Extraordinary claims. Ordinary investigations.

In 1741, missionary Hans Egede published his report of a “most dreadful monster” seen near the coast of Greenland. Along with an illustration by Egede himself, it would become a particularly famous account in the vast collection of “sea serpents” tales.

Since then, many explanations to the sighting were advanced, such as the one that says the folks may have seen a giant squid (Architeuthis), with one of the tentacles mistaken for a tail.

But Charles Paxton, from University of St Andrews, Scotland, suggested a couple of years ago a much more interesting hypothesis. Paxton has already been awarded the IgNobel in Biology in 2002 for his study on the “Courtship behaviour of ostriches towards humans under farming conditions in Britain“, so his hypothesis may not be such a surprise.

Paxton proposes the folks saw a whale penis.

Yes, a male whale of a species unknown to the travelers, for some reason excited and having its erect organ — which can reach up to two meters in length — mistaken for the tail of some sea serpent.

An image, however, may be worth more than the last dozen words:

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People love freak shows, and our entry about the poor deformed puppy who looked “human” is one of the most  popular. Well, this one may be as popular.

This time, it’s a cow. Continue reading for the actual series of pictures of the creature.

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Behold the “Ningen“. Meaning literally “Human“, it’s allegedly a very large unknown animal sighted by Japanese fishers, which bares an uncanny resemblance to us. Not only a face, but other reports include even arms and hands.

Continue reading for more pictures and even videos. All artistic illustrations, but being Japanese, they are extremely nice, and as imagined sea monsters, they sure are terrifying.

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Matt Crowley’s work has been already suggested by Loren Coleman on Cryptomundo, and a quick summary was also published last year on CSI’s Skeptical Briefs.

But for those who haven’t read it yet, check his full length work on Bigfoot casts:

Dermal Ridges and Casting Artifacts. It’s investigative skepticism at its best.

Amazing Japanese video with funny references to many classic Forteana, from cryptozoology to UFOs and ghosts.

As some of them are only famous in Japan, I compiled a list in order of appearance:

1. Mothman;
2. Chupacabras;
3. Bigfoot (with a ghost face in the background);
4. Tsuchinoko (crypto-creature famous in Japan);
5. Nessie (hand, this was a nice one);
6. Alien with FBI/KGB/Gestapo agents (actually a “Talk of the Times” newspaper hoax);
7. Flatwoods Monster;
8. The Doll with growing hair (another typically Japanese Forteana);
9. Aliens play with cattle mutilations and…
10. Crop circles, by drawing Doraemon;
11. A play on a famous Australian sea serpent photo;
12. An explanation for Japan’s mystery guardrail metal shards;
13. The standing Lesser Panda that was the sensation in the land of the rising Sun.