Oxford university Articles and News

Scientists discover a new shrimp that kills with sound, name it after Pink Floyd.

Let's imagine you are a shrimp researcher, and you come across this little guy:

Image from Sammy De Grave/Oxford University.

It's a new species! Which means you get to name it!

So, what do you have in mind?

If you're like this researcher at Oxford University, there's only one moniker that'd fit.

"I have been listening to Floyd since The Wall was released in 1979, when I was 14 years old," professor Sammy De Grave said in a press release. "This new species of pistol shrimp was the perfect opportunity to finally give a nod to my favourite band."

In honor of the London band, the shrimp has been given the official moniker Synalpheus pinkfloydi.

In honor of the new discovery, Oxford University even commissioned custom artwork. Check out "Another Shrimp in the Wall." Image from Kate Pocklington/Oxford University.

The name's apt in more than one way. Just like its prog rock namesake, this little guy packs an incredible sonic punch.

Shrimp Floyd, which was discovered on the Pacific coast of Panama, is what's known as a pistol shrimp. Though they're usually only an inch or two long, they pack gigantic — and in this case, fluorescent pink — claws.

The neon-colored claw may have inspired the name, but it's more than just decoration. The shrimp can actually cock it like a pistol. When it fires, well, you better get out of the way. The action launches a superheated, imploding bubble that can be as loud as 220 decibels.

A related species' weapon in action. GIF from BBC Earth Unplugged/YouTube.

Even the original Pink Floyd would have trouble matching that kind of acoustic power. Your typical rock concert only reaches about 120 decibels.

The claw's sound is so loud that anything nearby, such as a small fish, is in danger of being stunned or even killed, leaving a tasty snack for the tiny shrimp. In fact, the animals are so noisy that they can even hide the sound of military submarines.

Shrimp Floyd is here to prove that the rock 'n' roll lifestyle isn't just for musicians.

Check out this reimagined take on Pink Floyd's "Animals" album cover. Image from Chris Jarvis/Oxford University.

This little shrimp is a badass rocker acoustic monster. The Earth is full of superstar animals, and it's cool that scientists made sure this one had a fitting name.

The new species was described in the scientific journal Zootaxa.

How this university is fighting back against sexual assault, one student at a time.

At Oxford University, consent classes are now required. More schools should follow suit.

“It's just locker room talk.”

"Boys will be boys."

“Grab ‘em by the pussy.”

I wish I could say it took time to come up with examples of perpetuating sexual assault. I wish I'd had to dig really deep for evidence. But the truth is, I had to figure out a way to cut my list down.

Photo via iStock.

Sexual assault is pervasive and widespread.

Nearly 1 in 5 women in the U.S. have reported being raped at some point in their lives. It's been found that 27% of college women experience some form of unwanted sexual contact, and nearly 2/3 of all college students experience sexual harassment.

Sexual assault doesn't just affect women either. About 1 in 71 men in the U.S. have experienced rape or attempted rape in their lifetime. And from 1995 to 2010, 1 in 10 rape victims were men.

Fortunately, one university is trying to change all this.

University of Oxford just announced that they're making consent classes mandatory for all incoming freshmen.

The university has offered consent courses for about five years, but they're finally making the classes "compulsory," or required, according to the BBC.

Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images.

Run by the school's vice president for women Orla White, the 90-minute classes will operate within a series of workshops rather than like a typical college course. Topics like alcohol and affirmative consent will be discussed in the class, fostering real dialogue around a topic that is often overlooked on college campuses.

Oxford isn't alone: Many Americans schools are making decisions to curb sexual assault culture too.

Governor Jerry Brown made history by signing legislation to make consent education a mandatory part of the curriculum at many high schools and colleges in California. Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Maine are just a few of the states also working toward requiring campuses to use affirmative consent laws the standard for policy and legislation.

Photo via iStock.

University of Oxford's decision comes at a time where perpetuating rape culture is still viewed as "locker room talk" by far too many people.

Making consent classes mandatory everywhere is really important (some victims don't even report their assaults because they haven't realized they've been assaulted). It sends a message that joking about sexual assault is dangerous and simply unacceptable. Women and men are no longer accepting the notion that sexual violence against anyone at any point in life is somehow normal or a part of manhood.

When we educate our boys and girls about consent, we make strides toward preventing more than just sexual assault.

Sexual assault leads to a variety of issues for its survivors, from sexual transmitted infections, to post-traumatic stress disorder, to chronic pain, to strained relationships with family, friends, and intimate partners. But that doesn't have to continue. By acknowledging that we must be proactive in teaching consent, we tell our young men and women that understanding that "no" means "no" is just as important as what's taught in courses like chemistry or history.

By teaching our young people about consent, we put actions behind the idea that we are trying to do better, and our societies will be better for it.

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