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fandomhigh2018-02-27 11:46 pm
livingartifact) wrote in fandomhigh2018-02-27 11:46 pm
Entry tags:
Earth Zoology, Wednesday
"Welcome back, students," Jenkins greeted without looking up as the class filed in. He was busy fussing around with an old-fashioned film projector, the on the back of which was mounted a rather steampunk-esque antenna device. "I'm afraid today will be a slight departure from our usual class structure. While magic and science have both provided many fantastic ways for us to experience the wonders of the zoological world in relative safety and comfort, neither has quite managed to find a way for all of us to safely traverse one of the largest and most mysterious landscapes of the Earth: the ocean floor. So I'm afraid that instead of meeting our animals of the day in person, we must settle for watching them as captured on film.
"Deep sea creatures are a source of some special fascination to many humans, as the bottom of the ocean is one of the very few surfaces of this planet that they have not found a way to live on comfortably, both because of the lack of air or light, as also because the tremendous weight of the water itself would crush humans like so many small bugs. Fortunately, remote technology and materials engineering have advanced sufficiently to allow small robots and other submersibles to investigate, leading to the discovery of some truly fascinating biodiversity. . . . Dammit, you —" Jenkins gave the projector a firm whack with the side of his hand, then cleared his throat and continued, still tinkering away. "Many of the creatures of the deep sea have developed bioluminescence, for instance, meaning that they've learned to quite literally glow in the dark. Others function with no light receptors at all, relying on other sensory organs in order to find their way around. Some have grown up around deep sea volcanic vents, which humanity would find both extremely hot and highly toxic, while others exist seemingly without regard for heat at all. Whatever adaptations they have made, they are an extraordinary group of creatures, one about which we still know relatively little. They have, quite simply, challenged humanity's very definition of life itself. . . . Ah!" Jenkins released the film projector with a triumphant clap of his hands. "There we are. I was afraid I'd have to do an entire lecture extemporaneously. Now, lights. . . ." He hit a switch on a remote and dimmed the room's lights down low. "Camera. . . ." Another button, and the film projector leapt to life, projecting a YouTube search query onto the screen. Jenkins used a little joystick to awkwardly navigate the cursor to the video he needed, making a little firing gun noise when he hit the button to select the link. "Action."
"Deep sea creatures are a source of some special fascination to many humans, as the bottom of the ocean is one of the very few surfaces of this planet that they have not found a way to live on comfortably, both because of the lack of air or light, as also because the tremendous weight of the water itself would crush humans like so many small bugs. Fortunately, remote technology and materials engineering have advanced sufficiently to allow small robots and other submersibles to investigate, leading to the discovery of some truly fascinating biodiversity. . . . Dammit, you —" Jenkins gave the projector a firm whack with the side of his hand, then cleared his throat and continued, still tinkering away. "Many of the creatures of the deep sea have developed bioluminescence, for instance, meaning that they've learned to quite literally glow in the dark. Others function with no light receptors at all, relying on other sensory organs in order to find their way around. Some have grown up around deep sea volcanic vents, which humanity would find both extremely hot and highly toxic, while others exist seemingly without regard for heat at all. Whatever adaptations they have made, they are an extraordinary group of creatures, one about which we still know relatively little. They have, quite simply, challenged humanity's very definition of life itself. . . . Ah!" Jenkins released the film projector with a triumphant clap of his hands. "There we are. I was afraid I'd have to do an entire lecture extemporaneously. Now, lights. . . ." He hit a switch on a remote and dimmed the room's lights down low. "Camera. . . ." Another button, and the film projector leapt to life, projecting a YouTube search query onto the screen. Jenkins used a little joystick to awkwardly navigate the cursor to the video he needed, making a little firing gun noise when he hit the button to select the link. "Action."
Listen to the lecture