"Lost World" found,..

[Maj.Nick Danger]

In the ancient volcanic crater of Mt. Bosavi. (Who here will lead the expedition? And what hat to wear??)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/sep/07/discovery-species-papua-new-guinea

 

[Shangas]

What is needed here is a tall, upperclass English gent with appropriate accent, precise English, a khaki suit, pith helmet and a twelve-guage shotgun.

Or a university lecturerer-cum-explorer with fedora hat, bullwhip, revolver and a fear of snakes...

 

[Foofoogal]

My father was in the Seabees during WW11. No kidding when I say he got lost in the jungles of Papau New Guinea. They found him evidently but he had malaria and was sort of out of his mind for awhile.
My poor mother with 2 very young boys back home was told he was MIA. For 6 months she knew nothing and had a nervous breakdown I have been told. Her parents took up the slack at the time.
I wonder if this could be where he wandered off? lol
He swore up and down they had headshrinkers back then in those jungles.
He finally came home and they went on to have 9 more children. lol

 

[Shangas]

NINE MORE KIDS?!?

Wow they had a good relationship...

 

[Foofoogal]

I guess they missed each other alot.lol
I wouldn't of traded it for the world. We had a blast.

 

[Mike K.]

Nice to know that although there might not be anymore "blank" spots on the map, there are still plenty of unknown and fascinating places yet to be explored!

 

[Story]

In the ancient volcanic crater of Mt. Bosavi. (Who here will lead the expedition? And what hat to wear??)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/sep/07/discovery-species-papua-new-guinea

A lost world populated by fanged frogs, grunting fish and tiny bear-like creatures has been discovered in a remote volcanic crater on the Pacific island of Papua New Guinea.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Nice to know that although there might not be anymore "blank" spots on the map, there are still plenty of unknown and fascinating places yet to be explored!

Yes the world may be shrinking so to speak, but every now and then we hear of new discoveries in remote areas like this one. A few years ago I heard about several new species of mammals that had been discovered in the remote forested foothills of the Himalayas in Myanmar. I imagine there are still places on every continent on which no one has yet set foot. [huh] Possibly countless as yet undiscovered species of animals and plants.
(By the way, I vote for you with the avatar you've got there to lead the expedition, I will go as comic relief,...still looking for a few volunteers to round out the crew. )

 

[Mike K.]

By the way, I vote for you with the avatar you've got there to lead the expedition, I will go as comic relief,...still looking for a few volunteers to round out the crew.

As a proud member of The Explorers Club (seen above with official expedition flag), I would gladly take you up on the offer.
I just returned from one foray to the jungle and am already planning my next.

 

[Viola]

I want to go tooooo... I was eyeing a book on "plant explorers" just the other day - I'm a gardener - and there's still so many fascinating things still being turned up.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

I want to go tooooo... I was eyeing a book on "plant explorers" just the other day - I'm a gardener - and there's still so many fascinating things still being turned up.

You're in. As long as you don't mind being kidnapped temporarily by the tribe of fuzzy little bear-like creatures.

 

[Mike K.]

Here's another lost world recently discovered several months ago.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/dec/21/mount-mabu-mozambique-jonathan-timberlake

 

[Foofoogal]

I also am fascinated as they keep finding places. Like galaxies and a few years back I seem to remember some other jungle they found.
Can you imagine flowers and animals noone has ever laid eyes on.
Just moving from Texas to Arkansas has afforded me seeing new flowers and birds. I get so excited about new things popping up in my flower beds I am afraid to touch it for at least a year to see the new things.
Driving down the road the other day were tall purple thistle looking flowers and first time in my life I have seen a crabapple tree. Actually 2 of them in my yard. I had the same experience in Germany. Even the deer are different here and I saw a bird which looked sort of like a robin but pointed head. I am like a kid in a candy store.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnRqYMTpXHc

one of my top 10 songs of all time in honor of this thread.

 

[Cricket]

Being that I have a horrible fear of the water, it fascinates me yet frightens me of the possibility of new and strange species in the depths that have yet to be discovered. I could be wrong, but I think I read somewhere that we know more about space than the depths of our waters.

However, the above articles were very interesting. The fanged frogs sound like something out of a science fiction novel.

And the giant rats..could it possibly be...Rodents of Unusual Size (ROUSes)?

 

[Mike K.]

I could be wrong, but I think I read somewhere that we know more about space than the depths of our waters.

Definitely not wrong Cricket! The two greatest biological frontiers are the ocean depths and the rain forest canopies. Inaccessibility has been the main hindrance to exploration of these worlds, but with newer technologies we're now making progress toward learning their secrets.

 

[Mike K.]

In keeping with the theme of The Fedora Lounge, I just wanted to add that what I found particularly interesting about these amazing discoveries is the way the expeditions were conducted. With the exception of a few helicopter flights and other conveniences of modern technology, the expedition still had to rely on the same tools & techniques used in The Golden Age of Exploration. I just wish modern explorers would still wear pith helmets!

 

[Viola]

You're in. As long as you don't mind being kidnapped temporarily by the tribe of fuzzy little bear-like creatures.

Darling, I ride the subway with far more objectionable passengers! I can handle some Ewoks if it means getting my hands on exotic new flowers. lol

 

[Diamondback]

I'm in as weapons-specialist... we better bring at least a locked-'n'-loaded Hind or a Blackhawk refitted with the AH-60 package for air-support, just in case Something Big shows up.

"That's an impact tremor, that's what it is... I'm fairly alarmed here."

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I call shotgun in my Indy gear!

 

[Diamondback]

Front-seat gunner good enough? Hinds are a lot cheaper than Blackhawks... and a bit more durable, too.