The Corpses of Mermaids
As one of the most beloved characters in the fairy tales of renowned Danish author Hans Christian Andersen, the mermaid has captured the imagination of countless generations with her enchanting voice and pure soul. While she seems to be merely a fictional character, recent discoveries of fossils of half-fish, half-human creatures raise an intriguing question: Could mermaids really exist?
Greek mythology glorifies mermaids as stunning beings with unparalleled beauty and mesmerizing voices. However, reality presents a starkly different picture: these creatures are often small, oddly shaped, and have never been reported to speak.
The first sighting of a mermaid stepping out of the realm of legend and into the world of the living was in 1403. A sudden flood stranded a mermaid on the shores of Eton, Netherlands, where she was discovered by a group of fishermen. According to the book “Speculum Mundi”, published in 1635 and authored by English Minister John Swan, the mermaid adapted quickly to “earthly” life, enjoying beautiful clothing and socializing with ladies. However, she never spoke a word.
In 1738, a shocking image was published in the London newspaper: a small mermaid was found on the shores of the Hebrides and was stoned to death because people mistook her for a monstrous creature. The unfortunate mermaid was carefully buried, and anyone who expressed doubt about her existence would be met with sworn testimonies from the village’s elders and children, vouching for the story’s authenticity.
In 2006, residents of the Russian East Sea discovered a corpse of… a mermaid! The mythical tale of the golden-haired mermaid with a crystal-clear voice was finally unveiled.
Fishermen were truly astonished when they witnessed the body of a human with a fish-like tail washed ashore. Scientists were immediately called to investigate. Currently, the Russian organization for oceanic anomalies has yet to provide a definitive answer regarding this mermaid.
Recently, American zoologist Carles Banze published a thesis titled “The Biological Basis of Mermaids” in Limnology & Oceanology, a prestigious scientific journal in the U.S. The article states: “Mermaids, sirens, and humanoid sea monsters… let’s collectively refer to them as mermaids – in legends, accounts from witnesses, or illustrations from ancient times, we observe that mermaids generally have two eyes facing the same direction like humans, rather than diverging like fish.
Mermaids’ hands have thumbs oriented sideways like humans, making them adept at handling tools. Descriptions indicate that mermaids have relatively large heads compared to their bodies, suggesting a well-developed brain. Their lower bodies often resemble paddle-like tails with flukes similar to those of whales. The scales on their bodies are actually thick, keratinized skin that appears rough, resembling fish scales….
Explaining the absence of mermaids in nature today, Banze takes a rather extreme view, suggesting that modern development and environmental pollution, along with rampant seafood overfishing, have led to the extinction of mermaids.
