Scientists flooded with squid ideas 

Te Papa Museum scientists have been inundated with suggestions about how to defrost their newest acquisition, the world's largest squid.

The 10-metre long, 450 kilo Colossal squid was caught by fishermen long lining for toothfish in deep ocean off Antarctica.

On Tuesday, the frozen squid arrived at Te Papa, but scientists must first work out a way to safely thaw it out in order to study it.

The sheer size of the squid means it would take more than four days to defrost, by which time the outer tissue will have deteriorated.

After ONE News aired the scientist's plight on Tuesday night, suggestions from the sublime to the ridiculous have poured into the museum.

They range from the simple - in a large microwave, in a timber kiln and vacuum packed in cold water emersion - to the complicated.

Te Papa says one of its favourites is an inventive suggestion to wire up as many electric blankets as possible to thermostats and transformers, put a layer of blankets on the bottom, another on top, and create a giant squid warming sandwich.

Scientists say plans are advancing to place the Colossal squid in a special tank and creating a slow, cold salt water defrost.

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