Sunday, February 21, 2010

Two-Headed Tasmanians (Urban Myth) - Bicephaly, Dicephaly, Polycephaly


Two-headed Tasmanians:
  • There is an urban legend that Tasmanians have 2 heads.
  • This a long running joke.
  • Being born with more than one head is known as polycephaly.
  • Bicephaly or dicephaly refer specifically to having 2 heads.

Qn - How do you tell if someone is Tasmanian?
Ans - Look for a scar on the side of their neck.

Possible origins:
  • During the war Tasmanian soldiers were reported to have asked for two pillows for their bunk.
  • More likely though is simply that the 2 heads joke is a reference to Tasmanians being thought to be inbred ('bakers').

Image - Philip by Vanessa Pike-Russell (cc)

Tags:
2 Heads - Bicephaly - Dicephaly - Inbred - Inbreeding - Joke - Polycephaly - Tasmania - Tasmanian - Urban Myth

Tasmanian Eddy (Satellite Image) East Coast


Tasmanian Eddy


The satellite image of Tasmania is particularly clear in this SeaWiFS image. The eddy off the eastern coast of Tasmania is clearly highlighted by the phytoplankton it is entraining.

Image Credit - SeaWiFS Project, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, & ORBIMAGE


Tags:
East Coast - Eddy - Phytoplankton - Satellite Image - SeaWiFS - Tasmania - Tasmanian Eddy

Cuddly Taz - Tasmanian Devil (Sarcophilus harrisii)



A Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) gets a cuddle from her keeper.

Image by marj k (cc)

Tags:
Cuddle - Keeper - Sarcophilus harrisii - Tasmania - Tasmanian Devil

Tasmanianist - A Blog About Tasmania

This is a new blog about Tasmania and Tasmanian topics.

Tags:
Blog - Tasmania - Tasmanian