How could an animal that has perfected evade our detection?
Truly the noodlest of noodle scratchers.
this post was submitted on 06 Oct 2025
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Text Transcription
A series of Tweets, each a reply to the previous.
- ABC News @ABC: Scientists have discovered a giant new species of stick insect in Australia, which is over 15 inches long and researchers say may be the heaviest insect in the country. [With a picture of a brown stick insect among some green leaves.]
- mary @theoceanblooms: can I ask a question: how does something like this go undiscovered until now
- soul nate @MNateShyamalan: Entomologist here πββοΈπ€π Great question! It may seem surprising that the scientific community could miss an entire bug species after all this time, especially when it's THIS big. The answer might surprise you more π Let's dive in π𧡠(1/?)
- soul nate @MNateShyamalan: he look like stick (2/2)
But humans love to pick up sticks. How has nobody picked this guy up by accident?
They probably have.
But if you came across a random bug, especially a big one like that, wouldnβt you assume other people already knew about it? I would.
I mean sure you might take a pic and send it to a few people, but they would probably also assume itβs known.
: gathering kindling:
: grab a good looking stick:
: it suddenly thrashes about and bites you:
: drop it whilst shitting pants:
: tell no one:
I wish there was some kind of "Unitendified species discovered! +5 achievement points" thing in real life. As it is, unless the correct people pick it up, odds are nobody would know or care if it's a known species.
Do you take the time to carefully identify and classify every bug you come across? I don't have the skills for it, nor frankly the enthusiasm to spend time acquiring and applying them, and I'm confident that applies to most people.
this is why we have inaturalist, whenever you see a weird animals or plant or whatever, just snap a pic and upload it to inaturalist and let others figure it out.
Worst case you've just documented that the Common Shitass is now invasive to your area, best case your 5 seconds of effort is the only thing that let humanity realize we missed a whole lineage of unique beetle species.
He long
He not that thicc
And most importantly
He look like sticc
The answer is that we don't fund science at the rate that we should, especially not bug science. Want discoveries? Gotta pay someone to actually do the work.
Sorry, the best we can do is fascism, open corruption, and rampant anti-intellectualism.
You mean that scientists don't just hang out outside during their free time and go looking for new species? That's not how it works?
Thatβs definitely how the government would like us to work. But we would like piles on cash in the form of a living wage, thanks
i mean there are absolutely a bunch of people who'd love to do this, if someone made sure they have food and clothes and stuff.
Why do they wiggle tho
because sticks wiggle in the wind. it's all part of their masterful ploy
It's like he's trying to juke me out. I bet he breaks ankles
what are you gonna be more likely to poke, an insect that's still or an insect making weird-ass movements?
Just what I was hoping to see