…and this is a 
Squid on ice
Category: Cephalopods
Posted on: March 16, 2007 9:08 AM, by PZ Myers
Don't rush to get tickets to New Zealand just yet—the colossal squid is frozen in a block of ice, and they don't plan to even start thawing it for another year (there aren't any other reasons to visit NZ than to see the squid, right?).
To minimise handling of the precious specimen, the colossal squid will probably have its temperature raised, over days, in the tank in which it will finally be "fixed".
"We don't want to move it too much," says Marshall.
"When a thing like that is in the water, it's neutrally buoyant.
"But, of course, when you get it out of the water, you've got a big lump of weight and you could try lifting it and your hands would go right through.
"Already it's got puncture marks from the net."
Once un-frozen, the creature will be fixed, or embalmed, and then a long-term preservative will be used.
"What I mean by a fixing tank is a tank that you lay it out in, in a natural position, and you then make all the adjustments - align all the arms, pack out the body and all of that. Then you have it in a, say, 5% formalin solution.
"It will require the biggest tank of anything we've got."
Basically, we're not going to know any more details for a good long while.
Comments
Great nature there, but there are too many sheep. The sheep.... they'll haunt you for years.
Posted by: Kristjan Wager | March 16, 2007 10:12 AM
I think they are confused as to the proper way to thaw this animal. It should not be done without a little prep work.
First:
1. Take a larger enough vessel to hold water about 3 times the weight of the animal
2. Remember, this animal is coming from salt water so salt should be added for osmotic reasons.
3. This may seem a bit inexplicable, but next, bring the water to a boil. Place the squid in for about 10-15 minutes...
4. Next, as odd as it may sound, to best preserve the animal as it thaws one must add 15 gallons of extra Virgin olive oil, 220 cups of garlic cloves (remember, we are scientists, so make sure the cloves are peeled) to a large flat surface, preferably made of cast iron. Add a heat source underneath.
5. Now, take the squid out of the boiling salted water and prep it for examination. To examine the animal properly we are going to need to slice it evenly into what we refer to as "rings".
6. Now, we must stain the "rings" to make them more observable under a microscope. To stain squid, start with, 15 gallons of white wine in a large tray.
7. Next to that place a separate tray with a couple of hundred pounds of all-pourpose "science" flour. Add to that that 200 tablespoons of dried tarragon, 300 tablespoons of crushed black-pepper, 400 tables spoons of paprika, and just a dash of cinnamon...
8. Now prep the "rings" for examination by dipping the separate "rings" 2 or 3 at a time in the wine, and then into our "science" flour" mix.
9. Taking these "rings" now place them on top of the hot iron "pan" mentioned in #4, and slowly turn them as the outer, let's call it "crust", develops a somewhat "crispy" nature.
10. Examine with the help of candle light, wine, and that special someone...
Posted by: Lago | March 16, 2007 10:13 AM
Oh no, it's going to defrost in the 25th century. That crazy squid will fight crime in a brave new world.
Posted by: christian Burnham | March 16, 2007 10:22 AM
Lago,
A particularly well executed joke, if I may say.
Posted by: Christian Burnham | March 16, 2007 10:25 AM
Kristian (what a dumb name!),
Did you dream... about the lambs? Screaming in the night?
Posted by: Christian Burnham | March 16, 2007 10:30 AM
The article says "And for now, this beast of the deep - all 495kg (1,090lb) of it - is safely frozen in a one-cubic-metre block of ice"
That's a mistake, right? One cubic metre seems rather too small.
Posted by: Daniel Drucker | March 16, 2007 10:37 AM
I agree - totally miss-spelled and everything.
Posted by: Kristjan Wager | March 16, 2007 11:01 AM
Kristian,
Acshually, I quite like the spelling- just making fun of you.
Must get quite annoying though having to spell it for people.
Posted by: Christian Burnham | March 16, 2007 11:03 AM
This belongs in the U.S. so that pharyngulites can go worship it.
I say we start a movement to get it sent over here. Free Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni from the clutches of those weird New Zealanders.
Hey, if they put it in a museum in Northern Kentucky, it would be within 6 hours driving distance of 2/3 of the U.S. population!
Posted by: CalGeorge | March 16, 2007 11:06 AM
Great stuff, Lago - the joke, I mean. And just think, a sperm whale just gobbles down a whole colossal squid. That's another reason I'm glad I'm not a whale. (I don't like swimming, either.)
Posted by: Richard Harris, FCD | March 16, 2007 11:11 AM
Actually, if I spelled it that way, I wouldn't have to spell it to people. It's a common way to spell the name in Denmark (as is the latinized form), however, if you look a little more closely at my name, you'llsee that it's not how I spell it.
And yes, it is annoying to have to spell it all the time. What's worse, I have to spell my last name all the time as well.
Posted by: Kristjan Wager | March 16, 2007 11:13 AM
Sorry Kristjan.
The j doesn't show up very well in your name when underlined in the typeface my browser uses.
Posted by: Christian Burnham | March 16, 2007 11:37 AM
Thanks Lago! Something on SciBlogs even funnier than Conservapedia...
Posted by: blf | March 16, 2007 11:43 AM
NZ is full of amateur scientists. You'd LOVE it. Kiwis have sheds. They invent things.
I should know. My dad was a prime example, always (re)inventing things. Our backyard and shed contained numerous examples. An antique chaff-cutter he restored to working order. (I remember that particularly because of the way it spewed chaff skyward when it was working. Hell to get out of your hair.) He had a forge he built himself using an old washing machine motor, and it singed his eyebrows on a regular basis. There was a metal lathe, a wood lathe, and let's not think about the various poisons and things in the locked shed, for when he was playing with chemistry. He was also an amateur explosives expert.
And his friends were all the same.
(Why do you think I left?)
Posted by: BadAunt | March 16, 2007 12:21 PM
Oh, the calamarity!
Posted by: J Daley | March 16, 2007 12:24 PM
Looks like this giant squid has it's forward front fins folded over. Could this be the normal pose to achive greater hydrodynamic efficiency at speed? Does anyone have a guess how fast this squid could go?
Posted by: RAM | March 16, 2007 12:38 PM
"there aren't any other reasons to visit NZ than to see the squid, right?"
Perhaps you could go there to have a spiritual experience.
Posted by: Thony C. | March 16, 2007 1:35 PM
This is why you should be afraid of the sheep.
http://www.ifilm.com/video/2810911
Bwahahahaha
Posted by: Paula Helm Murray | March 16, 2007 2:14 PM
Boy, I wish our lab could get some sample from the mantle of that thing to do fatty acids.
Posted by: Tlazolteotl | March 16, 2007 2:24 PM
What about that there plastination technique and all? (Although I don't know details of it so it wouldn't surprise me if it's not viable for some practical reason.)
Posted by: El Christador | March 16, 2007 2:44 PM
Some day in the future, as there is more melting at the polar ice caps, we will see squid actually frozen in antiquity into the ice. Perhaps the woolly squid, long hypothesized but as yet undiscovered, will come to light at this time.
Posted by: Greg Laden | March 16, 2007 2:59 PM
send yuor idea about my site thank.
Posted by: nima jalalizadeh | March 16, 2007 3:59 PM
Christian Burnham said:
""Lago,
A particularly well executed joke, if I may say."
Lago's response:
Joke? What do you mean joke?
Next, I would like to go over the protocols for the methods of studying myotomes in Gadus morhua in "Tartar Sauce"
1. We need to start with the unfertilized ova of Gallus domesticus, as well as the the the dehydrated endosperm of from the Family Brassicaceae in the Order Brassicales. Next we will require the fruit of the Cucumis sativus plant which has been suspended in a fluid of 99 parts H2O to 1 part Acetic acid. Chop finely...
2. Next we need to...
Posted by: Lago | March 16, 2007 7:48 PM
They should call in the ghoulish Dr. von Hagens and see if they can plastinate the big guy, rather than just using formalin.
Posted by: Jon H | March 16, 2007 11:27 PM
You could visit New Zealand for L&P Soda which is "World Famous in New Zealand."
Posted by: fardels bear | March 17, 2007 9:53 AM
(there aren't any other reasons to visit NZ than to see the squid, right?).
Not now, Myers. For you anyhow.
Unless you like full body cavity searches at customs...
Great nature there, but there are too many sheep. The sheep.... they'll haunt you for years.
You have no idea.
This belongs in the U.S. so that pharyngulites can go worship it.
I say we start a movement to get it sent over here. Free Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni from the clutches of those weird New Zealanders.
Typical Yank. They see someone with a strategic resource, such as calimari, and immediately think about using their military to steal it. You can take our land, but you can never take our forks and breadcrumb batter!
Posted by: Phoenician in a time of Romans | March 17, 2007 1:05 PM
So I should stop obsessively checking the Te Papa website for exhibition dates? Dangnabbit.
When it is on display, I'll call in to see it every day on my way home, and jeer at you all. Nyah nyah nyah nyah.
One of the things that we put on for tourists is 'Sheep Safaris' with jeeps. I kid you not.
Posted by: Buffybot | March 18, 2007 7:23 PM