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https://nerdist.com/article/atlas-moth-gigantic-tropical-mimics-cobras-pacific-northwest/
The Atlas moth has a wingspan of almost 10 inches and the tips of those wings look like the face of a cobra. This helps them scare off predators in their native environment in India, the Philippines, and other tropical parts of Asia. But it definitely makes them stand out in the Pacific Northwest, where one was recently spotted. The Washington State Department of Agriculture has asked the public to be on the lookout for the moth after one was spotted in Bellevue, a suburb just east of Seattle. They’re not dangerous and only live a few weeks as adults. But as caterpillars they are very hungry and could make quick work of apple and cherry trees in the area.
Scientists don’t think the Atlas moth got to the United States on its own. It’s illegal to own them but officials think the one found in Washington likely escaped from a breeder, someone raising them to sell as pets. Because apparently there’s such a thing as a black market for moths. In fact, according to the Seattle Times, a local seller on eBay was offering Atlas moths as recently as this summer. We saw the news on Smithsonian Magazine.
Atlas moths are one of the largest species of moths. There are at least 160,000 types of moth on Earth, with new ones discovered often. Insects have all kinds of adaptations in order to survive and caterpillars come in all shapes and sizes. There is the hairy monkey slug moth that looks like a tarantula. Looking like a snake is not unique to the Atlas moth. The hawk moth’s caterpillar also mimics a snake to scare off predators.
Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth.
The post Enormous Tropical Moth That Mimics Cobras Spotted in Seattle appeared first on Nerdist.
The Atlas moth has a wingspan of almost 10 inches and the tips of those wings look like the face of a cobra. This helps them scare off predators in their native environment in India, the Philippines, and other tropical parts of Asia. But it definitely makes them stand out in the Pacific Northwest, where one was recently spotted. The Washington State Department of Agriculture has asked the public to be on the lookout for the moth after one was spotted in Bellevue, a suburb just east of Seattle. They’re not dangerous and only live a few weeks as adults. But as caterpillars they are very hungry and could make quick work of apple and cherry trees in the area.
Scientists don’t think the Atlas moth got to the United States on its own. It’s illegal to own them but officials think the one found in Washington likely escaped from a breeder, someone raising them to sell as pets. Because apparently there’s such a thing as a black market for moths. In fact, according to the Seattle Times, a local seller on eBay was offering Atlas moths as recently as this summer. We saw the news on Smithsonian Magazine.
Atlas moths are one of the largest species of moths. There are at least 160,000 types of moth on Earth, with new ones discovered often. Insects have all kinds of adaptations in order to survive and caterpillars come in all shapes and sizes. There is the hairy monkey slug moth that looks like a tarantula. Looking like a snake is not unique to the Atlas moth. The hawk moth’s caterpillar also mimics a snake to scare off predators.
Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth.
The post Enormous Tropical Moth That Mimics Cobras Spotted in Seattle appeared first on Nerdist.
For over five decades, LGBTQ fans have speculated that Velma Dinkley from the Scooby-Doo franchise was gay. Obviously, during the 1970s and ’80s, there was no way Hanna-Barbera was outing one of their main characters on a Saturday morning cartoon. But entering the modern era, many Scooby-Doo creators tried to bring Velma out of the closet, only to find themselves blocked in doing so.
Well, according to a report from Variety, Velma is finally officially coming out as a lesbian. This happens in the new animated movie Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo! We can all say a collective happy “Jinkies!” now. You can watch the clip in question right here:
The clip above has gone viral, confirming at last what everyone knew since 1969. In the clip, Velma gets love-struck upon seeing female costume designer Coco Diablo. (Which, we must say, is a fabulous name for a character). This is not the first time creators have tried to officially say Velma is a lesbian. James Gunn, who wrote the original Scooby-Doo live-action movies in the early 2000s, has publicly stated he wanted to make Velma a queer character. But the studio thwarted all attempts. Gunn said she was openly gay in his first script. Then, they toned it down to “ambiguously gay.” Finally, all references to her sexuality were dropped.
Similarly, Tony Cervone, who was a supervising producer on the Mystery Incorporated series, has confirmed that Velma was gay in a post on social media. But like with Gunn, all actual declarations of said queer status had to be offscreen. Finally, it seems someone realized it was 2022, and characters we all know to be queer can finally say it out loud. The usual people who are going to be mad about it will scream and yell, and move on to another outrage. In the meantime, the rest of us can celebrate our new (ok, maybe not so new) queer icon.
Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo! is available now to rent or purchase on digital and DVD.
The post SCOOBY-DOO Icon Velma Dinkley Canonically Confirmed Queer appeared first on Nerdist.
Mr. Harrigan’s Phone is the latest Stephen King adaptation, to be released on Netflix October 5th. Watch the trailer below and read on for our review of the film:
When Craig, a young boy living in a small town (Jaeden Martell) befriends Mr. Harrigan, an older, reclusive billionaire (Donald Sutherland), the two begin to form an unlikely bond over their love of books and reading. But when Mr. Harrigan sadly passes away, Craig discovers that not everything is dead and gone and strangely finds himself able to communicate with his friend from the grave through the iPhone in this supernatural coming-of-age story that shows that certain connections are never lost.
Based on the short story by Stephen King, Mr. Harrigan’s Phone is written and directed by John Lee Hancock (The Blind Side, The Founder). Produced by Ryan Murphy (American Horror Story), Jason Blum (The Invisible Man) and Carla Hacken (Hell or High Water).
The first thing to make clear about Mr. Harrigan’s Phone is that it is not a horror film. Seeing Jason Blum and Stephen King’s names attached suggests a darker tale than what we have here. There are dark elements, but it never goes full King. Director John Lee Hancock describes it as a supernatural coming-of-age story and that is a very accurate description.
Mr. Harrigan’s Phone struggles with pacing at times, you can tell it was a short story stretched out to fill the 1hr 44min runtime. However, I was never bored. I wanted to know how it ended and I wanted some answers to the supernatural occurrences in the film, which kept me intrigued throughout. But there is no doubt that it takes too long to get going and tests the viewers patience occasionally.
The film relies heavily on Jaeden Martell (IT, Defending Jacob). Despite still being a teenager, Martell has put in many great performances going all the way back to St. Vincent nearly ten years ago. Once again, Martell handles the material well. The film covers a three-year period and Martell makes subtle changes to his performance to show Craig’s growth.
Donald Sutherland (Invasion of the Body Snatches, The Hunger Games) gives a nuanced performance as Mr. Harrigan. I expected another grouchy old man performance, but he is a deeper character who changes in the limited screen time he has. The relationship between Martell and Sutherland is the heart of the film and they work well together.
The supporting cast largely doesn’t make much of an impact as they’re not given much screen time or development. Joe Tippett (Mare of Easttown) as Craig’s Dad has the most to do and puts in a good performance.
Mr. Harrigan’s Phone is well shot by director of photography John Schwartzman (Jurassic World Dominion). There are lots of wide angles, showing off the great work of production designer Michael Corenblith (Saving Mr. Banks). Together their work shows the somewhat cold nature of the world Craig inhabits.
Mr. Harrigan’s Phone aims to show us the double-edged nature of our relationship with technology, something it accomplishes fairly well. The ending is somewhat open for interpretation, giving the viewer something to think about.
The film seems very suited to Netflix, it’s a small-scale film that doesn’t scream big screen. It may be tempting to scroll through your phone while watching it, but then you might miss the point. Mr. Harrigan’s Phone is worth sticking with and investing your time and attention despite its flaws. Jaeden Martell is a great actor and is one to watch for the future. The messaging about technology isn’t exactly new but putting a Stephen King touch on it makes it interesting. While it isn’t a great film, there is enough good in Mr. Harrigan’s Phone to make it worth a watch if you go in knowing it’s lacking in scares.
Mr. Harrigan’s Phone is released on Netflix October 5th.
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