Artificial dolphin tail fin
We occasionally get to write about stuff that's been made to look like a dolphin, but we hardly ever get to talk about stuff actually made for dolphins, like this artificial fin that Bridgestone (yes, the Bridgestone that sells tires) created for a dolphin in Japan that had lost 75% of its tail from some mysterious disease. You'd think that Fuji, the dolphin they made the prosthetic tail fin for, would be grateful, but apparently she rejected it at first (it took her five months to get used to it), and even now they only keep it for 20 minutes day because, and we're not making this up, they're worried that it might fall off and that other dolphins would eat it.
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
TurtleD @ Dec 19th 2005 12:07AM
Where's my FRICKEN LASER BEAM?
And, we are spending money like this for what reason?
-Dennis
Opspin @ Dec 19th 2005 12:07AM
Professor Farnsworth examines Zoidberg.
Zoidberg: Give it to me straight, Professor. Is it fin rot?
It's fin rot, isn't it? Tell me it's not fin rot!
Prof.: Relax, my chum, there's no problem. You're just heavy
with male jelly.
Leela: Bleccch!
Prof.: It must be mating season for Zoidberg's people. A
chaotic time when his behavior is dictated by the tiny
brain in his rump.
Fry: Eyuccch!
-- Too Much Information, "Crustacean in Love"
aeo @ Dec 19th 2005 12:07AM
"We" aren't spending any money on it. Japan is. They probably want to find a way to farm dolphins for some kind of dolphin fin soup and yet allow the dolphins to live a normal cyberorganic lifestyle. ;-P
Rocket Punch @ Dec 19th 2005 12:07AM
A 6 million yen bionic dolphin!
we can rebuild it.....
stronger...faster......
010111 @ Dec 19th 2005 12:07AM
one step closer the dolphin in Johnny Mnemonic. but considering the dolphins aren't clever enough to know they shoudln't eat a floating prothetic fin... i'm thinking there are about 5000 additional steps to make.