Much like the student population at GCU, the population of jellyfish has been growing rapidly over the last few years. These spineless swimmers have been reproducing in mind-boggling numbers and gathering in groups (called smacks) where they shouldn’t be. Imagine planning go for a nice dip in the ocean and encountering a swarm of mauve stinger jellyfish like the one seen off the coast of Ireland in 2007, 35 feet deep and covering ten square miles!
Some of these congregations have been thick enough to disastrously clog the cooling equipment of nuclear power plants, causing entire plants in several countries to shut down. Others are filling the nets of fishing boats, capsizing and sinking them. Others yet are eating so much that they’re contributing to the commercial extinction of the sturgeon that gives the world its luxurious caviar. That’s a lot of change to attribute to those little sea jellies!
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References:
- Shuman, Robert B. (2013). “Antelope.” Salem Press Encyclopedia of Science.
- BBC Worldwide Ltd. The Wonder of Animals: Bats. Films Media Group, 2015.
- Tucker, Abigail. (2010). “Jellyfish: The Next King of the Sea.” Smithsonian Magazine.