We’ve all seen this image of a blobfish, hyperbolically labeled by the internet as the ‘Ugliest Being on the Planet’. Well, that’s just a terrible photo. What you’re really seeing is the dead body of a species of blobfish, that died from horrific barotrauma. These fish live in the deep DEEP ocean layers and are occasionally accidentally fished up to the surface. The process of rapidly ascending causes them to undergo the bends and the pressure change destroys their body. In reality he probably looked more like this and while still a face only a mother could love, is not nearly the grotesque flesh mass we’ve all seen in news articles

Smithsonian Article

  • Pliny@lemmy.fmhy.ml
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    1 year ago

    Yeah it’s a pretty normal looking fish actually!

    Pretty horrific way to go too :( here’s to the poor, humble blobfish.

  • Mutisi0n@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Yikes. I was going to make a joke about my face not looking too thrilled to have the bends, but after finding a detailed description of what actually happens to you I’m just gonna shut up and cry a little bit.

  • groggy@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Hear hear! Justice for the poor blob. One thing spreading the gospel of the fish from way down under is the game Super Auto Pets where the blobfish is just a regular looking fish, but he comes in a fish tank that is highly pressurized. It’s a nice touch from the devs