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In this post: the large versions of the Life Science and Physical Science channel photos, comments from readers, and the best posts of the week.

Reader comments of the week:

On the Life Science channel, Tetrapod Zoology wraps up its Sea Monster week with Where are all the dead sea monsters? While undiscovered giant marine creatures probably do exist, Darren Naish concludes, none of the many legendary encounters offer compelling enough evidence of anything more bizarre than a shark, whale, or sea turtle.

Reader Shadow is on the lookout anyway:

apparently have a local water-beast, the 'Altamahaha'. Never heard of the thing until it showed up in one of Sci-Fi's paranormal programs, but these days I glance to the river every time we go over it. Just in case, you know. Because if I was a sea monster, the well-travelled bridge by the paper mill is exactly where I'd hang out. (Then again, if I was a sea monster, I'd probably get a kick out of screwing with people's heads.)

In Ways To Do Fundamental Theoretical Physics, The Quantum Pontiff shares the three ways in which one can chase the universe's great mysteries: firsthand; by using computers; or by using SETI to find aliens hopefully more advanced than ourselves—who will doubtless be willing to share what they've discovered.

Reader Ross McPherson provided a fourth method:

I think a typing pool with an infinite number of monkeys probably offers the best chance of a successful result in theoretical physics. However, it might be possible for an expert in ESP to read the minds of an infinite number of typing monkeys and to intuit a successful unified theory before any of them types it up. Anyone who believes he/she can arrive at a successful unified theory single-handed surely belongs in this latter class of 'thinkers'. I include myself in this group. I am thinking the universe is curved like a banana...

Some other Life Science posts we thought were cool this week were:

BioRap (DNA Replication and Protein Synthesis with a Beat)

Golden Ray Migration

The Problem with the Word "Organic"

One in three species of reef-building corals face extinction

Singing the Praises of Mr. Personality

And from the Physical Science channel:

Earthquake Prediction Just as Tantalizingly Close as Ever

Chess, Backgammon, and the Algorithmic Lens

Unworkable Devices

Quantum mechanics for fourth graders.

Science Marches On (Magnetic Moments Edition)

Look for highlights from other channels coming up!