Colouration of Mesozoic Marine Reptiles and the Media

Okay, I am currently very busy, and so I will not be able to post any more reviews of Grimm for a while. It's time I get back to dinosaurs.

So, while I am late for this, the post will cover how the media can turn a cool discovery into a mess.

So, earlier this month, the news that scientists found out the colour of extinct marine reptiles broke, and I was immediately excited at that finding. While I may be over exaggerating, it may be possible to find out the colour of most dinosaurs, not just feathered ones, but I don't have a degree so it's just wishful thinking on my part.

A cool discovery, but there has been one little thing that nagged me all this time. A line I noticed from many press releases, including one by live science. It basically says "ancient marine reptiles where ALL black." ALL. Really? As far as I know, the scientists studied an ichthyosaur, some mosasaurs, and an extinct leatherback turtle. So, based off of these three data sets, all Mesozoic marine reptiles where black. Who's fault is it? It is the scientists? Or the media?
My finger is firmly pointed at the media. I've never been a big fan of media reporting in general, but I particularly dislike their science reporting. Before I bash, I do know there are some good science reporters who do an excellent job at reporting. But many news sources have unfortunately fired their science reporters and instead have Bob who does the gardening section to cover the Higs-Boson.
I's just the way that media works now, wether you like it or not. It's no longer about reporting information, it's about making press releases.

It isn't just press releases on this story that made me angry. What made me real angry was some of the reporting that "Most dinosaurs weren't feathered", which I still am skeptical of.
One of the headlines was "Feathered dinosaurs? For your dreams only." That made me both interested and greatly frustrated. Now from the headline, by the Free Press Journal, it seems like that feathered dinosaurs never existed. What the hell are they talking about?! It's only when you read it that you actually understand what they are talking about.

On a quick side note, I will say that the feathered dinosaur press releases said that Triceratops was scaly, when in fact, an as of yet undescribed Triceratops was found with skin impressions, and clear impressions of quill like structures on them. That is just my pedantic aside.

In the end, I wish that we couldn't have such sensationalistic headlines like "OMFG, WE WHERE WRONG ABOUT FEATHERED DINOSAURS!" But in the end, that's just my pedantic nature.

Grimm Season 3, Episode 9; Red Menace

Well, a New Year, and Grimm returns with a new wonderful episode. This time, Grimm goes Russian. What I expected from this episode and what I got are both good and disappointing. We will start off with what is good.

I love the new healing Wesen, the Koschie. They are so creepy, creepier than I originally thought they where going to be. The scene when the Koschie, Grigori, totally takes over his assassin by grabbing and twisting his wrist, and then giving him a lethal dose of radiation, is both creepy and incredibly thrilling. I mean come on! An assassin?! When was the last time we saw an assassin!? That's right, the Nuckelavee from Season 2, Episode 5, "The Good Shepherd", and Nick totally owned his ass! Also, just how cool would it be to be a Koschie? You get poisoned, and shot four times, and you still live! You get poisoned, and stabbed with a pair of scissors, and yet, you still live! Then again, it seems like when you use your healing powers, you yourself become weaker. Also, you can both heal, and then give someone radiation from hell. So, use it wisely!

He's staring into your soul...

Another side plot that I found surprisingly interesting was Juliette's friend. She lives somewhere outside of Portland, and, is apparently, a Fuchsbau! And she is married with a Klaustreich! Still, Nick knows she is Wesen, but Juliette doesn't know. And nobody except Juliette's friend knows her husband is Wesen. That cliffhanger at the end is also very exciting. And by the looks of it in the promo, Juliette will face off against the Klaustreich and apparently kick his ass!

The last time we saw a Klaustreich, was Season 1, Episode 16 "The Thing With Feathers". That time, the Klaustreich kept his wife, a very rare Wesen called a Seltenvogel, which produces a golden egg that is very valuable, and abused her and kept her just so he can get the egg. However, he failed, and Nick also took him down fairly easily.

However, I have one negeative, even if it is. The second new Wesen in the episode was the Malin-Fatal. Originally, I read that it was a Siberian Tiger like Wesen, and I was excited with that prospect. Then, it turns out they are actually a warthog like Wesen. Either that source was wrong, or it was originally a Siberian Tiger, but then the writers or producers changed it to be a warthog. Either way, I still enjoyed the episode, the end of it was very unexpected. A great start to the new year, and next week looks like another great one!

Originally a Siberian Tiger....

The almost invincible Wesen.