Mongolian death worm: Difference between revisions
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==Cultural references== |
==Cultural references== |
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First the worm was mentioned in a short story ''Olgoi-Khorkhoi'' of [[Ivan Yefremov]] (1942-1943), next briefly in ''[[The Land of Crimson Clouds]]'' (1959), the debut novel of [[Arkady and Boris Strugatsky]], in the 2007 novel ''[[Spook Country]]'' by [[William Gibson]]. It was also the subject of a story in the British anthology comic ''[[2000 AD (comics)|2000 AD]]''. |
First the worm was mentioned in a short story ''Olgoi-Khorkhoi'' of [[Ivan Yefremov]] (1942-1943), next briefly in ''[[The Land of Crimson Clouds]]'' (1959), the debut novel of [[Arkady and Boris Strugatsky]], in the 2007 novel ''[[Spook Country]]'' by [[William Gibson]]. It was also the subject of a story in the British anthology comic ''[[2000 AD (comics)|2000 AD]]''. The Mongolian death worm is also symbolized as a bringer of bad luck, one so great that is has the potential to ruin everyday people's lives. |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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Revision as of 23:27, 27 September 2009
The Mongolian Death Worm is a cryptid purported to exist in the Gobi Desert. It is generally considered a cryptozoological creature; one whose sightings and reports are disputed or unconfirmed.
It is described as a bright red worm with a wide body that is 0.6 to 1.5 meters (2 to 5 feet) long.[citation needed]
In general, scientists reject the possibility that such mega-fauna cryptids exist, because of the improbably large numbers necessary to maintain a breeding population[1] and because climate and food supply issues make their survival in reported habitats unlikely.[2]
The Mongolian name is олгой-хорхой (olgoi-khorkhoi) where olgoi means large intestine and khorkhoi means worm, so full name means "intestine worm" because it is reported to look like the intestine of a cow. It is the subject of a number of extraordinary claims by Mongolian locals—such as the ability of the worm to spew forth sulfuric acid that, on contact, will turn anything it touches yellow and corroded (which would kill a human),[3] and its purported ability to kill at a distance by means of electric discharge.
Investigations
One investigator of that animal is Czech author Ivan Mackerle, who said in Fate Magazine (June 1991) that it reportedly kills its victims by electrocution. British zoologist Karl Shuker brought it to the general attention of the English speaking public in his 1996 book The Unexplained,[4] followed a year later by his Fortean Studies paper on this subject, which was reprinted in The Beasts That Hide From Man in which it was hypothesized that the death worm was an Amphisbaenid.[5] Loren Coleman also included this animal in Cryptozoology A to Z.[6]
A joint expedition in 2005 by the Centre for Fortean Zoology and E-Mongol investigated new reports and sighting of the creature. They found no evidence of its existence, but could not rule out that it might live in the deep Gobi Desert along the prohibited areas of the Mongolian/Chinese border.
The most recent expedition was in 2006–2007, conducted by the reality-television series, Destination Truth. A New Zealand Television reporter, David Farrier (of TV3 News), announced that he would be taking part in another expedition in August 2009.[7][8]
Cultural references
First the worm was mentioned in a short story Olgoi-Khorkhoi of Ivan Yefremov (1942-1943), next briefly in The Land of Crimson Clouds (1959), the debut novel of Arkady and Boris Strugatsky, in the 2007 novel Spook Country by William Gibson. It was also the subject of a story in the British anthology comic 2000 AD. The Mongolian death worm is also symbolized as a bringer of bad luck, one so great that is has the potential to ruin everyday people's lives.
See also
- Cryptozoology
- Giant Palouse earthworm
- List of cryptids
- Minhocão
- Sandworm (Dune)
- Tremors (film)
- Velvet worm
References
- ^ Bigfoot hunting
- ^ Sjögren, Bengt, Berömda vidunder, Settern, 1980, ISBN 91-7586-023-6 Template:Sv icon
- ^ Unexplained Mysteries, Paranormal Phenomena and the Worlds Greatest Unexplained Mysteries, and numerous other sites
- ^ Karl Shuker (1996). The Unexplained. London: Carlton Books. ISBN 1-85868-186-3.
- ^ Karl Shuker (2003). The Beasts That Hide From Man. NY: Paraview. ISBN 1-931044-64-3.
- ^ Jerome Clark (1999). Cryptozoology A to Z: The Encyclopedia of Loch Monsters, Sasquatch, Chupacabras, and Other Authentic Mysteries of Nature. NY: Simon and Schuster. ISBN 0-684-85602-6.
- ^ 3News.co.nz
- ^ MONTSAME - NEWS AGENCY
External links
- Progress of a 2005 Expedition Expedition Report at Cryptoworld
- The Mongolian Death Worm: Original Theories
- 2005 general update
- 2005 Expedition Report on Mongolian web site
- The Cryptid Zoo: Mongolian Death Worm
- Death Worm 2009 - David Farrier expedition
- "Journalist hunts for acid-spitting Mongolian death worm" from Courier-Mail Aug. 3, 2009
- A discussion of the Mongolian Death Worm.
