Editing 2872: Hydrothermal Vents
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
− | This [[:Category:Christmas|Christmas comic]] was released on {{w|Christmas Day}} | + | {{incomplete|Created by SANTA'S REMAINS - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} |
+ | This [[:Category:Christmas|Christmas comic]] was released on {{w|Christmas Day}}, in the morning ([[Randall]]'s timezone in Boston). | ||
− | + | In the world above the surface of the sea, {{w|Santa Claus}} had just finished his annual trip around the world. This comic makes a joke on that by saying that here are "{{wiktionary|benthic}} Santas", meaning there are Santas that deliver gifts {{w|Benthic zone|to the seafloor}}. The joke here is that all Santas may tend to [[1620: Christmas Settings|go down chimneys]], and that {{w|hydrothermal vent|hydrothermal vents}} have {{w|Aggressive mimicry|evolved}} to trick undersea Santa into entering them, believing they were real chimneys, and thus getting killed and digested by the vents, as seen in the comic. This is not an entirely unknown {{w|Pitcher plant|digestive mechanism}}, albeit that the depicted version goes beyond all known biological processes. And must be seen as a very dark Christmas themed comic, compared to the usual merry x-mas comics. | |
− | There are many things that are very strange mentioned. There is little to no evidence that actual humans live down deep in the sea, and fish and other undersea creatures are unlikely to know what "Santa" is or understand the concept of Christmas, so it is unclear what the exact | + | There are many things that are very strange mentioned.{{citation needed}} There is little to no evidence that actual humans live down deep in the sea, and fish and other undersea creatures are unlikely to know what "Santa" is or understand the concept of Christmas, so it is unclear what the exact goals of "benthic Santas" might be.{{citation needed}} The comic shows the remains of many "Santas", suggesting that there are multiple members of the 'Santa' species (this might also explain the many Santas who appear on street corners, shopping malls, etc.) in contrast to some assertions in the literature that there is only one. It is also possible that there is only one (perhaps or perhaps not specifically subsea) Santa, whose death invokes the spontaneous appearance of [https://buffy.fandom.com/wiki/Slayer a replacement]. |
− | The title text may | + | The title text may referring to {{w|abiogenesis}}, the origin of life. It was thought non-living matter combined into living cells in shallow water through the energy supplied from the sun and lightning. At least, amino acids can be synthesized this way, as proven by the {{w|Miller–Urey experiment}}. A new explanation places the origin of life on hydrothermal vents, as it's rich in chemicals and rocks there serve as catalysts, with energy coming from earth's heat. Either way, forms of life are known to migrate environments to fill new (or vacated) niches, after having been established in another. The current residents of {{w|hydrothermal vents#Black_smokers|'black smokers'}} include creatures (like shrimps, worms and crabs) that are known elsewhere, but could theoretically repopulate the surface if there were ever extinctions in the real world, as there have been in prior times. |
The 1970s timeframe likely refers to the discovery in 1977 of hydrothermal vent ecosystems near the Galapagos Rift, which formed the basis of this new theory of abiogenesis. By suggesting that the "benthic Santas" were part of this discovery, the comic implies that a key aspect of Christmas folklore might also have its roots in these deep-sea ecosystems. | The 1970s timeframe likely refers to the discovery in 1977 of hydrothermal vent ecosystems near the Galapagos Rift, which formed the basis of this new theory of abiogenesis. By suggesting that the "benthic Santas" were part of this discovery, the comic implies that a key aspect of Christmas folklore might also have its roots in these deep-sea ecosystems. | ||
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==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
− | :[An undersea landscape is shown. A rock formation goes up from the the middle part op the bottom of the panel. The top of the formation has five "hot- | + | :[An undersea landscape is shown. A rock formation goes up from the the middle part op the bottom of the panel. The top of the formation has five "hot-smokers" chimneys of different height, almost like a hand with the thump to the right, but the middle finger being the shortest and the "index finger" being somewhat longer than all the others. From all five chimneys thick gray smoke is emitted. The smoke rises almost vertically to start from alle five, and the four to the left has they smoke combine rather early and it bulges to the left. The rightmost chimneys smoke bends to the right and only merges with the combined smoke from the others at the top right. Below the chimneys the inside of the chimneys in the rock formation is indicated with dotted lines and the inside of these chimneys are thus displayed. At the bottom all five merges into a large hole (shows with dotted lines) inside the rock formation. In this hole there is a liquid in which several items float around. Most notably two Santa Clause hats and two large bones surrounded by five smaller blobs of material and several smaller specks. On the outside on the rock formation grows four types of sea-life, a sponge and some sea Lillys or the like. One on the left side three on the right. To the left two fish are swimming near the rock and close to it on the right there is an octopus. There are three labels with lines pointing to the smoke, to the vents and to the hollow part of the rock formaton with Santa hats.] |
:Top label: Smoke | :Top label: Smoke | ||
:Middle label: Chimneys | :Middle label: Chimneys |