This must have been a strange surprise. Late yesterday, an Australian who went for a walk on a remote beach on the western coast of Tasmania came across one of the largest giant squid ever found lying in the sand. Scientists rushed to the site to start examining the rare creature, which, thanks to dramatic reports from fishermen and books like Peter Bentley's Beast, has long had a kind of mythical quality. Scientists believe that these giant squid can grow to 33 feet long. They live primarily in deep waters, as far down as 2,300 feet below the surface, which explains the scarcity of sightings, and the reason for all the excitement over yesterday's find. The total length of the beached squid could not be determined because its tentacles had been damaged, but one of the scientists on hand called it, "a whopper."—Gregory Mone

Via Reuters