Mermaids

[Sylph]

Now don't laugh...laughing?...Stop It :mad:... okay?

Well first off, I had no clue where to put this; Animals/Pets, Paranormal, Science, but I decided I'd put it here, just for simplicities sake :tongue: .

Anyway, last night, I was watching Mermaids: The Body Found on the Discovery Channel and my eyes have been opened.

Now all the fake little scenarios, such as the boy actually finding one on the beach, recorded on a friend's cell phone, I don't really believe, as it looked fake and too well orchestrated, but all the scientific stuff, has got me thinking.

It's like learning the Darwinian Theory all over again...

Like most animals, seperation caused them to change and adapt to their different environments, diverting from what they were to something new, which is basically the theory of evolution, and this could have happened to us at some point in history... who knows?

We do have webbings inbetween our fingers and toes, we cry/excrete salt when most animals try to conserve it, 70% of our body is water, we shed our hair[presumbably for less drag when in the water], baby's instinctually hold their breath under water when most other terrestrial species;s offspring would die, we can hold our breaths significantly longer than most other terrestrial species. Why can we do these things, when other terrestrial species can't/don't?

Why should we be so special to believe that we are the only humanoid species of significant intelligence[aside from primates, as some may consider them to be], when almost every other animal species has a cousin species, that may well have been at one point, one and the same.

The Galapagos Tortoises were believed to be one direct species, but after the Galapagos split up, the Tortoises trapped in different areas evolved or adapted, some now with long necks, some with short.

Why is it that we are the only intelligent creatures, that can adapt on a moments notice?

Not to say that Mermaids are like the mythical beautiful creatures like us, with cities and what not, but if they exist and are like us, would'nt that also make them intelligent? Wouldn't that explain why they've avoided discovery and danger? If we were being persued, our instinct is to hide, right?

Perhaps we are the lesser adaptation of what our former species was. *dun dun dunnn *

But seriously, what if? Could it be a possibility?:confused:

[Bowyn Aerrow]

The aquatic Ape Theory, that humans spent a bit of time in and around water is an old theory that mainstream biologists/evolutionists refuse to accept. However if one seriously considers it it does make a lot of sense and does explain a lot of the differences between humans and other hominids which the savannah doesn't explain fully or at all.

Such as that later of sub-dermal fat (blubber) we humans have. Savanna life does not produce blubber, dwelling in water is the only way sub-dermal fat evolves in mammals.

Savanna living doesn't account for our lack of hair. Plenty of species live on the savanna and have thick coats of fur.

With the wide variety of mammals that live in and around water nearly constantly ad the various adaptations they have made, a few being consistent in each species, aquatic-ape theory makes a lot of sense.

As for Mer-folk. I find that one a little hard to swallow. There has been insufficient amount of time since early hominids for a species as evolved as merfolk as much as that show and mythology depicts them with complete tails instead of legs, highly adapted vision and collapsible rib cages.


Whales and dolphins returned to the seas millions of years ago and their adaptations are extreme.

For a hominid one would expect their whole body to be more bullet shaped, more streamlined, not just the tail section.

It made for thought provoking TV, and even interesting mental exercises in how hominids could adapt to an aquatic life (going around with the whales, using sea materials to make simple weapons, etc).

[myapple]

The clip on the phone was just another reenacting. I watched that same documentary like a month or a few weeks ago. At the time, I was very much interested in mermaids and sirens and what not. I do believe it's very possible that there were (or possibly still are) other humanoid species out there. and like you said, since they are like us, that gives them intelligence and they've been hiding. We might not ever know, but we should still keep an open mind. I mean scientists and zoologists are still finding new species every day. I mean if scientists believe that we evolved from fish into apes into humans or whatever, then they should also believe that there are other types of humanoids out there.

[ChadCoxRox]

Perhaps we are the lesser adaptation of what our former species was. *dun dun dunnn *

But seriously, what if? Could it be a possibility?:confused:

If we adapted backwards then we are evolving to our own doom!:confused:

[zeon]

Peronsally with me i tend to think unless i see one it is nothing more than a myth... However according to myths mermaids are not friendly creatures yet in reality what if we saw one... I got a whole folder on beasts and beings to do with folklore and it has various things about it from professional reasearchers

[Pix]

Another thing is that when a baby is born the baby can grab the mother's hair (which would be useful if she were swimming). IIRC, that's the ONLY thing a newborn infant can do involving hands. This and what you pointed out is part of the reason why some midwives have started to have women give birth in baths as they feel it's more natural if done in water.

And birth and rebirth from water is a common theme in the human psyche/collective unconscious, from the birth of Aprhodite to Christian baptisms. I'm not that familiar with Hinduism but I think the River Ganges might count as well.

Anyway, I watched some similar program many years ago and what I recall thinking about was the many old tales of selkies, presumably women who could shapeshift into seals, and the only way to keep her human was to steal her seal skin so she couldn't turn back into a seal and leave. So I began thinking that when the Celts (or whatever) conquered a land some took to hiding in sea caves, perhaps even islands, but found they could make a wet suit out of seal skin that allowed them to swim in the icy cold waters, but they'd still have to go back to land (especially where there was agriculture) to restock on supplies, and it would generally be better to send a woman as she'd be less likely to be seen as an invader. Of course without the wet suit she'd be unlikely to make it back so generally gave up on the idea and making such wet suits were probably a very specialized knowledge (and even if she knew how she'd still have to find & kill a seal and then make it without anyone knowing in a time when everybody knew everybody's business, what with no TV and all).

[chillythoughts]

interesting theories all but I dont believe in mermaids and shapeshifters. its all myths and make belief

[BigCub]

If there are in fact such a thing, then think about this. Yes humans as a species are very intelligent, however with the human species there are individuals who are a lot less intelligent and quite a few who are so mentally retarded that they are nothing but children in adult bodies. Reason would suggest that if there are another form of human on this earth then they too would fall to such conditions. In which case one with a significantly lower intelligence would find its way into the public view. All animal species on this planet have ones that are signification less intelligent than the majority of their species, so why not them as well.

[TimmyThink]

I pretty sure the feejee mermaid was debunked, someone just sewed a fish to a monkey and try to pass it off as as mermaid.

[Sylph]

interesting theories all but I dont believe in mermaids and shapeshifters. its all myths and make belief

[COLOR="RoyalBlue"]Well, that may be true. Although, if you look at my island for instance, notorious for the "Bermuda Triangle", many people believed it didn't exist, only to be discovered that some weird electromagnetic field[or something similar] is located strongly here. Which explains why planes and boats would lose their directions, because their equipment was messed with by the electromagneticism.

Also, true history lovers would know, that in the days of Bermuda's discovery/colonization, the island was believed to be the Devil's Isle and was avoided by Seafarers, because boats kept mysteriously sinking before even getting here. But now we know it's because of our coral reefs, that not only protect us from Tsunami's, but Seafaring men and their boats, due to it's almost impenetrable protection, ofcourse until you learned how to detect and sail around it.

So Myths have to come from somewhere, even the most unlikely and unbelievable source.
[/COLOR]

I pretty sure the feejee mermaid was debunked, someone just sewed a fish to a monkey and try to pass it off as as mermaid.

But... if that were the case, wouldn't scientist, who I am sure can accurately tell the difference between the two, have discovered this and immediately dismissed it? And biologically speaking, that would never work, as the Biochemistry of those two animals would not mix. Also, you'd need a pretty large fish to sew to a monkey, which would also take some talent in animal knowledge and medical knowledge as well. :biggrin:

~

I also believe that the goverment do cover things up and not to sound like some fanatic, but want you to believe what they want you to believe. It makes sense, when you think of Roswell, Area 51, Unexplained Phenomeons, Why is it that we never know about these things, even though we know they exist[to some extent or less]? And why is it that, if you happen upon Area 51, you are arrested immediately? Sounds strange.:confused:

I believe that there are things people don't want to believe, because it'd break the illusion and it will probably unhinge their minds.

Not every person who has seen something paranormal or unexplainable is crazy.

Also, when I said Mermaids, I didn't mean the beautiful [or viscious in some cases] people/creatures who gracefully swim beneath the ocean from lore. I actually meant a variation of us or even what we used to be, scientifically.

Like what I mentioned earlier, our seemingly adaptations to water [I.e - Webbing, significant breath holding] and how this could corrolate with the lore/theory.

Because as I said, and even Bowyn has said, over time, perhaps our ancestors got split up and evolved/adapted differently. Perhaps not to the extreme extent to the actual Mermaids from mythology, but rather a hybrid or even a slighty Amphibious or Semi-Aquatic person/being.

We know more about outer-space, than we do our own oceans.