Residents of Oklahoma found a mysterious hard sac-like ‘egg’ hanging from the tree roots at the lake, but scientists are now calming the locals, who immediately jumped to conclusions of alien proportions, by explaining that it’s an ancient creature
These creatures have found the right space and environment, so its likely they’ll be around a lot this summer.
Locals in Oklahoma discovered large, jelly-like sacs with a hard exterior hanging from tree roots; they immediately thought the answer was extraterrestrial. Or at least not good news.
But scientists, reassuring the public, have said that the locals in the area got a rare treat – the glimpse of the reproductive system of an ancient animal that’s been around since before the dinosaurs.
Immediately, locals put it up online, and spectators began commenting on the extraterrestrial-looking eggs. But scientists say that the creatures were simple bryozoans. They’ve been around for hundreds of millions of years, before the first dinosaurs roamed the planet. The animals may actually be good news for the lake.
These bizarre creatures are actually hundreds of tiny bryozoans.
Officials reassured the public that the animals are absolutely supposed to be there
Bryozoans clone themselves into large masses to filter tiny particles out of the water for food, cleaning up the lake. The critters normally reside in ponds and lakes. This time, it was found in McGee Creek Reservoir, located on the southwest edge of the Ouachita Mountain Range.
Bryozoan clumps aren’t an egg or just one animal at all. They form this hard shell as they are hundreds of creatures banded together. The pods, known as zooids, are each a fraction of a millimeter long. They lack any respiratory or circulatory systems, but their central nerve ganglion allows the animal to respond to stimuli.
These pods are hanging from tree roots, and actually help clean the lake
The tiny invertebrates possess both male and female reproductive organs, allowing them to self-clone and spread through clumps of cells on the organism known as statoblasts.
Each statoblast can reproduce asexually. They do this by breaking off from a colony, allowing the animal to reproduce rapidly if the space and the weather are suitable. The animals eat phytoplankton and bacteria lurking in water.
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Fossil records suggest they may have evolved from an ancient marine worm. Their grandparents, ancient bryozoans, date back as far as 470 million years. For perspective, dinosaurs came around 245 million years ago.
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) shared the photos on social media. “What is that??? If you’re out boating somewhere like McGee Creek Reservoir you may notice these strange jelly-like balls hanging from submerged tree limbs,” begins the post.
“These are Bryozoans, and they’ll likely show up in large numbers this summer. Don’t be alarmed these microorganisms are native and are of no danger to you or wildlife. In fact, they are an indicator of good environmental quality and clear water!”
If you see a coin stuck in your car door handle, you’d better call the police
When you were heading toward your car, did you ever notice a coin lodged in the door handle? It’s an odd and perplexing sensation. Many have come to this conclusion after wondering if this was merely an odd accident or if it had some sort of significance. It turns out that burglars can enter cars covertly using this method. Hold on tight, because I’m going to show you how to apply this smart approach to defeat those bothersome auto thieves. We’re going to learn how to perform our own auto security, so hold on tight!
Thieves of smart cars typically choose the side where the passenger is seated when inserting tiny coins into the door handles. That being said, why is the passenger side door buttoned? The problem is that when you attempt to use your key for the central locking, it completely malfunctions. Why? You can’t fully secure your automobile because that seemingly innocuous penny got jammed in the passenger door.
Let’s introduce some mystery now. Car thieves are not just hapless snatchers; they have a more sinister agenda. The burglar might be close by, lurking in the shadows, waiting for you to give up or become preoccupied as you struggle with your key to unlock your car.What should a car owner who is handy with DIY projects do if they believe someone has tampered with their car door? Fear not—here are some helpful do-it-yourself suggestions to prevent the vehicle thief from obtaining it:
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