

Newly discovered carnivorous jungle plant eats rats whole - cwan
http://www.popsci.com/environment/article/2009-08/newly-discovered-plant-species-eats-rats-named-after-famous-naturalist

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tptacek
Note dispiriting Wikipedia link:

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nepenthes_attenboroughii>

Evidently, the journal article says no rats have been discovered eaten by this
plant.

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delackner
So this means that the photograph of a rat sitting in the plant was placed
there by the photographer? What's the word to express the sense of extreme
revulsion I am feeling...

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MichaelApproved
or maybe the Wikipedia article was incomplete.

Also, it doesn't say that rodents don't fall in, it says it seems to be more
of an accidental catch.

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mrshoe
This is new media marketing at its finest.

How do you ensure that your newly discovered species makes it on the next
Planet Earth? Name it after David Attenborough. :-P

Even scientists are reading Seth Godin's blog these days.

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MichaelApproved
Great time-lapse video of how the plant grows. I would have liked to see how
the rat actually gets trapped though.

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endtime
Not sure if you skipped the text or you just wanted to _see_ this happen, but
in case it's the former:

>The plant lures in the rats with the promise of sweet nectar. When the rat
leans into the plant to drink the saccharine liquid, it slips on the pitcher's
waxy interior, and gets stuck in the gooey sap.

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MichaelApproved
Just wanted to see it happen. I wonder if the rat just dives in or is
apprehensive. Still a great video on the plant growing.

