Rare Creatures Found In "Coral Triangle"

Tentacled Worm, Black Jellyfish Among Rare Marine Species Discovered Off Philippines

(AP)  Scientists exploring a deep ocean basin in search of species isolated for millions of years found marine life believed to be previously undiscovered, including a tentacled orange worm and an unusual black jellyfish.

Project leader Dr. Larry Madin said Tuesday that U.S. and Philippine scientists collected about 100 different specimens in a search in the Celebes Sea south of the Philippines.

Madin, of the Massachusetts-based Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, said the sea is at the heart of the "coral triangle" bordered by the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia -- a region recognized by scientists as having a high degree of biological diversity.

The deepest part of the Celebes Sea is 16,500 feet. The team was able to explore to a depth of about 9,100 feet using a remotely operated camera.

"This is probably the center where many of the species evolved and spread to other parts of the ocean, so it's going back to the source in many ways," Madin told a group of journalists, government officials, students and U.S. Ambassador Kristie Kenney and her staff.

The project involved the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and National Geographic Magazine in cooperation with the Philippine government, which also provided the exploration ship.

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Photos: Images From The Exploration

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The expedition was made up of more than two dozen scientists and a group from National Geographic, including Emory Kristof, the underwater photographer who was part of the team that found the wreckage of the Titanic in 1985.
The group returned to Manila on Tuesday after spending about two weeks in the Celebes Sea off Tawi-Tawi, the Philippines southernmost provincial archipelago nearly 700 miles south of Manila.

Madin said the specimens they collected included several possibly newly discovered species. One was a sea cucumber that is nearly transparent which could swim by bending its elongated body. Another was a black jellyfish found near the sea floor.

The most striking creature found was a spiny orange-colored worm that had 10 tentacles like a squid, Madin said. "We don't know what it is ... it might be something new," he said.

He said it would take "a few more weeks" of research to determine whether the species are newly discovered. He expects to release a report by early next month.

Madin said the Celebes Sea, being surrounded by islands and shallow reefs, is partially isolated now and may have been more isolated millions of years ago, leading scientists to believe that "there may be groups of organisms that have been contained and kept within" the basin since then.

"That makes it an interesting place to go and look to see what we might find," he said.

[fibonacci_]

Hocus pocus man. Tooth fairy stuff.

[fibonacci_]

1) Your body is intricately designed fibonacci.
- Thank you :)

2) Design DEMANDS a Designer.
Things can''''t just CREATE themselves.
This is common sense.

- I don''t think it is common sense. From a human perspective yes, if you design a building you need a designer. How do you know if something created this? Just by looking? That''s not a strong argument. I do, however, agree it is a stronger argument than you just throwing the book like you usually do. That does not convince deep thinkers though.

3)That''''s just it...you want to follow what "appeals" to you.
- To be honest, I think maybe it would be more appealing to believe in God like you. Does that surprise you?

4) "Don''''t you think I''''ve heard this before? God doesn''''t need a Creator."
-Of course I thought you have heard it before. But it is a strong argument because it uses your own reasoning that things have to have a creator.

You''ll never convert me. And you''ll never understand me as well as I understand you. I think I really do understand the reasons you believe in God - but those reasons are no evidence for me to believe. You really need Jesus in your life and are absolutely certain that he is the son of God. And thats cool with me. I think I also understand the reasons the Islamofascists commit their atrocities - they are convinced they know the truth about what is right.

[fibonacci_]

"Well you''''re one step closer to the Truth then, because you''''ve just admitted that you have a lack of knowing the Truth."

I tend to disagree. Maybe I''ll convert to Islam? Or Mormanism sounds pretty appealing. I''ll have to go shopping...there are thousands to choose from. You guys seem to be number one though - that must mean it is the Truth.

[fibonacci_]

1) Who supplied the elements? Did they just come into existence on their own?
- They didn''t come into existence they have always been.

2) Since when does God have to "prove" Himself to you?
- Remember I don''t even know what you are talking about here. I don''t believe in God.

Every prophecy has not come true like you said, but I am sure you think they eventually will. Is not He supposed to come again sometime soon or am I wrong about that one? Also, prophecies like "He would be born of a virgin" you cannot fairly consider to be proven. Do you think that would stand up in court? I think a little reasonable doubt exists there. Sounds a bit like something coming from nothing to me.

If you insist that everything that is here had to be "supplied" by someone (or God), then it should not bother you that I ask the question:

"Who supplied God?"

If your answer is that he always existed then our answers seem to have something in common...some things have always existed.

[fibonacci_]

I just don''t see any evidence that should make me believe in Him. Although I know you probably don''t believe me, it has nothing to do with not wanting to be held accountable for something. Maybe it was like that for you before you were born again? People are not all the same Rick. I think it is difficult for you to see things from our perspective...so I don''t think you should try to speculate about our reasons for not believing in Him. I don''t speculate about your reasons for believing...every Christian has a different set of reasons I think.

No one has ever given me any evidence of the existence of Him, and I don''t blame them because it is impossible to give evidence for the existence of God.

I know you feel sorry for me, but try not to worry too much, I am a pretty happy person in most respects. And I have just as much confidence in my lack of knowing The Truth as you do in your conviction that you know It.

[fibonacci_]

Ok, since you are not anonymous I won''t be either. We''re not as different in some ways as you might think Rick, I''ve seen you sing.

I want to show you the purpose of my life, music:

www . caseymongoven . com

We agnostic atheists most times do find great value in life, I think. For us, this is our only shot and we have to make the best of it, also for future
generations.

Similarly to how Johann Sebstian Bach (the Great Master) made the purpose of his life glorifying god through his music, I have chosen to make the
purpose of my life glorifying nature and mathematics through my music.

My life and others'' lives are very important to me. Every life has value. I think we share this despite our differences.

[fibonacci_]

1.) How can something come from nothing?
- Something doesn''t come from nothing.
2.) How can life evolve from "non-life?"
- That is a great and difficult question. Look at the Miller-Urey experiment from the early 50s.
3.) How can order evolve from "dis-order"?
- Study chaos theory. They are not as different as you might think.
4.) Why is the earth round, and how do you explain invisible laws such as gravity?
-Great question. I don''t know and neither do scientists...do you?
5.) What do you suppose humans are going to "evolve" into next oh wise one?
-How would I know?
6.) We''ll find out who''s right in the end won''t we?
-I highly doubt that. Thats the beauty of your argument...you claim that I will have a day of judgment and find out. I claim you will never know because once your brain stops functioning thats the end of Rick. How unfair! I can''t win on that one.

You don''t know the truth. You''re arrogant. You have faith - and faith is not knowledge. There is an important difference. I don''t despise you like you do me Rick, I just think your arguments are very weak. And since I answered youre questions the best I could with my limited knowledge why don''t you answer mine. How did you become born again?

[fibonacci_]

That''s your translation. I am honestly curious which is correct...most translations say "circle of the earth" instead of "ball of the earth".

The bible also says this:

Isaiah 11:12
"...gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth."

Job 38:13
"That it might take hold of the ends of the earth..."

Job 9:6
"He shakes the earth from its place and makes its pillars tremble."

Perhaps my favorite:
"The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises."

Scientists must get a kick out of that one.

Let''s not pretend that there was a wealth of scientific knowledge when the bible was written. I think this significantly weakens your argument, which is again from one book.

[matttracker]

It was the "scientist" that thought the world was flat.

[matttracker]

Posted by fibonacci_ at 09:12 AM : Oct 18, 2007

Isaiah 40:22

21-24Have you not been paying attention?
Have you not been listening?
Haven''t you heard these stories all your life?
Don''t you understand the foundation of all things?
God sits high above the round ball of earth.
The people look like mere ants.
He stretches out the skies like a canvas%u2014
yes, like a tent canvas to live under.
He ignores what all the princes say and do.
The rulers of the earth count for nothing.
Princes and rulers don''t amount to much.
Like seeds barely rooted, just sprouted,
They shrivel when God blows on them.
Like flecks of chaff, they''re gone with the wind.

[fibonacci_]

"Oh by the way, why is the world round and floating in outer space upon nothing?"

The bible doesn''t say anything about this. Where did you get that information? At that time it was commonly believed the world was flat, as I''m sure you know.

[fibonacci_]

Just a question I am curious about: how did you come to be born again? Most people are given a religion at birth (i.e. "this is a Christian child, this is a Muslim child"). That leaves little room for free thought - which you are clearly an enemy of.

I find it unfortunate that you despise me so much because of what I say here...I do not despise you. :( Like I said earlier, all life has value. I just think you have an arrogant, know-it-all style of argument. And I think most people of your religion would agree.

[fibonacci_]

So we meet again.

Just because you keep opening up the book and saying...look! Look here! It says it here! (i.e. "Only a fool says in his heart there is no God, and that''''s scriptural buddy, it''''s not coming from me.") In fact, such statements weaken your already baseless arguments that your religion is the true one. It does not mean that you have any solid evidence for what you believe just because it says it in some book. You have faith singing Rick, faith. Ask yourself why you don''t believe in Allah as god and you will understand why I don''t believe in your god.

I find you incredibly arrogant rick. I won''t sink to your level and call your thoughts stupid, but it is incredibly arrogant the manner you have of trying to convert people. It does not serve your cause. I highly doubt you have ever had any success converting anyone with that strategy. You seem to think you know the way things work. I never said I did - hence "agnostic atheist". Scientists don''t claim to know everything either.

[mercyme884]

Evolution or creationism???? if anyone has read and studied this miracle of a world we live in not just the bible but actual proof of the way animals evolved anyone with a thinking, reasoning mind would see that there is something to this evolution theory stuff.That it was all started with one big bang accident.But That is where your thinking and mine differ.When I think about the earth and all the miracles it holds my thinking is "how could this all have been a big accident?"Just think about the ecosystem, how the minutest difference in speed could send the earth could send the earth and everything on it hurtling into empty space.No it was no accident it couldn''t possibly have been and these scientist know it. They searched the universe, billions of lightyears , and haven''t found anything to compare to it.And that is why I beleive in an almighty Creator.A loving and caring being who loved his children so much that he created this miraculous place to live for a while until we''re ready to go to a heavenly home.I truly don''t know how it was done but I am sure it wasn''t an accident.

[waynabq]

No surprise Singinrick still has his head up the Chimp''s ***. What a braindead moron.

[waynabq]

SOOOO stupid! Sooo stupid!

singinrick

[waynabq]

SOOOO stupid! Sooo stupid!

singinrick

[dnamj]

One more vote for evolution here.

Only in America are there so many people insane enough to disregard one of the most clearly defining, and uniting observations ever. The age of reason is fading into the past here, apparently. It''s strictly and us-against-them universe now, with brand loyalty outweighing all other attributes to personality.

By the way, denial of evolution is one thing fundamentalist christians and muslims share in common.

[global_chick]

lastgoodgirl, way to avoid the questions. I''m really sorry that you believe in evolution, and that life as you know it a cosmic mistake. If that were true, it would mean that your life in general is a mistake and therefore utterly meaningless. I pray that you change your mind about God and do not have to spend an eternity apart from him. And I wouldn''t be so cocky about teaching evolution. If you''re so sure it''s the right way, what''s the harm in teaching it alongside creation and allowing students to participate in a debate? In the end, you place your faith on a cosmic accident, and that is truly sad to me.

[lastgoodgirl-2009]

I''d like to continue with this mindless banter, but I have a class to teach. Hopefully, to one of your kids. Thanks to the constitution, I can teach evolution in almost every school in the country. The best part is that my class is required by most UC''s as a prereq. Now, that''s job security!
I look forward to warming up on you two again!
Thanks!
lastgoodgirl