andrew
Last year, an unusual creature that appeared to be a mermaid was discovered on a beach in Hawaii. But mermaids aren’t real, are they?
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Although the discovered humanoid creature has the upper body features of a female human and the lower body of a fish, it doesn’t mean it is a mermaid. Nevertheless, we all know that this mythical being has inspired plenty of readers through different versions of folklore.
One of the first and most popular tales came from Ancient Assyria. It involves the goddess Atargatis who turned herself into a mermaid after accidentally killing her human lover. Because the marine kingdom could not hide her wondrous beauty, she had to appear as a human above the water and as a fish below.
In Greek Mythology, mermaids are depicted as sirens. These lovely creatures are believed to be very dangerous because they can lure sailors to their deaths by just using their enchanting singing voices.
Even Christopher Columbus claimed to have seen mermaids while exploring the waters off the Caribbean.
Aside from being mythical characters from ancient fables, mermaids are also associated with devastating events. Whenever somebody claims to have seen one, the folktale goes that people believe dangerous storms will come or ships will be lost. But what is the truth behind these creatures?
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In 2012, the US National Ocean Service stated that the existence of mermaids isn’t supported by any evidence. They explained that the recorded sightings of people long ago were just Manatees and Dugongs—sea creatures that belong to a biological order called Sirenia.
So are the viral photos edited or photo-shopped? The answer is no. And obviously, it isn’t a dugong or a manatee.
The strange creature in the viral photos was a prop used in the set of the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.
Apparently, the team behind the film did a pretty good job in creating the magnificent and realistic mermaid props.
Here’s a closer look at the mermaid prop used in the set of the movie.
