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Carli Segelson / Fla. FWCC via AP
A photo from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission shows a giant eyeball from a mysterious sea creature that washed ashore and was found by a man walking the beach in Pompano Beach, Fla., on Wednesday. The eyeball will be sent to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute in St. Petersburg, Fla.
A giant eyeball that washed ashore and was found by a beachcomber in Pompano Beach, Fla., is mystifying wildlife officials — but probably not for long.
The softball-sized eyeball was reported to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on Wednesday, and wildlife officers put the specimen on ice. It will be preserved and sent to the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute in St. Petersburg, Fla., for analysis.
Marine biologists couldn't immediately identify which species of sea creature would be associated with the eye, but researchers will use genetic testing if necessary to solve the mystery, said Carli Segelson, a spokeswoman for the commission. "I shouldn't say this, but they may be able to eyeball it," she told me today.
Segelson said she's been fielding tons of inquiries about the case, especially since a picture of "THE MYSTERY EYEBALL" was posted to the commission's Facebook page. "It's just gone viral," she said. There are more pictures in the commission's Flickr photo gallery.
Some have suggested that the eye came from a monster fish, a giant squid or even a whale. It does look a bit like this picture of an eye from a giant squid, but Segelson said wildlife officers are leaning toward a different scenario.
"The primary suspect right now is that it would be a large fish," she said. Among the possibilities are a swordfish, or a tuna, or some sort of deep-water fish species.
What do you think it is? Feel free to give it your best shot a comment below, and keep your eyes peeled for the answer.
More sea marvels:
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- Gallery: 10 deep-sea secrets revealed
Alan Boyle is NBCNews.com's science editor. Connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the log's Facebook page, following @b0yle on Twitter and adding the Cosmic Log page to your Google+ presence. To keep up with Cosmic Log as well as NBCNews.com's other stories about science and space, sign up for the Tech & Science newsletter, delivered to your email in-box every weekday. You can also check out "The Case for Pluto," my book about the controversial dwarf planet and the search for new worlds.
Leave a Comment:
Two possibilities: One: It is the original eye that posed for the eye in the triangle that's on back of the $1.00 bill. Two: The minions of Great Cthulu are awakening before his return.
It comes from a galaxy far far away. It is the Death Star after it was crushed going through a black hole (the Force is strong in these things). The long time ago part can be explained by the fact that black holes not only distort space, but time as well. I don't have an explanation for the organic aspects though, possibly the Death Star used organotronic components. The strong odor is decomposing concentrated Imperial Storm Troopers. That's all I can tell without doing a more thorough examination of the picture.
Latest report from the Fish & Wildlife Institute in St. Petersburg, Florida reveals some startling details about the giant eye. Upon close examination wildlife experts found a piece of electronic connector with a 12 inch cable attached. On one side of the giant eye is a small metal decal that reads "Made in China" and a familiar part number we all remember: R2D2. Fish & Wildlife experts plugged this eye into an old "Commodore 128" computer and the thing still works, projecting a stunning 3D image of a semi naked girl and the computer started making all kinds of funny noises. Experts claim they found the "missing link!" Next stop for this giant eye is the Smithsonian Institute together with the old commodore computer.
Did not read the article. Thought I would go directly to the "post". So here it is: "Sigh Clops".
As a person who works behind a desk all day, I feel extraordinarily qualified to offer my opinion that this weird looking eyeball is from a.....oh, nevermind. How about we let the marine biologists figure it out?
I think its a whale eye ...
And MAN, what a whale of a eye it is.
From looking at the eye of a giant squid and then looking at this one that was found I would have to say that I think it's a giant squid's eye. It looks exactly the same from the color to the approximate size. Now my curiosity has got the better of me and I just can't wait to find out.
It could be this.
on youtube - aXAfJ1QYQUM
That's one heck of an aggie!
maybe its from BIG BROTHER???
That's a real eye con.
Awww MAN! I just read the news report about the mystery of the eyeball solved. Some scientist, reputed to know this stuff, says it's the eyeball from a big fish. Yeah well, maybe something else will wash ashore, like a giant tooth or something, lol.
Solved? A big fish? That's what they said before the mystery was solved. What's the name of this big fish? I saw the photo of the giant squid's eye and this eye looks very much like it. It's the same color and approximate size so I'm still guessing that it's the eye of a giant squid until they can definitively say what exact fish this eye came from.
Yeah well, the big eye will be from whatever folks think it should be from, lol.
Maybe Toni Morrison knows. (wait for it...)
hahahaha, you folks are funny, it really doesn't seem that big, considering the size of a whale.
It still seems odd that nothing ate the eyeball before it floated onto the shore in FL. I guess it's an oddball eyeball...
Leviathan?
who cares & why should we waste money in this financial environmental to find out?
Could this be the next clue in finding Jimmy Hoffa????
I think it is from a immature giant squid!
Cthulhu?
This is the eye of a giant squid.....bet me!
hmm....maybe I should take that bet...Giant squid have the biggest known eyeballs in the animal world some up to 10" wide, Although big, this one looks like 4" or so it could be a relative like the colossal squid. I'm Still leaning tuna eyeball though. having said that. Your one pick of a giant squid against all other animals would line the odds in my favor. Whad ya wanna bet?
Cyclops.... poseidon type shizznit.
I see they found Kim Kardashian's web cam.
And they say everythings big in Texas.
Now that's a wide angle lens.
Pompano Beach is a sight to see and it doesn't need this kind of eye sore.