Editing Mermaid (section)

== Scientific inquiry ==
The topic of mermaids in earnest has arisen in several instances of scientific scrutiny, including a biological assessment of the unlikelihood of the supposed evolutionary biology of the mermaid on the popular [[marine science]] website ''DeepSeaNews''. Five of the primary reasons listed as to why mermaids do not fit current evolutionary understanding are:
* [[thermoregulation]] (adaptations for regulating body heat);
* evolutionary mismatch;
* reproductive challenges;
* digestive differences between mammals and fish;
* lack of physical evidence.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.deepseanews.com/2013/10/fishful-thinking-five-reasons-why-mermaids-cant-physically-exist/ |title=Five Reasons Why Mermaids Can't Physically Exist |first=Sheanna |last=Steingass |website=DeepSeaNews |date=30 October 2013 |access-date=17 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190307201459/http://www.deepseanews.com/2013/10/fishful-thinking-five-reasons-why-mermaids-cant-physically-exist/ |archive-date=7 March 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Mermaids were also discussed {{linktext|tongue-in-cheek}} in a scientific article by [[University of Washington]] emeritus oceanographer [[Karl Banse]].<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://web.uvic.ca/~starzom/Banse1990_MermaidBiology.pdf |title=Mermaids{{Snd}} Their Biology, Culture, and Demise |first=Karl |last=Banse |journal= Limnology and Oceanography|date=January 1990 |volume=35 |number=1 |access-date=17 March 2019 |pages=148–153 |doi=10.4319/lo.1990.35.1.0148 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120916235532/http://web.uvic.ca/~starzom/Banse1990_MermaidBiology.pdf |archive-date=16 September 2012|bibcode=1990LimOc..35..148B }}</ref> His article was written as a parody,<ref name=dundes/> but mistaken as a true scientific exposé by believers as it was published in a scientific journal.