Mermaid Biology Explained | The Science of Merfolk

[@ThoughtPotato]

Buy a DNA kit here: bit.ly/ThoughtPotato and use the coupon code POTATO for free shipping! As an added bonus, you can start a 30-day free trial of MyHeritage's best subscription for family history research - and enjoy a 50% discount if you decide to continue it.

[@Bucktown5769]

Smash

[@vereenigdeoostindischecomp9932]

Or pass?

[@jawz9455]

Djinn next?

[@WrenTheFaelock93]

Id love to see selkies or undine added to this little aquatic series

[@BobbleheadLuck]

Big fan, super excited for the next video! Also this makes me want to see a biology of the thetis lake monster/gillman from the creature of the black lagoon

[@dreadthemadsmith]

Very well done and thought out. One idea contrary to the traditional "they eat people" concept of a dagerious mermaid is they are actually trying to help people, but don't quite get the concept that taking us out to deeper water isn't a good thing for us.

[@ThoughtPotato]

That’s fantastic

[@WeirdTale]

Oh lord. They confuse us at first for something similar to their own and don't realize we cant drink seawater....

[@passionate_possum_pal]

Oh like some dolphins

[@Not_actually_a_commie]

That's actually kind of sad. They just want to help :(

[@boswcheydoesart1314]

LMAOO i love it

[@ILoveMarsBars]

I am OBSESSED with your cryptid biology series. As a mermaid enthusiast since childhood and now a sciences student, this was just absolute perfection. I love your explanation for all these adaptations and the extensive amount of research you put into these videos does not go unnoticed. Please expand on mermaid biology by explaining mermen, reproduction, behaviours etc.! You can even go into possible mermaid / siren hybrids and mermaid / siren interactions? Love this!!

[@ThoughtPotato]

I love these ideas. Thanks so much!

[@wolfboy7778]

Oh! How about the Biology of the Oni? Some sort of virus causing gigantism and some sort of horn growth? Maybe a virus related to the shope papilloma virus?

[@WhiteRose2002]

I don’t think a mermaid siren hybrid would be possible. Sirens in this series are basically just big lungfish and mermaids are primates so they aren’t even closely related

[@SpinoSam]

@@ThoughtPotato Hey this might sound like a crazy one, but since you did Mothman I think it'd be pretty cool if you tackled other famous Cryptids such as Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, the Chupacabra, Lizard Men and maybe Death Worms? I dunno, but nevertheless, I am still very excited for whatever you choose to do next.

[@starfirex7913]

I was also wondering about the reproduction area.... Lol... Deff need a part two!!!

[@cookiecomments846]

I feel like these mermaids could easily take on Ariel in a fight

[@ThoughtPotato]

I think you are extremely correct

[@sobekapep8320]

Yeah...except when she uses her father's trident. Because, turns out, she did it multiple times, in various media... strange she never tried to in the movie. Would save her from a lot of trouble.

[@chilipowder5900]

I love Ariel to bits...... but she's a wuss without her dad and his stuff tbh when it comes to actual physical fights

[@sobekapep8320]

@@chilipowder5900 Yeah, the strange thing is, she is actually rather strong for her size, saw her push giant boulders and stuff before. She is just not a fighter.

[@ghartuckt663]

​@@chilipowder5900 to be fair, so are most humans, i mean what is a military without guns or tanks lol.

[@musicgirl12357]

I think there should be one on the kelpie. Kelpies are so interesting since it's a horse that's carnivorous and lives underwater. I'd like to see a scientific interpretation on that.

[@Steven_McCrae]

Wonder if it’s related to the old saying “you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink” ? Possibly it’s been changed or lost in translation over the years ? Just thought I’d share my random thought lol take care 👋🏽

[@CallistoAndrea777]

There should! Kelpies and the Bäckahäst from Swedish mythology. They fascinate me so much

[@Amy_the_Lizard]

@@Steven_McCrae I think that's related to a lot of horses being uneasy around even shallow water because their poor depth perception makes it extremely difficult for them to estimate how deep it is. Alternately, it could just be related to equine stubborness in general...

[@Amy_the_Lizard]

For what it's worth, in my writing I had them split from the horse lineage while they were in the three-toed stage. It's suspected that multiple toes was helpful for soft unstable terrain like sandy deserts or the boggy terrain that you'd expect a kelpie to live in, but that horses lost them as they transitioned to living mostly in open plains where the dirt was more solidly packed. With the kelpies, I had webbing develop between the toes to form a sort of fin, and the muzzle's a bit shorter, since the muzzle elongated on actual horses to make chewing tough grass easier (which occured around the same time as the toe loss.) The diet still is heavily reliant on plants, but they are known to consume fish and shelfish, and drown terrestrial animals, though that's usually because they felt threatened and decided to eat it since it was already dead. Remember, it's a lot easier for herbivores to adapt to meat consumption than the other way around - though in this instance a bit riskier since actual horses can't vomit if they ate bad meat, so I also had kelpies regain that ability for safety purposes.

[@McSquiddington]

Agreed. I'd take one on selkies, too.

[@juanisol8275]

So Basically: -Sirens are fishy ravenous predators like Sharks 🦈 -Merfolk are scally mammalian swimmers like Seals 🦭 Bloody Groovy 🤔❤️🤓👍

[@Adobo155]

-Qalupalik giant version of Sirens

[@kbee225]

@@Adobo155 No, Qalupalik is a species from the Aquasapiens genus. So it is biologically similar to Mermaids, but lost their intelligence to survive their harsh environment. At least, that's what thought potato thinks. (Watch his video titled "Deep-Sea Mermaid Biology Explained | The Science of Abyssal Mermaids"

[@nk_cresentmoon]

sharks aren’t actually as dangerous fun fact. Sirens would be the equivalent of Orcas/Killer Whales, ruthless killers that don’t care what their prey is. Merfolk however, or what i call Vertebrata Sapians, can share with river otters sweet and soft but can and will hurt brutally

[@thezackast2752]

​@nk_cresentmoon Sharks are about as dangerous as an dolphin. Dolphins are larger, but attacks by dolphins are much rarer on the whole than shark attacks, and there has only been one reported fatality (which was in self defense). Not that dolphins can't be dicks but the reality is that sharks are more dangerous than dolphins are. Please note that this does not mean either one should be interacted with. They can both hurt you. This was said because I'm sick of dolphin defamation that I've been seeing recently. They aren't monsters.

[@rhaenyraitargaryen6360]

To some who don't know yet, I highly-suggest researching on the Sama-Bajau people of Southern Philippines. They're sea nomads and have adapted to life at sea, to the point where their spleens are 50% larger than the average humans that helps pump more oxygen into the blood while not resurfacing for air. They gained these specializations in just a span of thousands of years at sea. They even throw their toddlers (with supervision ofc) in the water for them to learn how to swim immediately.

[@garrettlich7140]

Dude gotta share a documentary or something one em

[@krukukuk6505]

I'm from the Philippines. Yes it's true. Someone should make an international documentary or research on the Sama-Bajau people.

[@Mrikeepgettinmoneyagain]

@@krukukuk6505so this could be a possible explanation for mermaids and some people may have overtime fully adapted to water

[@scoutravenson3641]

This brought back fond memories of when Mermaids: The Body Found was released on television. My father, who normally denounced anything fictional as “bullshit”, got drawn into the science of it and actually stayed up with me to watch it. A long, pleasurable and intelligent conversation ensued and remains one of my favorite times with Daddy.

[@hannahg5216]

❤😢

[@samanthaholness8151]

This is without a doubt the coolest cryptid biology series ever! Seriously, I listen to it quite often. Well done.

[@nephicus339]

I would wake up early to attend these seminars on an expensive college campus, and pay attention.

[@rhysdavin]

@@nephicus339likewise, i’m so glad to have stumbled upon this channel.

[@primrosevale1995]

This makes me wonder three things: Did Sirenus Horridus primarily evolve to hunt local populations of Aquasapiens Pisciformis? In a similar manner to how rogue populations of Aquasapiens may have lured humans, Sirenus may have initially evolved to specifically mimic and prey on Aquasapiens, with both groups later targeting humans. Does the hair of Aquasapiens have any other use? Does it have any aerodynamic benefits? Does it host either organisms of any kind that use the Aquasapiens for protection or that it uses for its own benefit, showing its intelligence? How closely related to Homo Sapiens is Aquasapiens? Are they like African and Asian elephants and are in fact very distantly related?

[@SpinoSam]

...Can we fuck the Aquasapiens?

[@justsomeguywithoutamustach5573]

Hehehe… monkey

[@laiyalaiya6088]

@@justsomeguywithoutamustach5573 sea monkey

[@Peter_Turbo4]

@@laiyalaiya6088Sea *APE*

[@patrickohooliganpl]

They have probably matching chromosomes. There are some pieces of evidence that occasionally A. pisciformis were reported to display behavior of mating recreationally with humans. There are even a few alleged protohistorical reports of fertile hybrid male offspring from such mating: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melusine en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pania

[@fabriziobiancucci7702]

Personally I would like if someone use such a design in a movie. I always wished that movies showed mermaids with much more acquatic features, not just a fusion between fish and human. The only detail that I would change a little would be the face, but for the rest, this design is perfect. If they used this design for Ariel in the live action I would be very happy

[@peanutkaneshiro]

They would be cool in a game too along with the other vids he's done on human off shoots

[@hunterkage2842]

Change the face how

[@elmsigreen]

The Harry Potter mermaids were very aquatic, much more than most movies before

[@WrenTheFaelock93]

The face reminds me of the Fishman in hellboy his name started with an A but I cannot currently remember it he was....blue with webbed hands and bipedal!

[@elmsigreen]

@@WrenTheFaelock93 Abe Sapien. I don't mean to be rude in any way but you could have very quickly googled it in less time than it took to write your comment

[@lynnrevenday5566]

As a med student, I sincerly apriciate how accurate your terminology is! All the muscles, bones, and organs you mentioned are recogniseable and (as far as I can tell) correct. You must put a ton of work into your videos! I adore this series!

[@Kry011]

Your a med student and you can't spell ? Hope you don't prescribe medicine

[@lynnrevenday5566]

Because of multiple disorders, I can't become a doctor. Instead, I'm an author. And yes, those disorders make it difficult for me to spell. I really am trying my best and I try to find ways to work around it, but I'm not perfect. Please don't make fun of me, I'm doing my best.@@Kry011

[@confusedbruhhh6132]

​@@Kry011 did you ever think that maybe english isn't their first language?

[@Kry011]

@confusedbruhhh6132 I'm glad you don't use emojis lol I was only joking I shouldn't sorry if I offended you .

[@MattCosta-zw2qu]

​@@Kry011 off the cuff comments on KZbin isn't exactly a comprehensive demonstration of anything at all.. certainly not a person's ability to spell or not

[@Reyma777]

I think it would make more sense for Merfolk to be derived from monkeys instead of apes. Most monkeys have large strong tails that could serve as the origin point for a merfolk’s tail. Early Artiodactyls have thick, heavy tails that were adapted into the tail flukes of fully aquatic whales.

[@tootbender6935]

I think apes could still work if they evolved into a body plan similar to seals/sea lions.

[@alessandrocoppede3066]

With apes it would make more sense to have the legs fuse and become a tail

[@Reyma777]

@@alessandrocoppede3066 The merfolk of the mockumentary Mermaids: The Body Found had fused legs. However, a reduction in hind limb size seems to be trendy in aquatic mammals.

[@alessandrocoppede3066]

@@Reyma777 you're forgetting one crucial detail: hominids don't have a tail. And the general trend in evolution is that once a trait is lost, it doesn't come back. At most, another trait gets modified to substitute for it, like the fused legs would do

[@rickwrites2612]

​​​​@@alessandrocoppede3066No, theyre not proposing they re-get a tail. They are saying that iyd make more sense if mermaids lineage split off directly from monkeys, BEFORE the evolution of hominini (apes) but evolving separately (and somewhat convergent when it comes to upper body) from the great apes on its own branch , retaining the tail, which becomes the fin. Since it shows the shrunken legs/feet as little fins at the hip.

[@Feranogame]

The *mammalian* diving reflex occurs in, well, most mammals. The aquatic ape hypothesis has really fallen out of favor with the scientific community, so I'd have preferred if this was specified and said that "while this hypothesis was disproven for humans, another lineage of ape appears to have followed it or something" This is a very minor critique however, and I really really love this video and all the work put into it!

[@RuinedTemple]

To be fair, a theory "falling out of favor" with the scientific community does not mean that it has been disproven. Don't forget, science doesn't prove or disprove anything.

[@Feranogame]

@@RuinedTemple I mean, yeah, but it does mean it is not accurate and should be treated as untrue until it has better evidence than what is posited against it Otherwise humanity would literally have 0 knowledge

[@Mr.M3447]

Wait aren’t these videos meant to take place in the past somewhat, what if that’s the reason it’s being used still

[@Eluderatnight]

At least they didn't push the "bloop" thing. I had to talk down a boomer on that animal planet special.

[@t.a.c7292]

While I’m on your side with the AAH being inaccurate with real findings, I personally assume that since in the context of this series we are to believe merfolk and sirens exist, it can be assumed that within this universe that it IS potentially accurate, since the existence of a potentially human mimicking fish, as well as a fully aquatic hominid can be used as evidence where there is none in the real world.

[@firebladeentertainment5739]

19:23 WHY IS HER TEETHED SMILE SOO CUUUTTEE!!!

[@GregtheHelldiver]

All eldritch abominations end in some sort of cute form… Cyn.

[@seanwinkler8218]

I love the biological processes that you describe in these videos, you show just how interesting evolution can get. The scientific names are amazing, too.

[@alessandrocoppede3066]

Ain't no way a tailless animal could reevolve a tail out of back vertebrae and use it to swim, especially if they already have relatively powerful legs

[@rangercommandervelvlarumai7589]

@@alessandrocoppede3066 it’s perfectly possible and it’s happened before the only thing he did was accelerate evolution

[@alessandrocoppede3066]

@@rangercommandervelvlarumai7589 give one example

[@thecorlorlesspig1993]

​@@alessandrocoppede3066 the cetaceans

[@alessandrocoppede3066]

@@thecorlorlesspig1993 they still had a true tail even before they started transitioning to an acquatic lifestyle

[@TheSaneHatter]

You hinted months ago that Mermaids were going to be a different kettle of fish (so to speak) from the sirens, and you didn't disappoint! And as I relaxed through another session of speculative biology, a few interesting possibilities came to my mind, based on its ideas . . . For oen thing, the idea of carnivorous merfolk might explain why many "found" shipwrecks don't have any bodies with them (RMS Titanic, anyone?). But at the same time, the idea that such merfolk are only a rogue faction of their species might make for the beginnings of a story concept, with the man-eaters being hunted for their "crimes" by others of their kind, or perhaps even collaborating with humans to stop them! I also noted that you didn't speculate on how long these creatures might live: if we're to go back to shipwrecks and maritime disasters, who knows how many these creatures might have seen . . . and for how long?

[@marcoaureliodasilvalima4502]

Refresher/Reminder; I have three great video suggestions for you. Dhampirs; The Strange Case of the "boneless children", the ancient legends said that in the place of Bones they have a gelatinous substance and also have an instinctive hatred for vampires (pheromones perhaps?), they can be children of an uninfected with an infected, rare cases of women infected during pregnancy or just mutants. in legends, it was said that vampires still retained some of their humanity and ended up raping their wives. Vrykolakas; Rare cases of double infection by a pair of viruses that alter the genetics of their host, legends mention that "like wolves they walked on all fours" and depending on the source it was said that they "returned" as direwolves/werewolves. Cambion; half-demons whose only power is attractiveness (financial, sexual and or social), the legends said that succubi after "collecting" the semen would pass or become an incubus that there "places" in a woman, in this case I would say it would be a type of parasite similar to cuckoos.

[@Mr.M3447]

Wait I thought Dhampirs were half vamps, is that a modern thing or something?

[@marcoaureliodasilvalima4502]

@@Mr.M3447 is because their legends come from the Middle East and with "undead blood-drinkers demons", it was said that they raped women, when these legends came to Europe, they called the children resulting from this abuse "Dhampir" because in the original legend they did not have a name, depending on the region or it was the same name as the "demon" or they were just called "cursed children", the characteristics of hating vampires and living less than normal people come from the legend of the Middle East.

[@FriendlyGhost-rf7tq]

It is a old legend that gose a long with vampires a lot of times newelly made vampire would alweys go after family and loved ones first if male they would rape ther wifes and some times child would be born a human with some vampiric carecteristics and abilitis they cary instinctual hate towards ther fathers and a power to kill them and bonles part is some thing that was belived of all vampires in general do to ther ability to seemly to scuise true almost any thing like a snake Dampyr simply inherits that trait

[@R0B0R3X]

This was so awesome. You always make it seem so real.

[@paulinawang1]

Maybe because it is…

[@R0B0R3X]

@paulinawang1 it's not. It's a work of fiction, it says so at the end of the videos

[@grahamsolomons453]

@@R0B0R3X Maybe because it is true.Its up the you to believe or not.

[@lemoncandy2707]

So unlike the Siren, the Mermaid is more like a dolphin in terms of diet, intelligence, and behavior. With a sprinkle of primate ingenuity. A formidable and effective predator, but vastly intelligent and curious. In all honesty, I’d much rather encounter this species than the Siren any day. Higher chance of survival.

[@Anonymous-pg2pc]

Wut

[@vee-bee-a]

And, befriending one is with-in the realm of possibility.

[@Thatoneidiot001]

​@@vee-bee-aunless its a rogue

[@nil981]

Befriending aquasapiens just seems like a waste of time and effort. It's better to just leave them alone and let them go about their lives.

[@jissellecruz4054]

Siren would probably eat you

[@geoffreyentwistle8176]

I have to admit, I'm kind of glad you always make sure to emphasize that this is for entertainment purposes only, because it's scarily believable entertainment... You do a fantastic job of realizing these cryptids.

[@anotheryoungadultviewer1063]

big fan of the mermaids here! i adore this design, I've been waiting for this for some time now and I'm very satisfied. Your work is amazing and I love how you narrate, i plan on staying here for more 👀

[@aataloan]

I love these videos. Do these creatures in any way have vocal lures ? The idea of deep sea mermaids reminds me of those images of "Ningen". Will you make a video about trolls? I would personally love to see your adaptation of harder to explain things, such as ghosts and thunderbirds

[@bjorncorvin4568]

Trolls could be a third hominid ancestor the migrated into the Norwegen mountains, as they became increasingly subterranean, they lost their ablility to process Vitamin D and when they come into contact with intense, bright sunlight, their bodies are overloaded with VD and their bodies calcify

[@B_4035mn]

I feel that thunderbirds, and the phoenix, might be a bit easier to explain than what you think, I could very much see things like- bioluminescence or possibly volatile compounds, being for something like that.

[@aataloan]

@@B_4035mn phoenix could produce iron oxide on its feathers. The thunderbird could have highly mineralized conductive feathers and build up a static charge when flying through the clouds

[@passionate_possum_pal]

I would love to see him explain something like trolls or goblins, subterranean semi humanoid creatures!

[@galenjones9529]

Sirens have vocal lures.

[@rowanmccracken5041]

I’d love to see a video on Harpy’s/birdfolk, a flying humanoid would be so cool to imagine

[@kasinokaiser1319]

Excellent video! But I was hoping for a more in-depth explanation on their social behavior and life cycle

[@ThoughtPotato]

Fair point; that research may yet see the light

[@Osarah96]

​@@ThoughtPotato in time, I hope we can find more research to come and create a video on the subject but for now, I am phenomenally impressed with this video!

[@dinoqwas]

That transition from voice sounding like it's on a tape to standing next to you. There's something about it that just hits

[@benmcreynolds8581]

Its so freaking awesome how you dive into the actual "Hypothetical biological processes & genetic evolutionary behavior possibilities" its a perfect blend of Speculative Evolution 🧬 Speculative biology 🦠🧫🔬 mixed with aspects of the human imagination or myths that have existed in literature since the beginning of our discovery of historical documentations.

[@ianswinford5570]

Mermaids are looking more and more plausible. I don’t know how I’d react if I saw one of these creatures. Also, what do you think would happen if Mermaids came across the Sirens? Anyway, can’t wait to see what creature of cryptid you do next!

[@returnoftheromans6726]

Interesting question. I would think that there might be some fights. Which makes me wonder, what would their family life look like? Most aquatic life as well as swimming mammals travel in schools or pods. Would sirens and merfolk do the same? I would assume that the siren would have more strength while perhaps the merfolk would have more intelligence.

[@hithere911]

He actually already has a video covering this. He has a pretty interesting take.

[@nil981]

If I saw one of these creatures, I would sail back into port and never go to sea again.

[@hakeemasafi8716]

As a biology major your analysis of the evolutionary adaptations undergone in relation to other sea dwelling mammals and all the background information you gave to increase our understanding was incredibly impressive, considering you would have needed to do an incredible amount of research to be able to explain this so well as a lot of what you have explained I have only learned in my upper vertebrate anatomy and evolution class.

[@bdariamihaela]

As a med student with a passion for mithology I declare this series perfect

[@celia5042]

i JUST saw the siren video and then you posted this one !!! i love the way these videos are formatted, you do incredible work managing to make all of this so interesting to watch

[@ThoughtPotato]

That’s great to hear, thanks so much

[@MeekCrayon]

I love the way you break down the science of all of these monsters and cryptids. The amount of work and effort you must go though, just to get some of the basic biology down is a masterwork in itself. Cannot wait for the next one!

[@CinnamonDoll]

I need a part 2!!! I need to know do they use echolocation, average length, how they interact with one another, are there different species and groupings/tribes, and how they display emotions such as affection and anger???

[@HoneyBee-lx2zu]

I’ve just found you’re channel through the vampire biology video, and I gotta say that I love this series so much! I’ve always loved mixing science with myth, and I can’t stop watching these videos. I think what adds to it is that your voice reminds me of Tale Foundry, which is a literature/writing channel. It’s so soothing and nice to listen too.

[@CPTQuackers1213]

I grew up watching monster quest, destination truth, and MANY shows of the sort. Your Series and channel brings me incredible joy and nostalgia with each video. Thank you for your amazing work

[@Scooby_Nubie]

All the books I need to write using your video essays are insaneeeee. Taking the descriptions and science based creatures to make horror stories. The last sentence gave me chills and why I wrote this comment. You can't tell which it is unless risking ur life. 😅

[@raekaskie1521]

Do you draw all of these yourself? They obviously all match the same /similar look. Whoever is doing the art they’re amazing !!!!

[@ollaniuspius1211]

I think Winslow was absolutely right to run screaming upon seeing one in the Lighthouse.

[@Baby-blue999]

Mermaids were always supposed to be sort of scary, it wasn’t until Disney made them cute and family friendly that their creepy lore began to be forgotten.

[@SingingSealRiana]

in japan they eat humans but if ahumn should eat them they might gain immortality

[@Peregrina]

The little mermaid was a book written long before Disney made their movie. The mermaids of the story are not flesh eating nightmares and the main character is a teenage mermaid falling in love with a human. Not all mermaid legends are horror stories either. Some swedish legends talk about mermaids falling in love with humans and build families. Other stories have men being more villsnous as they steal a mermaid's tail and force her to be land bound which push her into a deep depression. One legend talks about a docile man who appear to be mute and had a fondness of water. He was found with ragged hair and looked far from well kept. People in his surroundings believed him to be a mer person. Because of this they had him under surveillance and tried to get proof of the existance of mer people. This man never spoke or used violence but suddenly he managed to escape and swam away to never be found again.

[@jennyfeare1702]

What a surprise and delight this was, here i am on a Friday hyped for this episode to drop like tomorrow or Sunday then boom, it came by sooner than expected~! Already eager for what's next in store for this series, totally should be more Merfolk and Siren explorations, from more studies indicating the Mediterranean's too young of a formation for being the original region of Siren evolution, being only a mere 5 million years old, to how Siren and Merfolk interact with each other (likely not so nicely i'd imagine), and ofc, some other members of their lineages, from the reported Ningen, to Merrow, Adaro, Qalupalik, Ningyo, and ofc the teased deep sea cousins! ;)

[@wildone9946]

This is a great documentary style! Honestly would love to see one for centaurs, since we're on the topic on half human half animal hybrids

[@elizathemermaid]

I love your cryptid biology series! It's so fascinating and I can't wait to see what you come up with next

[@zacharydorries8990]

I love this cryptobiology series so much, can you do Bigfoot/Sasquatch next? Or the Loch Ness monster? I would also love a continuation of the Werewolf video.

[@j.corbygaming]

When you went on the topic of sexual dimorphism and attraction, i was shocked you did not go into how mermaids actually reproduced. Is there any place where you can share these notes, if you have any that is?

[@ThoughtPotato]

I actually plan on compiling more details that became too unwieldy for a single video, so stay tuned! But suffice it to say that reproduction has been a challenge to observe due to limited sample size. At least, for now…

[@j.corbygaming]

@@ThoughtPotato I would love to see these notes once you get a bigger sample size to research. Keep up the excellent work!

[@vee-bee-a]

My head-canon is that females have a similar sex organ from the one in The Lighthouse. Shit, I went to a strange place on that one.

[@j.corbygaming]

@@vee-bee-a whats that?

[@kira-dk2mx]

I bet mermaids can change their gender to reproduce with each other, like how some species of fish change their sex to mate.

[@Jarethjr]

I am completely addicted to this series- I am so excited to see where it all goes

[@TitanSummers]

Just shows how a little knowledge and big words makes anything sound real. Well done!!

[@JoylessBurrito]

Is there any chance we'll ever learn more about the researcher responsible for these discoveries or the organization(s) they seem to have been working with?

[@khorrusvoa]

[A note found tucked beside the presentation.] Never did I expect to "fall out" with him, least of all over something this legendary. Merfolk! Aquatic primates capable of tool use! The implications are incredible, not just for the past, but for the FUTURE! And yet, my words fell on ears not deaf, but determined. He wasn't wrong, I must admit, but every advantage (and I mean EVERY advantage) must at least be seriously considered before they're dismissed entirely. I suppose that's why we disagreed: he never did take me seriously. Pity. -K

[@Hvision0000]

o7

[@BigBossMan538]

I’m picturing a very horrifying scene with these creatures. If they remember a human who hurt them, and they catch said person alone at sea, they’d probably take them off the census. Drowning them, beating them, ripping them to shreds. I mean, elephants and tigers are known to be vengeful and go after people who they dislike. And let’s not forget how brutal chimpanzees can be when upset

[@LOL-bs1hg]

and, what if they have a human who they like, and they bring things to said human, like seashells, dead fish, etc?

[@pinklights9712]

...Ya'll are reminding me of all the siren fanfics I read-

[@Hvision0000]

@@LOL-bs1hgwater cat

[@LOL-bs1hg]

@@Hvision0000 yes

[@pjoter167]

Can you do the biology of the drowned? Theire pretty prevelant in slavic myths and I think it could be interesting

[@brayd726]

Have not watched it yet, but I will in the morning. I am eager to find out how this lad explains the differences between the mermaid from the siren, since they have also been mixed up to be the same thing, or are fairly similar to each other. Needless to say, can’t wait! Also, loved the siren Biology and all the other ones. Those screeches the siren made almost caught me off guard. Also, again, was surprised the moth-man, was basically a giant owl. That was pretty neat. Also also, again…Made me think about those virus and all the sciencey stuff, like. What would happen, if a person was able to be infected with two different types, or even multiple. So like the werewolf one and the vampire one, that would be hard to on a singular person. But then, when they think things can’t get worse, BOOM, wendigo virus. So now, they gotta deal with 3 different viruses floating around in their system. I’d feel so sorry for the individual who would be stuck with that. But then again, there is always that one person, who could end up with a lot more viruses and infections, crawling around in their system, than the previous figure… Edit: I watched it, and again, I thought the mermaid biology was pretty good!

[@jameswilliams2075]

Most likely as it's said how tough the viruses are on the body they'd die by at most infection 3

[@brayd726]

@@jameswilliams2075 True, B U T. Throw all scientific reasonings out the way, and focus on the 3% chance of them surviving through the process. What abomination of a virus mixture would we be dealing with? And how the hell would we deal with such a situation. Like, for some reason my brain likes this kinda stuff. It’s different and unique, and focusing on such possibilities makes my nerves tingle in glee.

[@jameswilliams2075]

@BrAyD! it wold depend on how the traits mixed for example lycan and windigo lyvan virus caused the wold like skull enhanced muscle/bone growth enhanced senses and and animalistic brain function. The windigo virus excuses lengthening on the lims longer jagged and more teeth highlighted metabolism but is unable to process it correctly. There 2 possible things that could stop it from being as effective as thought the dual tooth grows and adition om more teeth could potentially make the teeth to long for proper use and hinder biting and eating the dual hightnd metabolism would cause it to cook its self internally or cause swift starvation of the subject. You would need viruses thats effects would benefit each other in the right ways but of the ones given I can't thing of an unproblomatic mix. Though uf we did have some umbrella Corp like group trying to mix them would be terrifying. And a idea I've had you might like is the lycan virus can infect all primates so what if Bigfoot was infected 😅

[@brayd726]

@@jameswilliams2075 Well James, you might have to call big-foot, Big-Paws. Basically we'll have a more monsterified version of a furry, in some way. But, I do like your idea. Makes me think if we got a bonobo or a chimp infected, or even a bloody gorilla. They are stronger than a regular human, and one of those subjects would make for a great lycan.

[@monitamonlord4456]

I would love to see you tackle the centaur!

[@GlamorousTitanic21]

These videos are incredibly made! The fact that you still don’t have a million-plus subs is criminal.

[@selinnazsur2328]

"I was not alone in my efforts, but for my part it's tempting to say that I regret what transpired with that specimen. But... we cannot change the past." Never have I ever been so intrigued and so scared of a "real" event that with 100% certainty never actually happened 😂 Makes me want to hear that story. This whole series is like an alternate reality, something that is way more realistic than the average ARG, and I'm all here for it.

[@cubaku]

You have no idea how useful your videos are for writers

[@magistrate7009]

Thank you for doing these kind of unique videos Mr. Potato, I find them to be very insightful and enjoyable.

[@ThoughtPotato]

Thank you so much! That really means a lot

[@maulmemes]

I love how the quality of voiceover fluctuates throughout the video. This is common with many restored tapes.

[@bachelorchownowwithflavor3712]

This is my favorite video in this series so far. I'd love to hear about the deep sea sub-species.

[@fairyencyclopedia]

I love this series. I hope you do more cryptid biology vids. I think your videos are so detailed & well researched.

[@yoissy]

The "driving reflex" is also known as the "mammal diving reflex" and it's found in all mammals

[@ilikeexpiredcheese3951]

I love the vibe of these videos so much

[@hosannaakhibi1632]

Truly amazing work. If not for the end I thought it was certainly very real. Love the features and art. Great work

[@LostAmericanJ]

Am I the only one here still at a loss as to why this channel doesn't have a million+ subz yet? I know of DOCTORS that watch this channel! Keep up the great work thought potato, you'll get there!

[@dragonkidofatlantis4269]

Amazing video! I really hope you do videos on cryptids like the Loch Ness Monster or Jersey Devil.

[@VioletGaming-e6j]

I really like how the main character, forget his name, feels sorry for dissecting what is essentially our species cousin.

[@TheBeardedAtheist]

So would they have live births or lay eggs? Sharks do both, snakes do both as well. The presence of breast is a holdover or are they functional? I love these cryptid videos. Awesome job!

[@musicgirl12357]

My money is on live birth like a dolphin.

[@sandyk4365]

I absolutely go feral for these biology videos! I love them so so much! Please keep making them man!

[@munch2099]

Literally never clicked so fast, I love this series.

[@ThoughtPotato]

That means a lot. Thanks for watching!

[@ShaiShai1]

Can I say your voice is so soothing for my insomnia…😂 I watch em them play em while sleep. Love your videos. You should do asmr or some sleep stories or something.

[@zacharyjames9602]

Thank you for making this companion video to your Siren video, I'm really enjoying these.

[@EndlessEvelyn]

I’ll be back to finish this tomorrow morning! No doubt that it’ll be spectacular as per usual!

[@tabularasa_br]

That's just amazing! I love your work! I'd also like to suggest you do a video on gnomes or fae folk. I'm certain you'll nail it! 😊

[@ThoughtPotato]

I love that idea

[@jennyfeare1702]

Duende running across a corner like: mimimimimimi...! Fr the fair folk would be quite the fun and enchantingly haunting group of organisms to explore, maybe even actually otherworldly/alien, like sum Stranger Things type shit with the fairy realm being like a deceptively prettier-looking Upside Down!

[@donaurraca9755]

The fae folk as a different sort of hominid species would also be fantastic.

[@jennyfeare1702]

@@donaurraca9755 maybe some can be insects while others are prosimians.

[@gamingweeb2-842]

@@donaurraca9755 this actually was an old theory That the fae were an ancient type of human who lived in Europe or Ireland or something, and were defeated by other human’s superior technology such as iron and lived on in ancestral memory

[@xstcrmzx1552]

PLEASE do more of these! My favourite videos are the Siren Biology and Vampire Biology

[@mrkaiju_YT]

Now THIS is the little mermaid remake we wanted!

[@GAROU-THEGODSLAYER]

'Kraken biology explained', PLEASE!

[@Hvision0000]

big squid. the end.

[@raisasomaraki3870]

wow there isn't much i can find to say but wow. this video answered a lot of questions i had about mermaids and merfolks. i shall thank youtube for bringing this up to me and YOU for taking the time to explain this fascinating topic 👏🏽

[@buzzbuzz2691]

Yet another encounter and notes for my dnd encounter! Thx again, mate. I'm always excited to see your videos. Have you done cyclops or giants yet?

[@ThoughtPotato]

Not yet!

[@buzzbuzz2691]

@Thought Potato dude that would be awesome to see!! And great work on these past few vids man

[@Pheonix_SoulTFL]

Amazing video essay! Merfolk biology has always been a point of interest. In theory, mermaids are scientifically possible. I can imagine a movie about a scientist discovering mermaids, researching them, discovering they are intelligent like us, and trying to prove their existence to the world.

[@ThoughtPotato]

Thank you so much! That’s definitely a movie I would watch.

[@melvinfranco2142]

​@@ThoughtPotatoI won't mind making such a film.

[@ge5744]

Your cryptobiology series is my favorite one on all of youtube! I love and regularly watch every one.

[@phill_gamer]

Video starts at 4:15

[@Saccillia]

22:15 oh like the crab eater seal! Lobodon carcinophaga! I learned about these in my college marine mammals lecture

[@cad2253]

Dear professor, will you ever bless us with a lecture on these deep water cousins you mentioned?

[@ThoughtPotato]

Most assuredly

[@HannahBanina]

The narrator lore just gets more interesting with every installment, like I am so glad I paused to read the news articles in the Mothman video. I do wonder if Dr. Zeiger had the same colleagues with him this time around, and if so, was it Dr. Grey or Dr. Kane who so strongly disagreed with him on how to conduct the mermaid study once the specimen was captured? I’m still pretty new to this series, but I wonder if _Vita Nova’s_ role in the story will become most prominent in the Frankenstein’s monster video, I am having a blast 😁

[@CryptidCha0s]

Their deep-sea cousins? THERES MORE? He can't be talking about sirens cause they aren't related.

[@geraldkenneth119]

Ningens, perhaps? they’re supposed to be huge and deep-sea creatures tend to be very large so maybe there’s a much larger evolutionary cousin of them that are like sperm whales

[@itskevinjustkevin]

​​@@geraldkenneth119 oh the ningen, I love the concept of these deep sea beasts. I tell you. They probably spend most of their life down in those murky depth and in them arctic waters

[@SamanthaOlensdottir]

I really love these videos! So well done thank you!

[@godzillakingofthemonsters5812]

I wonder how these creatures interact with cetaceans like dolphins, rivals in intellect and for food resources that strangely seem fond of us humans but incredibly aggressive to many other species.

[@kingfairytale4306]

Holy sh!t, you’re right.

[@WeirdTale]

Don't be overenthusiastic about the fondness part with dolphins. They r@p3 people. I am being serious.

[@godzillakingofthemonsters5812]

@@WeirdTale I never said they were peaceful creatures. Just that that don't seem to despise us as they seem to with sharks or porpoises. And I find that fact curious.

[@kingfairytale4306]

@@godzillakingofthemonsters5812 yeah, they are frighteningly close to us (behavior-wise) in many ways.

[@silver.pan0306]

I love listening to these to fall asleep because although your take on mythological beings is intriguing, your voice is soft and soothing, helping my insomniatic ass fall asleep

[@VishaKim]

For me I think they'd have more of a bluish grey skin tone due to the fact they don't get sunlight, Because the more sunlight the more melanin. They'd have to have big round eyes like actual fishes we eat that has a slimy oozey layer over their eyes to protect it from the sea water. They'd be chonky and fat because of the cold waters they have to keep warm, And they'd definitely have webbed fingers. And a more of a cone shaped head so that they could swim faster due to aerodynamics. It's not likely for them to have beautiful long hair. no hair at all would be more realistic.

[@idayiakandel7391]

WOW Best one I’ve seen so far ❤ I’m definitely ordering the DNA Kit 🙌

[@ragg232]

Dude; changelings as human focused brood parasites.

[@ThoughtPotato]

Love this idea

[@jennyfeare1702]

Hell yes that'll be sick! And will make the fair folk more creepy, them kidnapping and replacing a human's baby with their "glamoured" changeling spawn... There's a horror film that actually had involved the fair folk as biological entities and deployed the changeling tactic, iirc the name was "The Hallow", can be potential inspiration alongside Ringworld and its creepy elves.

[@realsonofcar]

am i the only one who puts these videos on at night and enjoys the bedtime feel of it… no nightmares though 😂

[@theknightwithabadpictotall7639]

17:36 There are two different meanings of this sentence and I have no idea which one is worse

[@ShilohZumdick-s9u]

Hmm I wonder

[@JonathanGhost42]

I really love this interpretation and especially this drawing!

[@bobbobbington6245]

I can't wait for the video about fairies.

[@absolutelyunepic3072]

I bet they would either be really tiny monkeys or something like that

[@andresparra114]

A sasquatch video of these would be so cool!

[@Lemonbaker]

Love this channel, so fun. Chupacabra physiology?

[@firebetty9919]

I love your videos so much. I'm a med student, the biology parts and details hit so hard, I love how you use science to describe something fantastical. Truely an amazing channel.

[@bjorncorvin4568]

Could Merfolk have a viable child with a human? Also what is next Matthew? Fae? Trolls? Dragons? Ogres?

[@absolutelyunepic3072]

Asking the right questions lol. Probably not. The merfolk are as genetically far from us as chimpanzees if not even further

[@bjorncorvin4568]

@@absolutelyunepic3072 prolly

[@dreame4ter]

Really cool video, always so much fun to speculate using realworld science, like a thought experiment ( I may very well be using this term wrong). Kinda like that Animal Planet mermaid documentary... But, you know, good and well thought out.

[@Tyrexthecreaturedesigner]

Screw the crappy Disney reboot. This is the kind of mermaid i want to see in media! So cool! Have you already done Bigfoot in your cryptid biology series? It would be cool to see a Sasquatch as a giant new world monkey