35 replies to this topic

[prosecutor]

Sorry to rain on your parade guys but this story is written by the Russian fiction writer Ivan Efremov.  He called the worm Olgoi-Khorkhoi and as described the worm could do all that "kill and destroy" stuff.

http://en.wikipedia....lian_Death_Worm

[jintermont]

graboid? reminds me of tremors.

[PlanB]

prosecutor, on 17 July 2011 - 02:11 AM, said:

Sorry to rain on your parade guys but this story is written by the Russian fiction writer Ivan Efremov.  He called the worm Olgoi-Khorkhoi and as described the worm could do all that "kill and destroy" stuff.

http://en.wikipedia....lian_Death_Worm

Actually Yfremov's work of fiction written in the 40's was based off of Prof. Andrew's book written in the 20's which admittedly detailed second hand accounts from the locals. Even says so in the wiki link you attached.

This seems like one of the less likely cryptids, I don't know of any worms that live in a cold desert climate. Let alone giant ones that shoot lightning bolts.

***PLAN B'S CRAZY CRYPTID THEORY ALERT***

It would make slightly more sense if this was some kind of lungfish. It could bury itself and lay dormant until the rainy season in the summer. Lungfish use electroreception to detect prey, but a lot of elongated fish like eels and knife fish have the ability to discharge stored electricity in order to stun prey, like the death worm purportedly can. If you're not used to the sight of one, a lungfish can look a lot like a giant slimy worm out of water. I'm sure there are many holes in this theory, it's pretty much a stream on consciousness as I'm typing. Don't judge me too harshly.

***PLAN B'S CRAZY CRYPTID THEORY OVER***

But yeah, it's probably not real.

[TheSearcher]

PlanB, on 17 January 2013 - 04:37 AM, said:

Actually Yfremov's work of fiction written in the 40's was based off of Prof. Andrew's book written in the 20's which admittedly detailed second hand accounts from the locals. Even says so in the wiki link you attached.

This seems like one of the less likely cryptids, I don't know of any worms that live in a cold desert climate. Let alone giant ones that shoot lightning bolts.

***PLAN B'S CRAZY CRYPTID THEORY ALERT***

It would make slightly more sense if this was some kind of lungfish. It could bury itself and lay dormant until the rainy season in the summer. Lungfish use electroreception to detect prey, but a lot of elongated fish like eels and knife fish have the ability to discharge stored electricity in order to stun prey, like the death worm purportedly can. If you're not used to the sight of one, a lungfish can look a lot like a giant slimy worm out of water. I'm sure there are many holes in this theory, it's pretty much a stream on consciousness as I'm typing. Don't judge me too harshly.

***PLAN B'S CRAZY CRYPTID THEORY OVER***

But yeah, it's probably not real.

A few things work against a lungfish as such.
- The cold will pose as much an issue to the lungfish as it would to a worm, which precludes the alleged predatory behaviour during all periods of the year.
- Lungfish live only in Africa, South America and Australia.
- Lungfish do not have the ability to discharge electricity
- Lungfish are capable of surviving seasonal drying out of their habitats by burrowing into mud and aestivate throughout the dry season. Changes in physiology allow it to slow its metabolism to as little as 1/60th of the normal metabolic rate, which precludes the alleged predatory behaviour during all periods of the year.

So I agree, probably not real.

[skookum]

Other than hearing a few tales, I am inclined to believe this Myth was born from the films Dune and Tremors.  Is there any other proof?  Even Bigfoot and Lock Ness have a few grainy pictures.

The electric Eel video I would like to put in question.  The Alligator seems to be receiving a prolonged high voltage over many seconds.  Is this possible?  I can understand one short high voltage shock but that was more like it was plugged into the mains.  Can an Electric Eel do this over about 20 secs?

Edited by skookum, 17 January 2013 - 07:50 PM.

[Rafterman]

Brian Dunning just covered the MDW on Skeptoid last week.

Enjoy - read the transcript or download the podcast.

http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4344

Skeptoid - winner of the 2012 Stitcher Award for Best Science Podcast