Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Sealife from Science Fiction

Arthur C. Clarke on sealife, amazingly real, from Childhood's End:

    A fish with incredibly exaggerated jaws was visible in the viewing screen. It appeared to be quite large, but as Jan did now know the scale of the picture it was bard to judge. Hanging from a point just below its gills was a long tendril, ending In an unidentifiable, bell-shaped organ.
    "We're seeing it on infrared," said the pilot. "Let's look at the normal picture."
    The fish vanished completely. Only the pendant remained, slowing with its own phosphorescence. Then, just for an instant, the shape of the creature flickered into visibility as a line of lights flashed out along its body.
    "It's an angler; that's the bait it uses to lure other fish. Fantastic, isn't it? What I don't understand is-why doesn't his bait attract fish big enough to eat him? But we can't wait here all day. Watch him run when I switch on the jets."
    The cabin vibrated once again as the vessel eased itself forward. The great luminous fish suddenly flashed on all its lights in a frantic signal of alarm, and departed like a meteor into the darkness of the abyss.

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