High-Speed Video Captures Terrifying Jellyfish Stings In Action

Have you ever been stung by a Jellyfish? If you have, you know it hurts (and that everyone's answer to cure that sting is to pee on you, which is just... no). The soft, gelatinous creatures have long befuddled those who couldn't figure out how it could cause so much harm. A new video captures Jellyfish stings in action, and it's terrifying — but cool.

With modern technology, we can now take a look at evolutionary defense tactics of the sea-dwelling invertebrates. A high-speed camera was affixed to a microscope, and Jellyfish were roused to attention via electrical currents. Not shocked, mind you, just alerted. Scientists aren't quite sure what causes a Jellyfish to actually sting, but the current definitely caused them to do so.

With all that tech, we can see how Mother Nature taught the Jellyfish to defend itself. Small, needle-like barbs extend from its appendages and jab your skin. Venom is then released, which is often not deadly to humans, but it can be. To see it in action, check out the video below.

So now you know why a Jellyfish sting hurts so badly. It's not a chemical reaction on the surface of your skin, it's both venom and an injection. Thanks for everything, Jellyfish. Though the urine thing might actually cure it, it still feels like adding insult to injury — especially since we now know we're being jabbed with microscopic needles.

Via: BGR