![]() ![]() Jellyfish? What was their protection against acidic surroundings?ĭelving into the scientific literature, I found only meagre evidence that jellyfish would be winners in future acidified seas. On the winners’ side were shell-less things: algae, sponges and jellyfish. On the losers’ side were shelled animals: coral, crabs, starfish. ![]() ![]() This story included a quintessential National Geographic graphic called “Winners and Losers”. And lots of marine creatures build shells. This happens when carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels mixes with water, making it more acidic, and harder to build shells in. ![]() That it was jellyfish certainly was.Īs an ocean scientist-turned-science writer, I was working on a piece for National Geographic about ocean acidification, sometimes called global warming’s evil twin. That something inside had been waiting for the opportunity to climb out and look for more than flapjacks and yogurt wasn’t so surprising. And, even though I still looked good on Facebook, when I slowed down long enough to think, I felt lost and unfulfilled. L ooking back, I see that jellyfish came to me when the haze of sleepless nights brought on by kids’ cries and the frenzy of cramming a working day into the scant hours of pre-school began to lift. ![]()
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