By Mera McGrew
Did you know that there are real life zombies that secrete acid, vampires that don’t kill, and ghosts that burrow underground? Meet the zombies, vampires, and ghosts you never knew existed.
Ocean Zombies: Osedax
So-called “zombie worms” are an unusual group of creatures from the genus Osedax, which is Latin for “bone devourer.” Only discovered in 2002, these worms were found on the ocean floor feeding on the skeletons of dead whales and fish. The bone-devouring worms lack a mouth, gut or anus, but are still able to remove nutrients from the bones that they bore into.
Researchers discovered that the worms secrete acid through their skin, which allows them to essentially drill into bones. Symbiotic bacteria inside the worms are able to digest the fats and oils the creatures extract from bones, which provide these “zombie worms” with the nutrients that they need to survive and thrive in the ocean.…