Now you see me, now you don’t: cephalopods in hiding

Today’s post is about a natural phenomena so strange that one would swear it is a result of something otherworldly. However, sometimes the truly bazar is hiding in our own backyard and, despite the “reality” of this story, it seems worth sharing to those ether-minded readers.

(Source: http://www.dimensionsguide.com/size-of-an-octopus/)

Marine biologist, Roger Hanlon, studies cephalopods, which include squid, cuttlefish and octopus. During one of his expeditions, he was able to film one of the most interesting abilities of these sea creatures: the capacity to completely mimic their environment. On his Marine Biological Laboratory website page, Hanlon writes that the “distinguishing feature of cephalopods is that individual animals can change their appearance with a speed and diversity unparalleled in the animal kingdom: we term this ‘rapid, neurally controlled polymorphism.’” He goes on to write how some cephalopods can have 30 to 50 different appearances.  

Biologists have determined six “mechanisms of camouflage;” including: 1) General background resemblance, 2) Deceptive resemblance (including mimicry), 3) Disruptive coloration, 4) Countershading/concealment of the shadow, 5) Rarity through polymorphism, and 6) Cryptic behavior and vigilance. What is so striking about cephalopods is their ability to use all six mechanisms. A complete understanding of how this process takes place still alludes scientist. Still, they have surmised that sight is the primary cue for both texture and color changes despite being colorblind. The video goes on to show how the skin actually changes pigment and does a far better job of demonstrating these abilities than any words could.  

(Source: http://www.sciencefriday.com/videos/watch/10397)

Special Note: Apologies are due for the limited number of recent posts. The Reaching Through the Ether team has been busy developing a website to replace the companion blog. This site will greatly expand on news, expeditions, films and books that creep out of the depths of the ether. Currently, this blog is still being used until further notice. 

Some more pics from Prospect

For information about Prospect Place, the history, the hauntings and our ghost hunt, visit these other posts: Mystery and murder at Prospect Place, Live from Prospect Place: I, and Live from Prospect Place: II. Now, for some more pics from our trip to Prospect.

Below: These are all painting that are for sale at Prospect Place.

 

    

 

Above: This one is hard to see, but it is a not-so-stable staircase.

Above: Cross painted on the wall in a large room on the, I think, third floor.

 Above: What appears to be an old well was down in the cellar. When you get inside, a collapsed tunnel leads under the house.

Below: The Adams' family tree.

Below: These were posted by some of the rooms on the second floor.

Live From Prospect Place: II

Well, travelers into the unknown, after another sweep through the mansion we have obtained no EVP or film footage of note. We do have one very frightening thing that we did indeed see. Behold:

We love this guy! He follows you everywhere...best comedy commercial on TV. Go Kevin!

There is a lot about Prospect Place that is interesting and we are eager to share. But, it is more about the history and what the educational foundation is doing. So, with that said, we will bid you all a good evening unless something reaches through the ether to grab us.

Thanks for reading!

Live From Prospect Place: I

Well, hello to all those who are following our Prospect Place adventure. The fact that we are blogging to you means one thing: we have not been murdered or possessed by the demons "prospecting"(did someone hear a drum to accentuate such a witty pun?) through these halls. We have gotten a bit dusty though. The maid has not cleaned in awhile, despite the fact that she has been seen near the stairs where she died. So...

We got in around 7:00 p.m. Below, you can see a couple photos of the gates leading into Prospect Place. The person taking the photos is much more pleasing to the eye than the subject of the photo, but, don't worry, you will have the chance to see that lovely lady in a bit.

Upon entering, this was the towering mansion of the dead (how is that for ominous?). Here was the beast we would be facing down this evening:

What you are all seeing here is a side view of the mansion. The entrance is around on the right side, where, as you ascend the front steps, you are first met with a pigeon and some cigarette-filled ashtrays. After calling the number posted on the door, George Adams, the descendant of - you guessed it, George Adams (who built the mansion twice - more on that later) answered the door. Unfortunately, the door bell did not create a loud gong sound and Lurch did not come to the door. However, we must say, Mr. Adams was surely far better company than Lurch would have been. After briefly showing us around, Mr. Adams sat down with us to discuss his family's epic history and how he came to live in an apartment in the back with his partner, Paul. Being that the purpose of this article is to let all of you know about the adventure, the details of this discussion will be saved for posts in the coming weeks. We will say, however, a thank you to Mr. Adams for his time.

From there, we explored the house and the barn. Below, are some pictures from this first outing:

I am not entirely sure what this is. Perhaps, a well? There are unsubstantiated rumors that there was a escape tunnel for slaves hiding in the basement. Now, there are only spiders...lots and lots of spiders.

This was painted on the wall in one of the upstairs rooms. It was red...must be blood, right?

We haven't encountered any ghosts yet, but the above and below pictures are creepy enough. They were rich; shouldn't they smile. The above picture is of Mary Adams, George W. Adams second wife. The below painting is of George himself.

Well, we are off to explore some more. Nothing of note to report at this time. Again, stay tuned to future posts and examiner articles where we will detail our discussions with Mr. Adams and the wonderful educational programs that revolve around Prospect Place. We're off. If we don't come back...well, that's not good.

Upcoming site visit: Prospect Place

On May 11, 2011, we published the article, “Mystery and murder at Prospect Place,” where we detailed the dark and eventful history of the family that built and resided in the estate. Prospect Place has gained national prominence for its hauntings and has appeared on several national ghost hunting television shows. In addition, we announced our upcoming site visit, which will take place on the evening of July 7th, 2011. A more lengthy review of the site can be read on our blog, Reaching Through the Ether, where we will also post live updates, pictures and videos of our experiences. Next week’s Examiner article will also review our experience; however, the more detailed information will only be provided on the blog due to space limitations. So, please join us and, on the chance we are not heard from again, find out what happened.