GREAT MOMENTS IN MARINE BIOLOGY

Eureka, marine biologists have for the first time videoed a giant squid in action:

At 9:15am local time on September 30 2004, squids as we know them changed forever.

At that moment, 900 metres down in the Stygian gloom, an eight-metre specimen lunged at the lower bait bag, succeeding only in getting itself impaled on the hook.

For the next four hours, the squid tried to get itself off the hook as the camera snapped away every 30 seconds, gaining not only unprecedented pictures but also precious information about how the squid is able to propel itself.

After a monstrous battle, the squid eventually freed itself but left behind a giant tentacle on the hook.

I won't tell PETA if you won't. Just think of the hoola-hoop-size squid rings that went begging here.

Anyway, previous attempts to lure giant squid within camera range haven't been quite so successful:

In 2003, New Zealand marine biologists laid a sex trap.

They ground up some squid gonads, believing that the scent would drive male giant squids wild as the creatures migrated through New Zealand waters.

The hope was that a camera would squirt out the pureed genitals and a passing squid, driven into a sexual frenzy, would then mate with the lens - a project that some may be relieved to hear never came to fruition.

Now where would one get a 44 gallon drum of ground up squid gonads? The neighbourhood oriental market, of course.

Update: Has anyone seen Michael Moore lately. Here's an idea, take a camera, a whole Virginia ham and a really big hook ...