Sure, jellyfish look pretty serene, but we all know the evils that come from a run in
with those tentacles.
With over 200 diverse species in temperate and tropical regions around the globe, these
primitive creatures have been around for 600 million years of evolutionary history.
And while they may not have a brain, heart or much of a social life, jellyfish are masters
of chemistry.
They use photoreceptor proteins to sense light, bioluminescent proteins to produce light and
of course… toxins to knock the living daylights out of their prey and predators.
You’ve all heard the rumor that peeing on a jellyfish sting can make the pain go away,
but does this icky old wives tale stand up to science?
Ah, to pee or not to pee?
That is the question.
If you’re taking a trip to the beach, rest assured jellyfish will not seek you out.
These guys only sting if you run into them.
And it’s thanks to their tentacles.
They’re covered in stinging cells called cnidocytes, which they’ve evolved to paralyze
prey and deter predators.
That’s why some jellyfish--like these Moon jellies—have stings so weak humans can’t
even feel them.
But the tasty microscopic zooplankton they eat certainly can.
Cnidocytes come packed with toxin-filled, needle-like organelles called nematocysts,
which sting involuntarily as soon as any prey, predators or innocent bystanders brush up
against them.
Essentially, jellyfish are kind of like Kyle at a crowded Reel Big Fish concert—he’s
not trying to bother you, but you might end up as collateral damage when he starts grooving.
Depending on the species, bumping into a jellyfish can leave you with millions of nematocysts
on your skin.
Normally, these organelles are coiled like a garden hose, but when activated by the pressure
of touch, they straighten out into nano-syringes and inject you with porin toxins.
Porins are bad news because these proteins poke holes in your cells, causing major inflammation
and, with it, major pain.
From the moment of contact to the injection of porins, this whole process takes only about
11 milliseconds--making it one of the fastest biomechanical processes scientists have observed
in the animal kingdom.
With millions of these spear-like organelles injecting you with toxins, it’s no wonder
people will do almost anything to ease the pain—hence rumors like this get started.
“You’re gonna have to pee on it.”
The thinking is that the force of the stream washes away any leftover nematocysts that
have yet to be triggered by touch.
And the urine’s acidity supposedly denatures porin proteins.
So, let’s say you’re rolling in the ocean this summer and a jellyfish sting leaves you
reeling in pain.
Should you pee on it?
No.
Do.
Not.
Do.
That.
Truth is, you’re in for a whole world of hurt if you go with your number one choice.
While it’s true you want to remove the excess nematocysts that linger on your skin after
a sting, peeing on a jellyfish sting will only amplify that issue thanks to osmosis.
The nematocysts that rest on your skin after a jellyfish sting are acclimated to a highly-concentrated
saline environment, so when your unconcentrated urine hits them, H2O is going to force its
way into the cells to achieve a balance.
This extra pressure is just what the nematocysts need to fire, injecting you with a brand new
round of toxin.
Ouch...
The old wives tale is correct that an acidic solution might neutralize some toxins.
But the amount of acid you’re looking for just isn’t in urine.While your pee IS
acidic, usually with a pH of around 6, it isn’t acidic enough to denature porins and
prevent them from hole-punching your cells.
And the same goes for rinsing with fresh water.
So if urine and water doesn’t work, what is the gold standard of sting treatments?
Your best bet is to find a safe, jelly-free area in the same body of water where you were
stung and rinse the affected area with salt water.
This will wash away nematocysts on your skin without adding extra pressure and causing
them to fire.
Once you leave the ocean, try rinsing the affected area with vinegar also known as acetic
acid.
This COULD potentially prevent any further nematocysts from firing venom into your skin,
BUT it depends on the type of sting since different jellies have different toxins.
If you’re still feeling the burn, unfortunately, the best medicine may be to wait it out for
your body to clear the toxin, at least for less venomous jellyfish.
But More venomous jellyfish are a TOTALLY different story.
For example, box jellyfish--just one of Australia’s many deadly creepy crawlers that are could
kill you--sting with cardiotoxins that are capable of stopping your heart.
So when in doubt, call EMS!
Never encountered a jelly in the wild?
Your chances may be improving.
Jellyfish thrive in warmer climates where their plankton food sources thrive.
studies show that as the world gets warmer, “blooms” of jellyfish may be sprouting
up more frequently than they once were.
So when the world ends due to global warming, all that will be left will be Cher… and
jellyfish.
Want to turn back time to catch up on some Reactions summer essentials?
Check out which body of water it’s okay to pee in and why fun in the sun might be
more carcinogenic than you’d hoped.
We want to give special thanks to San Francisco’s Aquarium of the Bay for letting us film their
beautiful jellyfish.
Thumbs up and subscribe on your way out and hey, thanks for watching.