8 Amazing Fun Facts About Crystal Jellyfish: Discover Their Glowing Secrets!

1. Jellyfish Nobel Prize

When life gives you jelly, make fluorescent protein: The crystal jellyfish, Aequorea victoria, was the key player in the discovery of the green fluorescent protein (GFP) which revolutionized cell biology and medicine, helping scientists track proteins in living cells, and leading to a Nobel Prize in Chemistry for researchers Osamu Shimomura, Martin Chalfie, and Roger Tsien in 2008.
Source => nautil.us

2. Pulsating Belly Dancer

When crystal jellyfish bell-y dance, they really know how to get the party "pulsating" like no other ocean critter: Using their unique bell-shaped bodies, these power swimmers have been mastering jet and paddle propulsion for 550 million years, flexing their muscles to contract and eject water, which sends them gracefully gliding through the sea with a captivating display of locomotion.
Source => sciencenews.org

Did you know that jellyfish have been around for over 500 million years? 🐙 Discover how these graceful ocean boppers earned the title 'Sultan of Slime' and their surprising connection to Utah!

=> Fun Facts about Jellyfish

3. Harry Potter of the Sea

If you've ever wished for invisibility powers like Harry Potter under his cloak, then you'll be simply green with envy over the crystal jellyfish's party trick: Not only are they nearly transparent masters of camouflage, but they also boast a dazzling green glow around the edges of their bell, all thanks to photoprotein aequorin and accessory protein GFP for some bioluminescent brilliance to keep predators confused and prey hypnotized.
Source => cabrillomarineaquarium.org

4. Glowing Genetics Helpers

Who knew jellyfish could hold the key to lighting up our lives – quite literally, and in the realm of science, too: Crystal jellyfish, known as Aequorea victoria, can thank their green fluorescent protein (GFP) for revolutionizing biomedical research, by emitting a dazzling green light under UV rays, aiding scientists in studying genetics and cancer research, and even winning a Nobel Prize in Chemistry back in 2008!
Source => curioustem.org

5. Disco Dance Party Jelly

Sea jellies or gelatinous dreams? The crystal jellyfish holds the disco dance party of the ocean with its shimmering proteins, lighting the way in the medical world: The discovery of aequorin and green fluorescent protein (GFP) from crystal jellyfish has led to advancements in medicine, enabling breakthroughs in cell and bacteria research. Osamu Shimomura and his team bagged the 2008 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for such a glowing achievement.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

6. Creature of Mystery

Did you hear about the crystal jellyfish with a glowing personality? They've been lighting up the party, quite literally: Crystal jellyfish are bioluminescent, and their luminescent protein aequorin has been harvested for biomedical research, though their mysterious decline in the past decades remains unexplained and intriguing.
Source => faculty.washington.edu

7. Jellyfish Detectives

Who turned off the lights? Crystal jellyfish to the rescue: These radiant sea creatures have the power to glow green using a process called radiationless energy transfer, which has revolutionized the world of cellular biology and even the way we detect toxins and harmful substances. In fact, their glowing green fluorescent protein has become a shining star of scientific discovery and medical advancements!
Source => researchgate.net

8. Benjamin Button Jelly

Ever wish you had the power to hit the reverse button on life and start afresh, like rewinding a worn-out VHS tape? Well, one jelly species seems to have cracked the code to dropping a few decades overnight: Enter the Turritopsis dohrnii, aka the "immortal jellyfish," which can essentially defy aging by switching between its medusa and polyp stages indefinitely. Discovered in the Mediterranean Sea, this real-life Benjamin Button of the aquatic world has researchers all abuzz with the potential implications for medicine.
Source => osc.org