6:43 PM
It is Plum Island animal research facility in New York as referenced in the hit movie "The Silence of the Lambs". Lecter is offered a transfer there for providing info in a case. I believe Turns nest there (according to Clarice Starling)
Posted by: Scott VanCompernolle | March 20, 2008 7:40 PM
Mike: Since I live in the place that you lived a couple years ago, I know the answers to your quizzes (recognized the recent wallabies, of course). Am I the only reader of your blog here, or are the others remaining silent so as to not spoil your fun?
Someone suggested examining the flora. I will offer this: those tall trees are Norfolk Island Pines or Cook Island Pines, more likely the latter, Araucaria columnaris.
Posted by: JoeB | March 22, 2008 9:26 PM
How about Coconut Island in Kaneohe Bay on Oahu?
Posted by: Rick Ricketts | March 24, 2008 3:24 AM
bingo!
Posted by: JoeB | March 24, 2008 8:47 PM
It is in fact Coconut Island. The pop culture significance is as Emory suggested - it's the island featured in the Gilligan's title sequence.
It's also the home of the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology.
Posted by: Mike Dunford | March 28, 2008 8:20 AM