Mermaids: The Body Found - Just How Real is it?

 

 

You first saw "Mermaids: The Body Found" during Animal Planet's monstrous Monster Week line-up, but the two hour documentary-style program recently re-aired on Discovery. Once again, the Animal Planet program, which uses scientific theory and real events to debate whether or not mermaids exist, caused a stir among viewers and the program was trending in the No. 1 spot on Google after airing. It seems the program had many convinced that mermaids could exist (much in the way another popular Animal Planet program, "Finding Bigfoot," explores the possibility that Sasquatch could be real).

[Watch: Did Mermaids Evolve from Aquatic Mammals?]

After the show's original airing in May, executive producer Charlie Foley weighed in on the debate over whether or not mermaids really exist. He explained that the theories presented were rooted in science and based on other evolutionary theories (like polar bears evolving from brown bears). So how did they figure out what mermaids would look like?

[Watch: A Compilation of Mermaids: The Body Found Videos!]

"The mermaids you’ll see in the special were born from the scientific evidence that exists in other real evolutionary theories," Foley explained in his earlier blog post. "This informed us on the physical characteristics mermaids would share with humans and which attributes they would have acquired through evolution in order to live in our oceans.

"For example, mermaids most likely would not have hair, since that would cause much drag moving through the water. And, like other marine mammals such as dolphins and whales, the mermaids have a type of countershading - a dark blue shade on the top and a paler shade on the underside.  This is a form of camouflage - when you look down at the creature from above, the dark blue skin tone blends against the dark blue of the water.  Whereas if you are looking up at the creature from underneath, the paler shaded skin blends against the lighter surface."

[Photos: See Mermaids: The Body Found Photos!]

So, while the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) may have released a statement earlier in the summer declaring that no evidence of aquatic humanoids has ever been found, the possibility presented in "Mermaids: The Body Found" keeps the belief and lore of mermaids alive.

Now the real question is, what do you believe?

 

---

Jodi Westrick is an Associate Interactive Producer for AnimalPlanet.com.

 

Comments

[Milllyyy]

Well in a way I think they could exist cuz there is very very little ocean that scientists have explored, so there are possibilities!
I hope there is in a way ;)

[Elizabeth]

I believe that this show and this discussion are pathetic and a sad commentary on what the Discovery Channel has become.

[Zoe]

Ever since I was a little girl I believed in mermaids. There have been legends and stories of them. When a person asked me if I believed in them, they would laugh hysterically and would say "really". The early travelers have noted and depicted pictures or drawings of them. I always thought they would have luminous hair and would look like humans but the reality is much different. People today that don't believe in them see them as beautiful humans that live in the sea. When I got older I watched the animal planet videos and was astonished. I thought that's why no one thinks their real, the government controls everything. At the ends of the video it says go to mermaidsarereal.com and when I went their it was taken over by the government. To be exact it is the homeland security investigations. Hopefully more people will believe that their real animals or beings.

[Sulfi]

Just a doubt, As far i investigated about mermaids, in ancient time its mentioned that mermaids used to speak with human, (dont have any clear info in current time whether they speak or not) but in which language they conmmunicate with human? i am quet confused in that... if any one knows the answer please anwer for this doubt.....

[jazmine]

I believe mermaids are real and when those to boys found it on the beach how can it be an animal when see animals don't even have hands

[Texas Lone Wolf]

Skyann, copy and paste this address
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-jOuLS0kKw

[skyann]

ido believe in mermaids, my life wish is to prove there real and to see one in real life. i have been calculating where they have been spotted and i have sevarl theories abut them and i am not going to show any of that in this comment so if anyone belives in me ..... please help me find them

[Texas Lone Wolf]

Everybody can look up these numbers. The oceans make up 99% of the living space on the planet. Between 5-6% has been studied adequately not thoroughly. That leaves 95% unseen by human eyes. We as humans live in that 1%. In that 1% insects make up between 75-80% of the animal kingdom with 800,00 to 900,000 species categorized with 8 to 9 million yet to be classified. What do we really know about the place in which we live?

[Maria]

Oh and also, people who think they're 100% correct on their opinion, are very stupid and ignorant. If you think you're right, good for you! But don't go and tell somebody they're wrong, because you're not the only smart arse out there:)

[Maria]

Honestly, I don't really know what to believe. When I was a little girl I always wanted to be a mermaid haha, and I truly thought they were real. Now being an adult I feel like questioning this 'legend' that I was told. I've seen loads of pictures on the Internet of mermaid skeletons being found, surely they can't be fake? It's a photographic image, not a drawn masterpiece. I feel just a tad gullible but seriously, this could be real. Isn't there enough evidence that this so called creature could be real? On the other hand, today's technology could instantly pick up on the fact that there are mermaids living in the sea, so why hasn't it yet been properly proved? I'm definitely stuck between two on this occasion. I'm normally one to make quick decisions on 'silly' things like this, but shockingly, I'm stunned and amazed. Could mermaids really be living creatures, or is this another scam?

[shelby]

mermaids r my favorite thing in my life i wish i was a mermaid they are so kool i watch movies with mermaids all the time and when im in the water i swim like a mermaid to and also whn im in the water i fell like i belong to the water it amazing how it makes me fell when im in water i love mermaids so much i love the picture and i what i dont like about somthings is that nobody nos if mermaids are real or not

[cc]

I hear alot of negativity about the possibilities of God's creations. we should all embrace everything that our Creator the artist has beautiful I'd our planet with. be at peace with all things we all have to believe in something keep the energy positive this is from CC and Willits California

[cc]

God bless all of you out there That believe in the beautiful mermaids. I believe in miracles all day long hugs and kisses to all of you and your beautiful mermaids and their significant others

[cc]

Hey Steve from NC. you're such a miserable negative soul. to believe that mermaids don't exist or other creatures on the planet. your vocabulary of words certainly doesn't say that you're a scientist. and maybe it's you that should put the what did you call that a crack pipe. put it down brother. I believe our Creator made a mistake when you put you on the planet

[dave]

Fred Flintstone is full of it. You go on about factual evidence and people not supporting their theorys but all your theorys are opinion based. Fool!

If hundreds of giant squid were being washed up on shore,then there very exsistence would have never been in question,not for a second,will multiple carcasses.

What we are talking about isn't even on the same wavelength(no pun intended) so has absolutley no relevence.

If we are talking about a humanoid creature then its safe to say they would hold the same mental capacitys as humans,or at least having similar potentials. Meaning hiding,recovering bodies of the dead and giving them buriels wouldn't be out of the question!

[Emmy]

Honestly, I'm not sure what to believe. I think the evolutionary theory could definitely be possible, and the cultural examples could also be evidence, but nothing is absolutely certain. Fred flinstone (one of the commenters)brought up an excellent point: the drawings and myths could just be works of fiction. We write fictional books today, why couldn't the ancient people? And I'm not being closed minded, I'm just trying to examine what we know and what we don't know. I do believe in some things, like extra terrestrial life (its definitely out there in one of thre billions of distant universes of space, the questionable part is wether they've visited us or not. its probably not.)I think mermaids could be real, but there is not enough evidence to fully convince me, and some of what was presented in the documenty was a little far fetched for my taste. And other commenters were also right: much of the ocean is unexplored and we most definitely do not know of all of the life that inhabits it. but some of these supposed creatures just seem scientifically impossible.Yet I am not denying their existence. The world works in mysterious ways that we will never be capable of completely understanding.

[kshitijj]

ya i beleive in mermaids ,i m crazy about it,i want to spend my whole life ,to search mermaids...

[javali]

does mermaids feed on human blood like vampires?

[javali]

does the mermaids can speak?

[shelby]

mermaids r my favorite thing in my life i wish i was a mermaid they are so kool i watch movies with mermaids all the time and when im in the water i swim like a mermaid to and also whn im in the water i fell like i belong to the water it amazing how it makes me fell when im in water i love mermaids so much i love the picture and i what i dont like about somthings is that nobody nos if mermaids are real or not

[Iqra]

I'm not certain if mermaids are real or not, but there are many creature that haven't been discovered yet.

[Natasha]

Mermaids are real. Many cultures through out time have shared pictures and evidence like they do ( Cave paintings, art, stories). I do however dont believe they have hair and are not so "beautiful". They most likely live in the ocean trenches to hide from the corruption of man.

[Ruth-Ann]

i am a jamaica and when ever i may say to someone i believe mermaids exsist they would laugh and say im stupid but ... i dont know i still believe they exsit . my dad told me there was a pond that had mermaids close to where he lived when he was a child growing up. i would love to see one ..

[Maggie]

Mermaids are real, they absolutely have to be, and if theyre not, then I dont want to live on earth

[tasha]

izzy,
where in africa what lake/ocean. be specific [lease