Stupid lobsters

I missed this on the air, but check out the tidbit on National Public Radio's website on "Catching Stupid Lobsters." That's www.npr.org - I think it was an "All Things Considered" topic. Yes, researchers have actually filmed what goes on in and around lobster pots, and the results are interesting...

I've been listing to the 'all things considered', but I've not found the story you're referring to.

However. I know many of people involved in the "Lobster TV" project at University of New Hampshire. There's some information Published in a UNH Article as well as links to the research website [where you can watch video of lobsters walking in and out of traps].

and there is a link right after the singing cowboys story. Yes, Spectre, it's about that UNH project.

Ahh... heh heh... I went to the 'all things considered' audio link on the left at the top of the page. I skimmed through all the streams with no luck.

Found the link... thanks. I know a number of people that are going to have fun with that interview!

Win wanted me to pass on the thanks for pointing out the link. His response was:

"It was painful enough hearing it the first time. However, my
kids never did, so I can use this link."

and kind of made my day, which was pretty ugly otherwise. It was forwarded to me by a dive club buddy. I couldn't get the video clips to work, though.

kelpmermaid once bubbled...
I couldn't get the video clips to work, though.

Click to expand...

Well, if you don't believe that lobsters can get out of a trap, they are good to watch. If you do believe that a lobster can get out of a trap [or you've seen it], the videos are dull as a doorknob.

When a friend of mine was working on the project, I got stuck 'helping' a few times as she was analysing hours and hours of lobster trap video...

DULL!!!

the Zen koan about whether a tree falling in the forest makes noise if there is no one there to hear it. What else are they doing down there when we are not looking? Do lobsters dart in and out of the traps if there is no video camera? Are they just playing "chicken?"

kelpmermaid once bubbled...
the Zen koan about whether a tree falling in the forest makes noise if there is no one there to hear it. What else are they doing down there when we are not looking

Click to expand...

A few summers ago, we were out on my buddy Matt's boat. We headed out to bait his traps before heading over to Jeremy's Point in Cape Cod Bay to hang out for low tide.

We had 4 or so lobsters, and Matt decides to put 'em in one trap, and come back for them when we were coming back in, since we didn't have anyplace to leave them all day.

The conversation went something like this:

Me: Dude, what are you doing?
Matt: Sticking 'em in the trap so they'll be here when we get back.
Me: They can leave anytime they want.
Matt: No they can't
Sue: Matt, I spent about 20 hours this week watching videos of lobsters coming and going through traps.
Matt: BS
Sue: Whatever!

We got back about 6 hours later.

There was only one left in the trap

He was convinced someone pulled his traps, took the lobsters out, and replaced the zip tie that he uses to 'lock' the traps.

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"What else are they doing down there"

I've got to see if I can get my hands on a copy of the video they had from another experiment.

They stuck a video camera on the back of a good sized lobster and stuck him back in the water. They had video of this lobster walking around. He stops, his antenna start flicking around. Another [much smaller] lobster comes around a corner, stops in his tracks. Antenna fly for a second or two. Then the little one bolts has fast as he could out of there!

The lab was going to sink an old TV, and plant a lobster under the TV. Then take the big lobster and film him walking towards the other lobster and doing the whole antenna flicking thing. They were then going to superimpose the David Letterman show on the TV, and send it to Letterman as the "Lobster Cam".

I'm not sure if they ever ended up doing it though

is making me hungry! The next time I see a trap, I'll have to look at the mechanism more closely.