<p>Likened to an "alien mother ship" of invasive species, an enormous <a href="http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/japan-guide/">Japanese</a> dock—set free more than a year ago by that country's deadly <a href="http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/natural-disasters/tsunami-profile/">tsunami</a> and <a href="http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/natural-disasters/earthquake-profile/">earthquake</a>—landed on an <a href="http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/united-states/oregon-guide/">Oregon</a> beach last week, as seen in a picture snapped last Thursday.</p><p>Encrusted with a hundred tons of Asian crabs, sea stars, algae, urchins, barnacles, snails, and other life-forms, the 66-foot-long (20-meter-long) dock had floated 5,000 miles (8,000 kilometers) across the Pacific from the port of <a href="http://maps.nationalgeographic.com/map-machine#s=h&amp;c=40.69105162801024,%20141.4239120483399&amp;z=11">Misawa (map)</a>.</p><p>(See National Geographic News's <a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/03/110311-tsunami-earthquake-japan-hawaii-science-world-waves/">complete Japan earthquake and tsunami coverage</a>.)</p><p><em>—Brian Handwerk</em></p>

Monolith

Likened to an "alien mother ship" of invasive species, an enormous Japanese dock—set free more than a year ago by that country's deadly tsunami and earthquake—landed on an Oregon beach last week, as seen in a picture snapped last Thursday.

Encrusted with a hundred tons of Asian crabs, sea stars, algae, urchins, barnacles, snails, and other life-forms, the 66-foot-long (20-meter-long) dock had floated 5,000 miles (8,000 kilometers) across the Pacific from the port of Misawa (map).

(See National Geographic News's complete Japan earthquake and tsunami coverage.)

—Brian Handwerk

Photograph by Robin Loznak, Zuma Press

Pictures: Tsunami Dock Is "Alien Mother Ship" of Species

Teeming with invasive life-forms, the Japanese dock that recently hit the U.S. is a "dirty needle that just got stuck into our ecological arm."

Read This Next

Turns out that huge spider invading the U.S. is incredibly ... shy?
The race to stop lanternflies—before they get to a town near you
Death cap mushrooms are deadly—and spreading

Go Further

Subscriber Exclusive Content

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet