Seaweed Named After Burton

(CBC)

Tim Burton has left his name in film, animation, and modern art. Now, thanks to a Canadian researcher, he can count his name as a (small) contribution to biology.

When Bridgette Clarkson, a University of New Brunswick researcher, identified a "new" species of aquatic plant, she decided to name it after someone who inspired her. She gave the newly-discovered seaweed the official name Euthora timburtoni.

"I decided to name this new species in honour of film director Tim Burton because I grew up watching and loving his films, and I think they had an influence on my imagination," Clarkston said.

"And so when I'm scuba diving in British Columbia and I see this new species and I was collecting it, to me it looked like some kind of strange underwater flower and it always makes me think of Nightmare Before Christmas when I see it, so I thought, why not?"


(Francois Mori/Associated Press)