Keeping in line with the giant multiple-armed sea creature story from last week, check out this real whopper of a fish story! A fishing boat brought in a gigantic colossal squid—the largest ever caught— in Antarctica this spring. Weighing in at a scale-busting 494 kg (that’s half a ton!), this squid was a colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni), one of  the largest squids known—even larger than giant squids. This one seems to have surfaced from the cold waters of the Antarctic Ocean. These mysterious creatures are hardly ever seen, as they live in very deep water. In fact, this find is so one-of-a-kind that the squid could actually be insured for millions of dollars! The colossal squid was already frozen solid when it was caught and scientists will have to study it more closely to find out when it died. Right now the giant sea monster is still on ice in New Zealand, but scientists are trying to find a way to thaw it so they can learn more about these strange hunters of the deep seas. But thawing a squid that weighs half a ton is a bit of a problem. This is because the squid is so large that if it were let to thaw on its own, the outside would start to rot while the inside would still be a hard chuck of ice! What is the solution? Enter…microwave technology!

How in the world will scientists ever be able to cram a half-ton colossal squid in a microwave oven? Well, if you are talking kitchen counter microwave, that’s a bit of a tight squeeze to say the least. But luckily, microwaves come in much larger sizes as well. The enormous squid may be thawed in a super-sized microwave that is used by the lumber industry to treat lumber. Will the giant microwave save the day? Scientists are playing it cool right now when it comes to making a decision. Word has it that the colossal squid is still on ice and may be for some time!