Jellyfish or simply “jellies” have been around for more than 500 million years. That means, jellies were here before dinosaurs! This resilient species has a simple, but astounding makeup. Jellies don’t have a brain or a heart. They have a single cavity for eating and expelling waste.

This hour, we learn about the jellies off Long Island Sound and how climate change affects their population. warns-swimmers-to-be-aware-of-jellyfish-17316794.php">Have you seen any jellies on the coast of Connecticut?

Their population is growing, creating consequences for our ecosystem here at home. With only a handful of species that prey on them, jelly blooms can be a real problem—impacting species around Long Island Sound, including the seafood industry.

We’ll also talk about what to do if you come across one of these ethereal creatures and are stung. A spoiler alert for our listeners: don't do what you saw on Friends!

What questions do you have about the jellies off our coastline?

GUESTS:

• David Cochran: Director of Fish and Invertebrates, Mystic Aquarium
• Rachel Stein: Associate Director of Animal Husbandry, Maritime Aquarium 
• Sarah Battistini: Water Safety Coordinator at the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection

Dive into all of the nautical themed stories airing this week on Connecticut Public's original talk shows by visiting ctpublic.org/nautiweek.

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