Another weird squid!!

[Clem]

A few thoughts:

Laurent Ballesta, the fellow credited with taking the shot, seems to be a person in good standing, with many photo and documentary credits. I've looked through some of his online galleries and can find no other instances where the squid photo is displayed. If he were serious about the whole thing, you'd expect it be featured, with bells on.

I also can't find but one active link to the original Geo article. If this were a real attempt at promulgating a hoax, it would have gotten a lot more play, certainly in the cryptozoological press.

The evident digital manipulation is pretty crude. A modern hoaxer worth their salt could have produced an image that was far more slick.

And then, there's the date of publication: April, 2004.

I don't think this was malign hoax perpetrated by a repsected diver in a repectable nature magazine. I think it was an April Fool's Day joke.



Clem

 

[Infusoria]

It looks wrong to me

 

[Tintenfisch]

And then, there's the date of publication: April, 2004.
[...] I think it was an April Fool's Day joke.

Of course, other large squid have been known to show up on April Fool's and turn out to be real...

 

[Clem]

Of course, other large squid have been known to show up on April Fool's and turn out to be real...

That's true, but you're not French. The French seem to really enjoy these giant squid hoaxes. Remember the one about the squid that attacked the yacht, back in 2003? French. Makes me wonder if the Alecton incident wasn't a big put-on, too.

Clem

 

[CapnNemo]

That's true, but you're not French. The French seem to really enjoy these giant squid hoaxes. Remember the one about the squid that attacked the yacht, back in 2003? French. Makes me wonder if the Alecton incident wasn't a big put-on, too.

Clem

I do remember that very well. That was still reported as fact by several UK newspapers after Dr Ku's recent photos. It still comes up on the BBC website if you search the news, there is no refutation of it. How did it come out that was fake? I'm not finding the seed thread about it on TONMO though there are lots of other mentions in other threads. I'm guessing that incident was covered in depth by TONMO, but can't find the original, but then I was out on the lash last night and currently running at only 20% of full capacity.

 

[Mfmfingerle]

Well, as someone who himself was puzzled by a doctored picture some days ago I agree with clem and would also stress the april date of release

Even the Scientific American makes april fool hoaxes now & then - why not GEO?

 

[CapnNemo]

Hmmm, yes. The Yacht one wasn't a deliberate April Fool though, it was a 'wizard prank' that got a bit out of hand.

[News]: Giant Squid Attacks French Boat - BBC News

Found the link, couldn't spell yacht earlier, curse you alcohol, in all your forms, groan!