Either that, or this deep space tracking station has been invaded by arachnoid aliens.
I choose to believe that the giant spiders taking over our space program are benevolent.
Pharyngula
Evolution, development, and random biological ejaculations from a godless liberal
I, for one, welcome our whateverwhateverwhatever.
Neat perspective trick, but given what really does exist in Australia, I could maybe be persuaded to believe in spiders that big.
I know that silhouette. That there is a female Australian black house spider, which Wikipedia tells me is formally known as badumna insignis. This is probably the spider the triggered my lifelong arachnophobia, because they make funnel-shaped webs in gaps in the mortar of brick walls or in nooks in fences, and they like to peep out the entrance and say hello. They’re pretty much harmless, but they’re super common, and basically every Australian house has at least a few under the windowsills or in a quiet corner of the garage. Oh, and despite the picture, they’re not very big. We had a relatively huge old female in our garage for a few years who I named Shelob, and she was no more than about 2.5cm long.
Oh, I should add, I think Aussies are often scared of them because they look like tiny funnelwebs.
#2 Kome:
I know right!
I mean, it is Australia..
That photo would have worked if it had been edited slightly. I still hate spiders , sorry PZ
Speaking of spiders, Japanese Anime and Manga seem to have a fascination with them. Dr. Morris you’d probably love this series:
https://www.rightstufanime.com/So-Im-a-Spider-So-What-Manga-Volume-1
@DexX #3:
runs
“These are small ,those are far away ,small ,far away .”
Father Ted .
Anime coming in January!
OT. Sea spider
https://gizmodo.com/12-sea-creatures-that-look-extremely-fake-1845645193/slides/11
Apropos of nothing in particular, if sea spiders were actually spiders, would there be a theoretical upper limit on their size compared to air breathing spiders?
@ Rich Woods, # 8: Why, that’s no bigger than a womp rat.
“Exaggerating”?
HAIL SPIDERS
Maybe the Australians just have a tiny deep space tracking station.
I’d consider it, but I’d have to consider the size of Australian houseflies… ;)
@15 Pierce R.Butler
You have discovered our secret. We don’t really have any space trackers or other big stuff. This is really just a salad bowl. Sydney is famous for a coat hanger and a box of tissues.
Meh. We have inch long spiders here (western Canada) as well. They are quite attractive. They even walk on water.