- Mozambique vote: no suspense but some disillusion
- Austrian rapper channels anti-racist rage in Romani hip-hop songs
- Ohtani magic powers Dodgers over Padres in MLB playoff thriller
- Five of the best: Pakistan-England Test thrillers
- Man sets arm on fire as marches across US mark Gaza war anniversary
- Vietnam's young coffee entrepreneurs brew up a revolution
- Trump rallies at site of failed assassination: 'Never quit'
- Too hot by day, Dubai's floodlit beaches are packed at night
- Is music finally reckoning with #MeToo?
- Fans hail Trump's 'guts' as he returns to site of rally shooting
- Lebanon state media says Israeli strikes hit south Beirut
- Miami on track for MLS record points after win in Toronto
- Monaco take top spot in Ligue 1 with win at Rennes
- Madrid beat Villarreal to level Liga leaders Barca
- Thuram treble fires Inter past Torino and up to second
- 'Fight': defiant Trump jets in to site of rally shooting
- Mexico City's new mayor sworn in with pledges on water, housing
- Israel on alert ahead of Hamas attack anniversary
- Guardians maul Tigers in MLB playoff series opener
- Macron criticises Israel on Gaza, Lebanon operations
- French rugby player whistled but 'serene' on return amid ongoing rape case
- Retegui hat-trick fires five-star Atalanta to hammering of Genoa
- Heavyweights Australia, England off to World Cup winning starts
- Visiting UN refugee agency chief decries 'terrible crisis' in Lebanon
- Spinners come to party as England defeat Bangladesh at T20 World Cup
- Search continues for missing in deadly Bosnia floods
- Man City sink Fulham to get title bid back on track
- France's Auradou whistled on Pau return in Perpignan loss amid ongoing rape case
- A 'forgotten' valley in storm-hit North Carolina, desperate for help
- Arsenal hit back in style after Southampton scare
- Hezbollah heir apparent Safieddine out of contact after strikes
- Liverpool stay top of Premier League as Arsenal, Man City win
- In dank Tour of Emilia, Pogacar shines in rainbow jersey
- DR Congo launches mpox vaccination drive, hoping to curb outbreak
- Trump returns to site of failed assassination
- Careless Leverkusen held to Bundesliga draw
- O'Brien's 'superstar' Kyprios posts landmark win on Arc weekend
- Liverpool suffer Alisson injury blow
- Habosi helps Racing beat Vannes before Auradou's playing return
- Thousands march in London in support of Palestinians, 1 year after Oct 7
- Israel readying response to Iran missile attack
- Schutt, Mooney help Australia beat Sri Lanka in Women's T20 World Cup
- Liverpool extend Premier League lead with win at Palace
- Djokovic 'shakes rust off' to make third round of Shanghai Masters
- 'Imperfect' PSG fighting on all fronts - Luis Enrique
- Struggling Pakistan look to thwart adaptable England
- Child 'trampled to death' in asylum seekers' Channel crossing: minister
- Gauff fights back to set up Beijing final against Muchova
- Guardiola claims Premier League won't delay season for Man City
- Israel to mark October 7 attack as Gaza war spreads
'Not the most attractive': Underdog snail wins Mollusc of the Year
In the end it was neither beauty, nor gymnastic mating rituals that won the public over.
In voting the Chilean abalone to victory in the international "Mollusc of the Year" contest on Thursday, people seem to have voted with their stomachs.
The edible underdog -- known commonly as the "loco" -- pulled in 42 percent of the global votes, despite being up against some formidable opponents. Contenders included the psychedelic attractions of the Wavy Bubble Snail and the giant Methuselah oyster, which can live for 500 years.
If sporting acclaim and recognition wasn't enough, the tough-shelled sea snail will now have its entire genome decoded by the LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics, which runs the competition, in an effort to benefit science and humanity.
The loco's nominating researchers basked in the victory.
"It feels great. As you can understand, the 'loco' is not the most attractive mollusc," researcher J. Antonio Baeza of Clemson University in South Carolina told AFP.
"Although I guess it must be way more tasty than a sea slug."
Served simply with a dab of mayonnaise or added to soup, this snail is a traditional delicacy in its home countries of Peru and Chile.
That popularity may have helped the Chilean abalone to victory, but the loco's potential extends far beyond the dinner plate.
Unlocking the top predator and keystone snail's genome will reveal how marine invertebrates deal with overfishing and pollution on a molecular level, researchers say.
It could also potentially boost the fight against certain types of cancer in humans thanks to the oxygen transporting pigments in its blood.
- Mysterious molluscs -
The annual competition is held to raise awareness of the diverse animal group, which range from the deep sea colossal squid to garden slugs.
Molluscs have been around for more than 500 million years and are the second largest phylum of animals after insects.
But they are shrouded in mystery, organisers say, because of a lack of genetic research.
The aquatic South American snail made its slow slide to victory a long list of 85,000 contenders was whittled down to five finalists that slugged it out in a public vote that ended on Sunday.
In second place came the billowing neon skirts of the Wavy Bubble Snail, followed by the long-lived Methuselah oyster and the thick-horned nudibranch.
In last place was the leopard slug -- the only land mollusc on the list, notable for its feline body markings and an intricate mating ritual that sees couples climb a tree together and then abseil off.
The loco sea snail joins the Greater Argonaut octopus and the spectacular Cuban painted snail in the mollusc hall of fame.
And given the slow pace of the competition, organisers say they are already accepting nominations for 2024.
F.Santana--PC