Reminds me of a short story by Alastair Reynolds, "Glacial". In it, scientists are studying these worm-like alien creatures that seem to interact with one another via chemical markers left on the tunnel walls. It is theorized that they're acting as a sort of distributed intelligence, although it's really slow due to the extremely low metabolism.
Some people don't like the idea of worms and actively avoid them. I'm not one of them but I know several people that are. The idea of chilling on a pristine glacier somewhere and suddenly finding yourself surrounded by thousands of worms is pretty unsettling to the worm avoidant.
Naturally I introduce these people to the existence of the Giant Palouse Earthworm [0], also in the Pacific Northwest, though these are so rare that it would be of scientific interest if you came across one.
Well, yeah, they're worms. People are irrationally afraid of all sorts of stuff, that doesn't make everything "nightmare fuel". They're just worms that look like worms.
Funded primarily by US taxpayers via multiple NSF grants and additional grants from the Human Frontier Science Program, Moore Foundation, Schmidt Foundation, and Dalio Foundation.
Reminds me of the ice worms[0] that live exclusively in the glacier ice of the Pacific Northwest. Also mild nightmare fuel.
[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesenchytraeus_solifugus
Reminds me of a short story by Alastair Reynolds, "Glacial". In it, scientists are studying these worm-like alien creatures that seem to interact with one another via chemical markers left on the tunnel walls. It is theorized that they're acting as a sort of distributed intelligence, although it's really slow due to the extremely low metabolism.
Immediately conjures this X Files episode: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_(The_X-Files)
Interestingly, not only are those worms _able_ to survive low temperatures, they also _require_ low temperatures:
> They freeze at around −6.8 °C (19.8 °F), and their bodies decompose after continuous exposure to temperatures above 5 °C (41 °F).
Goes to show (perhaps) that adapting to unusual environments is not so much like a superpower but a tradeoff.
They look like earthworm that like to live near ice and eat algae. What is the nightmare fuel?
Some people don't like the idea of worms and actively avoid them. I'm not one of them but I know several people that are. The idea of chilling on a pristine glacier somewhere and suddenly finding yourself surrounded by thousands of worms is pretty unsettling to the worm avoidant.
Naturally I introduce these people to the existence of the Giant Palouse Earthworm [0], also in the Pacific Northwest, though these are so rare that it would be of scientific interest if you came across one.
[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_Palouse_earthworm
clear scoleciphobia if I've ever seen it
Well, yeah, they're worms. People are irrationally afraid of all sorts of stuff, that doesn't make everything "nightmare fuel". They're just worms that look like worms.
> worms that look like worms
Those are the worst kind of worms.
I've seen this movie before. I hope the researchers are safe and checked their flamethrowers for fuel.
I've seen Fortitude (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3498622/), I know how this ends (not well).
Fortitude is amazing. Cinematography, soundtrack, creepiness all top notch.
What about Alien Hunter? https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0327409/
Indeed. The Borg are in there. Not to be messed around with
No No, that was AVP ...err... antarctic video performances...
Assistant Vice... Predator
Which one? 1951? 1982? 2011?
'82, for sure
Agent Mulder figured out what to do about these in less than 42 minutes. Well, maybe Scully helped a little...
I brought a sample of "pink snow" back to the lab- common at high altitudes in California. Under the scope, the algae were pink spheres.
Extremophiles are so interesting
Who would have thought that they had been found before, but only now did they undertake a more detailed study.
Extreme life - Sponsored by Red Bull.
Funded primarily by US taxpayers via multiple NSF grants and additional grants from the Human Frontier Science Program, Moore Foundation, Schmidt Foundation, and Dalio Foundation.