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. 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.