Unveiling the Mystery of the Giant Squid: An Interview with Dr. Edith Witte
Summary
Researchers have captured a giant squid on camera for the second time in history, thanks to Dr. Edith Witte’s development of the electronic jellyfish or e-jelly. In this Q&A with Dr. Witte, we learn more about the giant squid and how the e-jelly imitates certain bioluminescent displays to attract the elusive creature.
Table of Contents
- The Elusiveness of the Giant Squid
- Developing the E-Jelly
- Understanding the Giant Squid Better
- The Excitement of Discovering the Giant Squid
- Exploring the Ocean’s Vast Habitat
The Elusiveness of the Giant Squid
The giant squid has long been a subject of fascination for scientists and the public alike, but until recently, researchers only knew about the creature from specimens that washed ashore or were caught in nets. According to Dr. Witte, the primary way scientists knew about life in the ocean was by dragging nets behind ships, leading to the belief that nets only capture the slow, the stupid, and the greedy. In developing a camera system that could see without being seen, Dr. Witte created the e-jelly, an optical lure that imitates certain bioluminescent displays that may be attractive to large predators.
Developing the E-Jelly
The e-jelly is made up of blue LEDs that are embedded in epoxy and imitate the display of a jellyfish caught in the clutches of a predator, which produces a pinwheel of light to form a screen for help. Dr. Witte called it a bioluminescent burglar alarm, which functions in the same way as a burglar alarm that produces loud sounds and flashing lights to attract attention and cause burglars to run away. The e-jelly mimics this display to attract the attention of larger predators in the ocean.
Understanding the Giant Squid Better
Dr. Witte explains that the giant squid is an active visual predator and tracks its prey exactly, as seen in the video footage captured. The giant squid is seen surfing along beside the camera and the e-jelly before coming in for the attack. The footage was a significant discovery that confirms the creature’s behavior in its natural habitat.
The Excitement of Discovering the Giant Squid
The capture of the giant squid on camera was an exciting discovery for Dr. Witte and her team. Watching the footage over and over again, they had to confirm before sharing it with the world that it was indeed a giant squid. After the internet went down due to a storm, a captain informed them of a water spout forming off their port bow, and they felt like Poseidon was trying to protect his secret.
Exploring the Ocean’s Vast Habitat
Dr. Witte points out that we have explored very little of the ocean’s vast habitat, which is more than 99.9% of the biosphere, the living space on the planet. She believes that creatures like the giant squid, a science-fiction creature with three hearts and eyes the size of a dinner plate, are fascinating to the public and will excite their interest in exploring the ocean’s mysteries.
Conclusion
Dr. Edith Witte’s development of the e-jelly has revolutionized the study of life in the ocean, particularly the enigmatic giant squid. By capturing the creature on camera, we can now understand its behavior better and appreciate the vastness of the ocean’s unexplored habitat.
