In a recent book from U Chicago Press, Tim Flannery claims jellyfish are multiplying and taking over:
Most jellyfish are little more than gelatinous bags containing digestive organs and gonads, drifting at the whim of the current. But box jellyfish are different. They are active hunters of medium-sized fish and crustaceans, and can move at up to twenty-one feet per minute. They are also the only jellyfish with eyes that are quite sophisticated, containing retinas, corneas, and lenses. And they have brains, which are capable of learning, memory, and guiding complex behaviors.
Funny that, considering how old and primitive they are supposed to be.
From the Arctic to the equator and on to the Antarctic, jellyfish plagues (or blooms, as they’re technically known) are on the increase. Even sober scientists are now talking of the jellification of the oceans.
Here’s a dose of Irukandji box jelly in case you doubt:
Double bill this time.
Next: Atheist apocalypses and unbeliever unbelievables