Cryptid summer

Giant Monster Bat Slain in Australia

“My Friend woke up to this thing fighting his dogs.” Redditor treemonkey18 posted this image with the simple quote: “My Friend woke up to this thing fighting his dogs (Yes i’m from Australia).” UPDATE: The redditor later added that, “He [the friend] didn’t kill it the dog did, he is just holding it wit a…

io9 Meredith Woerner Mar 7

The Little Mermaid’s fish legs washed up in South Carolina

Oh no! It looks like the Little Mermaid’s fishy bottom half was severed from her body and drifted ashore. Paw Nation reports that this creature washed up on South Carolina’s Folly Beach. After hours of weeping and screaming, “ARIEL! WE WILL AVENGE YOU, OUR GINGER SEA MISTRESS,” the townspeople consulted a local veterinarian. Turns out…

io9 Meredith Woerner Mar 27

We found a cryptid! Meet the white cheetah.

All summer, io9 has been offering a $2000 bounty to the person who can send us a picture of an animal that’s a genuine cryptid, or mystery animal. We hoped to find a new species, or at least a real version of a long-sought animal from myth. And by gum, we found one! Our panel…

io9 Annalee Newitz Sep 8

Photo Proof: Giant rat slain in Brooklyn, New York

Last week, we reported that rodents of unusual size (the size of freaking rabbits to be precise) were invading New York. Today we have photographic evidence that these rats are here, and they are ready to take over. https://gizmodo.com/new-york-invaded-by-rodents-of-unusual-size-5832010 According to Black and Brown News this rat was speared in the New York City Housing…

io9 Meredith Woerner Aug 25

Here’s the winner of our fake monster contest!

To celebrate the end of Cryptid Summer, we held a quick contest to see which of you could create the best fake monster picture. After all, cryptid hunting is about awesome fakery as often as it is about finding a genuinely new species. All your entries were awesome (here you can see round one and…

io9 Annalee Newitz Aug 19

“Living fossil” eel found in underwater cave

The term “living fossil” gets bandied about a lot, but this eel found in an underwater cave in the Pacific Ocean is unlike any living relative, and has features that are only found in the fossilized remains of its ancient brethren. Found in a cave 35 meters underwater in the Republic of Palau, Protoanguilla palau…

io9 Tim Barribeau Aug 18

New York Invaded by “Rodents of Unusual Size”

New York City has a big, furry, four-legged problem. Rabbit-sized rats have invaded Central Park. People are complaining that the giant rats are feasting on the buggy-horse food (which apparently gives them super growth powers). [Via UPI]

io9 Meredith Woerner Aug 17

Chupacabra caught on camera in the suburbs of Washington DC

Cheese on crackers, has the chupacabra had a prolific summer. Now America’s favorite prune-skinned mammalian cryptid is making a run for the White House. And I’m not talking about [FILL IN YOUR LEAST FAVORITE CONGRESSMAN HERE]! Political humor! Hey-yo! https://gizmodo.com/chupacabra-like-roadkill-flummoxes-minnesota-town-5828505 In summation, a bunch of hospital employees in Prince George County, Maryland caught the beast…

io9 Cyriaque Lamar Aug 16

Paranormal Investigator Joe Nickell Reveals the Truth Behind Modern Cryptozoological Myths

Paranormal investigator and cryptozoologist Joe Nickell has spent 40 years doing fieldwork and research, digging for the truth behind bizarre phenomena like weeping statues and haunted houses. He invited us to his office to talk about the connections between Bigfoot and alien mythology, life as the token skeptic on TV, and why debunkers are just…

io9 Ed Grabianowski Aug 12

The very best fake monster pictures that you created!

All summer long, you’ve been chasing cryptids, or mystery animals, for our Cryptid Summer bounty. And you’ve also diligently been producing pictures of fake cryptids because, well, it just wouldn’t be monster season without a lot of photoshopping. Here is the summer’s last batch of fake cryptids – would any of these fool you? https://gizmodo.com/io9-offers-2000-bounty-for-authentic-photos-of-cryptid-5812013…

io9 Annalee Newitz Aug 11

Chupacabra-like roadkill flummoxes Minnesota town

The mowed-down remains of a small white mammal have captured the imaginations of residents of Douglas County, Minnesota. Although the creature resembles a badger, its tail has left wildlife officals perplexed. Could we be looking at the Montauk Monster Midwest? Says KSAX: D.N.R. Area Wildlife Supervisor Kevin Kotts said Friday that after examining the remains,…

io9 Cyriaque Lamar Aug 7

Chupacabra attacks on the rise in Siberia

Despite the absolutely Dullsville real-world explanations for chupacabras, it seems as if the dreaded goat-sucker has hopped continents. https://gizmodo.com/chupacabras-are-just-coyotes-with-scabies-says-biologi-5671700 https://gizmodo.com/actress-natasha-henstridge-is-the-chupacabra-for-real-5784498 According to The Moscow News, towns outside of the Russian city of Novosibirsk are abuzz with rumors of chupacabras, who are said to be sipping on some bovine and goaty hemoglobin. One local named Natalya…

io9 Cyriaque Lamar Jul 31

What is going on at the Plum Island Animal Disease Center?

Bloated raccoon? A human/animal hybrid? Whatever it is, the Montauk Monster washed ashore on Long Island, NY, and subsequently broke the internet in half when its picture began circulating online. Newsday, a Long Island news outlet, quoted one of the locals who found the creature, Jenna Hewitt, saying: http://gawker.com/5030531/dead-monster-washes-ashore-in-montauk We were looking for a place…

io9 Keith Veronese Jul 29

Which of these fake monsters could fool you?

All summer, io9 is offering a bounty to anyone who can find a genuine cryptid, or mystery animal. But to keep you amused in the meantime, we’re doing a contest for who can create the best fake cryptid. https://gizmodo.com/io9-offers-2000-bounty-for-authentic-photos-of-cryptid-5812013 We’ve gotten some pretty funny entries so far, some of which might even be convincing. Would…

io9 Annalee Newitz Jul 28

The Silver Surfer lives in a sewer outside of Belfast

Some days the headlines just write themselves. CCTV in Newtownbreda, Northern Ireland recently capture a solemn, silvery visage hiding in the town’s sewers. The fellows who work in the tunnels have dubbed this head (among many things) “the Silver Surfer.” Says NI Water field manager Davy Sloan of the eerie head: NI Water constantly finds…

io9 Cyriaque Lamar Jul 25

Alien life form discovered in China turns out to be hairless monkey

The people of a Chinese village thought they’d encountered E.T. — but it turned out to be a malnourished monkey with no hair. Mao Xiping spotted the creature eating cucumbers in her garden in Gezhai Village, and thought it was a rabbit at first. “At first I thought it was a rabbit, then I was…

io9 Charlie Jane Anders Jul 25

13-year-old shoots a chupacabra in Texas

A young man identifying himself as Carter Pope claims to have shot and killed what he believes was a chupacabra in Texas. How did he know it was the legendary monster? Apparently, it was hairless and had “shriveled up” back legs. Good going, Pope — you probably killed an old, injured dog. According to Live…

io9 Annalee Newitz Jul 24

Cryptid or Not? You Be The Judge (Round Two)

We’ve gotten more intriguing cryptid photos from people trying to win our Cryptid Summer bounty. Here are a few of the pictures people have sent us over the past two weeks, ranging from highly plausible to downright bizarre. https://gizmodo.com/io9-offers-2000-bounty-for-authentic-photos-of-cryptid-5812013 Now you can vote on which you think might really be cryptids. We’ll consider your votes…

io9 Annalee Newitz Jul 21

Ten extinct animals that have been rediscovered

Recently, the Borneo Toad was rediscovered after 87 years. Although certainly rare, the Borneo Toad is not the only animal to have been lost for years. In fact, it did not even have to wait the longest. https://gizmodo.com/rainbow-toad-rediscovered-after-87-years-5821952 Here are ten animals that similarly had become lost to time and thought extinct, only to shockingly…

io9 Jonathan Wilkins Jul 21

The Weirdest Mystery Animals in the World

There are hundreds of mysterious cryptids in the world, a mythical menagerie of barely-glimpsed monsters, lost species, and terrifying legends. But let’s face it: most of them are pretty pedestrian lake monsters and Sasquatch variants. There are a few, however, that are so bizarre you kind of hope they’re real. Here are our favorites. Dingonek…

io9 Ed Grabianowski Jul 21

Cryptid summer

Giant Monster Bat Slain in Australia

The Little Mermaid’s fish legs washed up in South Carolina

We found a cryptid! Meet the white cheetah.

Photo Proof: Giant rat slain in Brooklyn, New York

Here’s the winner of our fake monster contest!

“Living fossil” eel found in underwater cave

New York Invaded by “Rodents of Unusual Size”

Chupacabra caught on camera in the suburbs of Washington DC

Paranormal Investigator Joe Nickell Reveals the Truth Behind Modern Cryptozoological Myths

The very best fake monster pictures that you created!

Chupacabra-like roadkill flummoxes Minnesota town

Chupacabra attacks on the rise in Siberia

What is going on at the Plum Island Animal Disease Center?

Which of these fake monsters could fool you?

The Silver Surfer lives in a sewer outside of Belfast

Alien life form discovered in China turns out to be hairless monkey

13-year-old shoots a chupacabra in Texas

Cryptid or Not? You Be The Judge (Round Two)

Ten extinct animals that have been rediscovered

The Weirdest Mystery Animals in the World

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